::AFX - Analogue Bubblebath IV (Rephex CAT 019)
[4 untitled tracks]
Funny that in the same week someone asked why artists such as the Aphex
Twin were turning to ambience, we get some tracks like this - hard as nails.
RJ's fourth Analogue Bubblebath turns out be more schizophrenic than his
previous efforts, and it becomes a sort of Jekyl and Hyde on wax. The
first side opens hard, with pounding distorted beats and a really
obnoxious sounding scream. In the background various other effects come
and go but in general, I dont feel that this track really goes anywhere.
The scream effect is very strange sounding when you first hear it but it
soon becomes tiresome. The second track is also hard, clocking in around
148bpm, but theres a lot more to it than the first. Initially some
galloping spectrum sounding beats come in and then soon after, a barrage of
various tones, slides, and general acid madness. It then goes through some
nice transformations before finally ending.
The second side is more what we're accustomed to hearing - smooth, rich,
pulse beats and various electro sounds much like what we heard in the
last bubblebath or even the first selected ambient works. It opens with a
smooth beat and sounds like it could almost be one of the demo's you get
built into keyboards and the like, an upbeat little melody with some afx
birds thrown in for good measure. A much more pleasant listening experience
than its alter-ego on the flip side. The second and final track opens
with a nice bassline and percussive pulses before beginning a gentle
piano-like melody which is quite saddening, or reflective perhaps.
Overall, i wouldve liked a little more than four tracks since he managed
thirteen for the CD version of his last bubblebath. The harder side is
still good, but I feel that RJ comes in to his own when he takes the
smoother road, as he does on the second side of the record. The packaging
is good as with the Rephlex code, and comes with another humourous insert
with "The Rephlex Guide To Rocks, Minerals, and Gemstones". It also
features an update on what Rephlex has been doing, and a list of
forthcoming releases is the usual disorder. Without question worth the
$8.99 I paid - my bubblebath left me feeling clean and shiny all over.
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