IDM Mailing Archive

1996-12-15 21:14Mark StevensOn 15 Dec 96 at 12:59, Hess Masten Hodge wrote: > On Sun, 15 Dec 1996, WeeZ wrote: > > Tod

From:: Mark Stevens <mark@sonance.demon.co.uk>
To:: <idm@hyperreal.com>
Date:: Sun, 15 Dec 1996 21:14:43 +0000
Subject:: (idm) Aphex Twin: a bit crap lately?

On 15 Dec 96 at 12:59, Hess Masten Hodge wrote:

quoted 1 line On Sun, 15 Dec 1996, WeeZ wrote:

> On Sun, 15 Dec 1996, WeeZ wrote:

quoted 2 lines Today I heard Aphex Twin's "Milkman" (From the new RDJ CD) and I'm

> > Today I heard Aphex Twin's "Milkman" (From the new RDJ CD) and I'm > > veru sorry to say this but it sucked...

I agree with you there.

quoted 2 lines *WHY* did it suck? What about it didn't you like? Was it the

> *WHY* did it suck? What about it didn't you like? Was it the > voice, was it the lyrics? Do you like the rest of the EP?

I can appreciate its novelty value, but I'm afraid the track's just indicative of the Twin's declining standards these days. Play his full-length albums back-to-back. Can you honestly say that the likes of 'I Care' and 'RDJ' are better albums than 'SAW 85-92' and 'Surfing on Sine Waves'? I certainly couldn't. As much as 'I Care' and 'RDJ' have some excellent tracks, the chaff to wheat ratio is just too high for my liking. As far as I'm concerned, the last decent Aphex Twin track was 'On'. Since then it's been a case of Emperor Aphex's New Clothes -- the techno equivalent of Terry Pratchett, churning out endless, dull rehashes of former glories, in full knowledge that the devoted fans are going to lap it up regardless. I don't really want to be seen as an AFX-basher. Like I said, I love 'SAW 85-92', 'Polygon Window', 'SAW II' plus the 'Quoth' and 'On' singles. There's some good tracks on 'Expert Knob Twiddlers', 'RDJ' and 'I Care...', but for the most part his recent output has been extremely mediocre. Still, if he loves doing it and the fans continue to buy it, then who am I to argue? I'll still listen out for him, in the hope that there's some improvement, but until then I'll just settle back and listen to Autechre/Gescom and Seefeel/Disjecta, each of whom surpassed RDJ some time ago. .+'''+. mark@sonance.demon.co.uk M A R K http://www.netlink.co.uk/users/sonance/ `+.,.+' http://www.sonance.demon.co.uk/

1996-12-16 10:11andrew garratt> From: Mark Stevens <mark@sonance.demon.co.uk> > Date: Sun, 15 Dec 1996 21:14:43 +0000 >

From:: andrew garratt <amg5@york.ac.uk>
To:: <mark@sonance.demon.co.uk>
Cc:: <idm@hyperreal.com>
Date:: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 10:11:00 GMT
Subject:: Re: (idm) Aphex Twin: a bit crap lately?

quoted 34 lines From: Mark Stevens <mark@sonance.demon.co.uk>

> From: Mark Stevens <mark@sonance.demon.co.uk> > Date: Sun, 15 Dec 1996 21:14:43 +0000 > Subject: (idm) Aphex Twin: a bit crap lately? > To: idm@hyperreal.com > > On 15 Dec 96 at 12:59, Hess Masten Hodge wrote: > > > On Sun, 15 Dec 1996, WeeZ wrote: > > > > Today I heard Aphex Twin's "Milkman" (From the new RDJ CD) and I'm > > > veru sorry to say this but it sucked... > > I agree with you there. > > I can appreciate its novelty value, but I'm afraid the track's just > indicative of the Twin's declining standards these days. Play his > full-length albums back-to-back. Can you honestly say that the likes > of 'I Care' and 'RDJ' are better albums than 'SAW 85-92' and 'Surfing > on Sine Waves'? I certainly couldn't. As much as 'I Care' and 'RDJ' > have some excellent tracks, the chaff to wheat ratio is just too high > for my liking. > > As far as I'm concerned, the last decent Aphex Twin track was 'On'. > Since then it's been a case of Emperor Aphex's New Clothes -- the > techno equivalent of Terry Pratchett, churning out endless, dull > rehashes of former glories, in full knowledge that the devoted fans > are going to lap it up regardless. > > I don't really want to be seen as an AFX-basher. Like I said, I love > 'SAW 85-92', 'Polygon Window', 'SAW II' plus the 'Quoth' and 'On' > singles. There's some good tracks on 'Expert Knob Twiddlers', 'RDJ' > and 'I Care...', but for the most part his recent output has been > extremely mediocre. >

The two Hangable Auto Bulb EPs on Warp are excellent. They took a lot of listens (as is often the case) and are up there with the best IDM. RDJ seems a lot easier to deal with. I find that his later stuff (Ventolin +) a bit deceptive. You think you've got its measure after a couple of listens but then find it has a whole new level(s). Andrew

1996-12-17 03:55GDMark Stevens wrote: > I can appreciate its novelty value, but I'm afraid the track's just

From:: GD <g-d@worldnet.att.net>
To:: <idm@hyperreal.com>
Date:: Mon, 16 Dec 1996 22:55:51 -0500
Subject:: Re: (idm) Aphex Twin: a bit crap lately?

Mark Stevens wrote:

quoted 7 lines I can appreciate its novelty value, but I'm afraid the track's just

> I can appreciate its novelty value, but I'm afraid the track's just > indicative of the Twin's declining standards these days. Play his > full-length albums back-to-back. Can you honestly say that the likes > of 'I Care' and 'RDJ' are better albums than 'SAW 85-92' and 'Surfing > on Sine Waves'? I certainly couldn't. As much as 'I Care' and 'RDJ' > have some excellent tracks, the chaff to wheat ratio is just too high > for my liking.

I actually prefer the more recent output; it's more adventurous IMHO (an overused acronym but some people need to be reminded of this). It's funny - one of the things I like about his work starting with the 'Reedone' remix or HAB I is that the structure of his tunes has become increasingly more fractured. A lot of people deemed the "noodling" on HAB I as pisstake, but I found it to be a welcome change of pace from tunes that cycle the same 2-bar loop over and over; even most tracks on "I care..." ave very much based on repetition although some tweaking of effects/EQ on some sounds provides some variety. This 'fractured' structure technique was an obvious Luke Vibert influence (not that either of them are the first to create tracks in such a fashion) - but it brings much more of a 'narrative' sense to a track as opposed to using beats in a more 'ambient' sense as exemplified by Autechre/Gescom material. I think this is also why a lot of people like the Plug LP and not the EPs - the latter are much more 'fractured', whereas the tracks on the album are more refined and cohesive.

quoted 5 lines As far as I'm concerned, the last decent Aphex Twin track was 'On'.

> As far as I'm concerned, the last decent Aphex Twin track was 'On'. > Since then it's been a case of Emperor Aphex's New Clothes -- the > techno equivalent of Terry Pratchett, churning out endless, dull > rehashes of former glories, in full knowledge that the devoted fans > are going to lap it up regardless.

Hmmm...actually, I'd be of the opinion that he's changing his costume so frequently as to almost lose his audience. I really don't think he's rehashing old material - does the most recent LP sound anything like SAW I (with perhaps the exception of the harmonies on 'Yellow Calx')? Back to the structure issue, does anyone else think that this 'fractured' quality of some releases is a good development for electronica, or is it just pissing around? GD

Re: (idm) Aphex Twin: a bit crap lately?