''Anti EP'' is the second EP by British
electronic music
Electronic music is a Music genre, genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or electronics, circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromech ...
duo
Autechre
Autechre () is an English electronic music duo consisting of Rob Brown and Sean Booth, both from Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1987, they are among the best known acts signed to UK electronic label Warp Records, through which all of A ...
,
released by
Warp
Warp, warped or warping may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Books and comics
* WaRP Graphics, an alternative comics publisher
* ''Warp'' (First Comics), comic book series published by First Comics based on the play ''Warp!''
* Warp (comics), a ...
on 3 September 1994.
[ It peaked at number 90 on the ]UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
,[ as well as number 39 on the ]UK Dance Singles Chart
The UK Dance Singles Chart and the UK Dance Albums Chart are music charts compiled in the United Kingdom by the Official Charts Company from sales of songs in the dance music genre (e.g. house, trance, drum and bass, garage, synthpop) in record ...
.[ It is the only explicitly political record Autechre have released.]
Background
''Anti EP'' was a protest against the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (c.33) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It introduced a number of changes to the law, most notably in the restriction and reduction of existing rights, clamping down on unlicensed ...
, which would prohibit raves (described as gatherings where music is played), with "music" being defined as a "succession of repetitive beats."[
The packaging bore a sticker with a disclaimer about the repetitive nature of the rhythmic elements of "Lost" and "Djarum".][ "Flutter" was programmed to have non-repetitive beats and therefore "can be played at both forty five and thirty three revolutions under the proposed law"; but following their disclaimer, it was advised that DJs "have a lawyer and a musicologist present at all times to confirm the non repetitive nature of the music in the event of police harassment."][ The sticker acted as a seal, which was required to be broken in order to access the media enclosed in the packaging.][
The profits from this release went to the political pressure group ]Liberty
Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom.
In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...
.[ The sticker ended with this last statement: "Autechre is politically non-aligned. This is about personal freedom."]
Critical reception
Ken Tataki of AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
gave the EP 4 stars out of 5, saying, "Beyond a doubt, this is an excellent showcase not only for the band, but also for the label that signed them."[ Writing for '' Fact'' in 2013, Maya Kalev called the EP "a continued reminder of dance music's extra-linguistic and innate potential for subversion."][ In 2014, ''Fact'' placed "Flutter" at number 1 on their list of the "100 greatest IDM tracks".]
Track listing
Charts
References
External links
''Anti EP''
at the official Warp discography (features audio clips)
*
{{Authority control
1994 EPs
Autechre EPs
Warp (record label) EPs
Albums with cover art by The Designers Republic