Autechre is an English electronic music group consisting of Rob Brown and Sean Booth, both natives of Rochdale (near Manchester, England). The group are one of the most prominent acts signed with Warp Records, a label known for its pioneering electronic music artists. Some journalists and fans consider Autechre to be a paragon of IDM, though Brown and Booth themselves do not consider their sound to belong to any genre.

The two members formed the group in 1987 when they both lived in Rochdale. They began their career making and trading mixtapes between each other, but gradually moved on to their own compositions while collecting a handful of cheap equipment; most notably a Casio SK-1 Sampler. Indeed, by the time their albums on Warp appeared, they were employing a variety of electronic instruments to create their evolving style.

Booth and Brown have explained that the name Autechre can be pronounced in any way anyone sees fit. They pronounce it "aw-tek-er" (IPA) /ɔ ˈtɛk ɚ/. They are also often referred to by the moniker "Ae." It has been claimed by several, but not confirmed, that the name Autechre comes from 'Audio architecture' or 'Aural technology research' or 'The making of oneself'(auto(self)+tech(make)+re(verb form)).

Autechre have also recorded under various pseudonyms, possibly as a way of escaping from the attentions of the media and the obsessive Autechre fanbase. One of the duo's earliest recordings was a 12" under the Lego Feet moniker released in 1991 on Skam Records. Various Gescom releases, most on Skam, have been attributed to Booth and Brown, among other artists. Autechre helped initiate the music festival All Tomorrow's Parties in 2000 and were responsible for curating the 2003 festival.

True to their early techno and hiphop roots, Autechre utilize a wide array of analog synths in their production as well as analog and digital drum machines and samplers. They have also made extensive use of a variety of computer based sequencers, softsynths, and other applications as a means of controlling and processing the synthesized sounds. Autechre have also used the Max programming language for some time in their music. There have been claims that Autechre employ random sequence generation techniques, as evidenced by the chaotic rhythms in many of their works, but Sean Booth has disputed these claims. Autechre have mentioned the use of algorithmic sequences in much of their more recent work, and many listeners hear clear patterns where others hear chaos. In response to comments about their unique sound, Autechre argue that given the incredible range of tools available to modern composers, especially in the electronic genres, it's incomprehensible that any band should "sound like" any other band.

Autechre @ Depot, Cardiff

Performers