It was early this morning when I logged onto [Autechre’s website](https://autechre.warp.net/) to pre-order their new album. Where it said “Checkout” it also said “Sign” because *Sign* is the name of the album. I was confused because I thought I needed to sign in, even though I’d already signed in, so I stared at it for a while. Like I said, it was early.
These are the stages of Autechre listening, of being expectant of a forthcoming release:
Stage 1: Huh, it’s been awhile since there was a new album.
Stage 2: I sure hope the next one isn’t another massive multi-hour release.
Stage 3: Oh, it’s here! And it’s just a single CD, barely an hour of music.
Stage 4: Wish it had been another massive multi-hour release.
Speaking of Autechre’s release schedule, it’s a sign for me of how messed-up April 2020 was (as the pandemic kicked into full gear) that I somehow missed (meaning: utterly forgot) until yesterday that there had even been a seven-city live set ([*AE_LIVE 2016/2018*]()) released way back then. What feels like “way back then” but was just a few months back.
And as someone point out online today (forgive me, there was a flurry of Ae activity, of Aetivity, so I’m not sure who), the shape of the image on the cover of *Sign* resembles the shapes from *AE_LIVE 2016/2018*:
All the cover art is by the firm the Designers Republic. *Sign* is due on October 16, 2020.