When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence

Harmonic 313 | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 3, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warp Records
• ASIN: B001M9EYKU
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,455 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Mark Pritchard's first full-length release under the Harmonic 313 moniker, ''When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence'', is a real doozy. Grumbling bassweight, glitchy traces of minimal tech, acid, dancehall and dubstep all combine to form a sound both cerebral and danceable. The elegant juxtaposition of these elements substantiate Pritchard's breadth in both influence and execution; after all, this is the man behind Link, Troubleman, NY Connection, Global Communication, Series 7 (with Stephen Horne), Vertigo (with Danny Breaks)and a dizzying array of other projects. Transmitting his equal love for Detroit techno, Jamrock dancehall and space-age hip-hop, this album should prove to be one of the standout electronic releases of 2009. The sheer bass pressure contained herein is sure to leave an indelible mark.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Headphone Commute Review, May 3, 2009

By 

Headphone Commute - See all my reviews

This review is from: When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence (Audio CD)

When Mark Pritchard first released EP1 (Warp, 2008) under his newly refreshed moniker, Harmonic 313, I got extremely excited about his comeback. After all, I'm a huge fan of his output under a number of aliases, the most favorite being Harmonic 33 and Global Communication. The EP stepped up in bass, and dropped down to 8-bit sound, falling somewhere between abstep (abstract dubstep), electro and Detroit-style experimental hip-hop (313 being its area code). And that was just a teaser. His return with When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence (Warp, 2009), picks up right where the EP left off, and slams it back into our faces. It takes a few listens to truly appreciate the genius behind this album. Mostly because your ears are not accustomed to such rubber morphing of the genres. Falling somewhere along the lines of experimental hip-hop by Prefuse 73, Flying Lotus , and J Dilla, the tracks on Machines Exceed Human Intelligence are strangely unique in its own domain. The bass on the tracks is raw, grinding, and wobbly, accompanied by broken syncopated beats, sci-fi chords, and arcade game laser melodies. This flight through a 2D acid flahsback is at the same time an evil and fun experience. Think Nintendo's Spy vs. Spy [hmm, that link was a total Google accident] clashing in the fight between black and white. It is, as if machines not only exceed our intelligence in the future, but actually came back to play with our own favorite toys. The interlude titled, Cyclotron C64 SID, is a testament to Pritchard's tribute to everything retro. After listening to the album half a dozen times, and getting the melodies stuck in my head, I must recognize Pritchard as a continuous pioneer of styles. From ambient, to trip-hop, to experimental hip-hop with elements of dubstep, Pritchard is able to keep up with the trends, adapt to the endless evolution of sound and even invent a few of his own genres along the way - I call it bleep-hop. Glad to see him back on Warp. If you already own the album and the EP, pick up Global Communication's Fabric 26 mix (Fabric, 2005), as well as my all time favorite, Extraordinary People (Alphabet Zoo, 2002) by Harmonic 33. Recommended if you like the above mentioned names, as well as Moderat, Headhunter, 2562, and Lukid.

4.0 out of 5 stars Harmonic 313 - When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence, May 17, 2011

By 

scoundrel - See all my reviews

This review is from: When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence (Audio CD)

"Dirtbox" kicks off Mark Pritchard's Harmonic 313 album, When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence, with some dirty, grimy bass, while "Cyclotron" has a jittery, over-caffeinated twitch to it. The relentless beat of "No Way Out" seems to underscore the light organ line trapped beneath it. "Köln," on the other hand, has some melancholy IDM to its stately proceedings. I know Pritchard is returning to his love of Detroit techno and hip-hop, but something about this album isn't as immediate as his other work. Sure, "Word Problems" is sort of hilarious, but when the lyricists come onto "Battlestar" you're not sure whether to laugh or cry (it's the logical extension of his love of hip-hop, but can someone tell the wack MCs that aggression is no substitute for wordplay?). "Cyclotron C64 SID" brings things back with some chiptune awesomeness that sample the old video game Galaga, if I'm not mistaken. "Flaash" is spare electro, and "Don't Panic" has an unhurried feel to it. Steve Spacek's vocals on "Falling Away" adds a spacey soul into the mix, and "Quadrant 3" ends the album on an almost orchestral note, with the machines finally working in tandem, ending on an ambient note. For right now, at least, the humans are still winning.