IDM Mailing Archive

This is interesting to me if for no other reason than you can tell how first impressions affect how you perceive other work by an artist.... Polygon Window was the first RDJ release I ever heard, alongside the rest of the Wax Trax distribution of B12, Black Dog, Autechre, etc.... In my ignorance at the time I didn't even know who Aphex Twin was. I really like the Polygon Window CD, I think primarily because it introduced me to a whole new sound. It has a slightly more, I don't know, alien quality than the other Aphex material of the same time (although that material was unbeknownst to me at the time). "Quoth" remains one of my favorite alltime Warp tracks. Although obviously the RDJ album and all that's followed since have been way more original.... and definitely not "senseless noise" :-) it will be interesting to hear new aphex tracks, if we ever do. just my .02 bye matt

quoted 25 lines From: Andrei <andrei@world.std.com>

>From: Andrei <andrei@world.std.com> >To: IDM <idm@hyperreal.org> >Subject: Re: [idm] short Warp reviews... >Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2001 11:28:58 -0500 > >On Fri, 23 Mar 2001 damek@earthling.net wrote: > > > Polygon Window:Surfing on Sine Waves (US reissue) > > I never thought this album was that great to begin with, having > > myself first been exposed to Aphex with "Richard D James Album," which I > > still think is great. I only got it because I've long been infected > > with the completism virus,... > >Same thing sort of applies to me though I first got into Aphex through the >Ventolin EP. I never picked up the PW album until this reissue and at the >risk of being struck down by the AI gods for blasphemy I'd have to say >it's the least compelling AFX full length I've heard. I'd take >"Classics" or "SAW I", as far as early AFX, if I had to pick. The last >track is pretty good though. The Quoth EP, which I've had for years, is >more consistent (and generally harder edged) than the full length imo. > >Man, it kills me when people say Aphex used to make good music and now he >just makes senseless noise. > >Andrei

+------------------------------------+ m.mercer :: systm audio-visual communicator http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/98/systm.html mmercer@kent.edu :: vletrmx@hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

At 10:33 PM 3/26/2001 -0500, M Mercer wrote:

quoted 16 lines This is interesting to me if for no other reason than you can tell how

>This is interesting to me if for no other reason than you can tell how >first impressions affect how you perceive other work by an artist.... >Polygon Window was the first RDJ release I ever heard, alongside the rest >of the Wax Trax distribution of B12, Black Dog, Autechre, etc.... In my >ignorance at the time I didn't even know who Aphex Twin was. I really like >the Polygon Window CD, I think primarily because it introduced me to a >whole new sound. It has a slightly more, I don't know, alien quality than >the other Aphex material of the same time (although that material was >unbeknownst to me at the time). "Quoth" remains one of my favorite alltime >Warp tracks. > >Although obviously the RDJ album and all that's followed since have been >way more original.... and definitely not "senseless noise" :-) it will be >interesting to hear new aphex tracks, if we ever do. > >just my .02

I think the Polygon Window album is one of Richard James' more cohesive works, which probably explains why some like it and some don't. Some like Richard's work because he's "all over the place" (err, was), and others like his works that sound like a complete idea (aka SAW 2). I think that most of Richard's work is compilation oriented, which is why there are a lot of releases where he emphasizes the large time gaps between songs. I think it originally worked as a publicity stunt (wow, he did all this, he must have more!), but to me, it's just shown how he really does pick out the "best" things and plops them together. I think his "side project" as Polygon Window didn't fit this scheme - it sounds like an album created from one or two main ideas. Of course, I could be wrong too. Not to make this an "ooh aphex twin", I'm pretty sure the "compilation" idea is pretty widespread among electronic musicians in this genre, since there usually isn't a rush to create albums and since there's more control over the editing and production than many other forms of music production. I'm sure we can look forward to the US version of "...i care because you do" in about a year, with two or three more tracks. Any guesses as to whether this re-release was the "aphex twin album for 2001" ? cheers, /derek ------- eggytoast.com ------- now with 17% more music --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

On Tue, 27 Mar 2001, EggyToast wrote:

quoted 3 lines I think the Polygon Window album is one of Richard James' more cohesive

> I think the Polygon Window album is one of Richard James' more cohesive > works, which probably explains why some like it and some don't. Some like > Richard's work because he's "all over the place" (err, was), and others

Right, and those people are the ones that are rightfully doomed to listening to a lifelong supply of John Zorn and Bill Laswell albums.

quoted 3 lines pick out the "best" things and plops them together. I think his "side

> pick out the "best" things and plops them together. I think his "side > project" as Polygon Window didn't fit this scheme - it sounds like an album > created from one or two main ideas. Of course, I could be wrong too.

Might I propose that (IQ factor aside) even compilations can be sequenced effectively? I mean, to treat it as a mere assemblage of unconnected contributions is to cement its "for novices and completists only" status. For instance, a film director will often choose to cut a scene that he/she really likes, just because it interrupts the flow of the larger work. How often do you think this happens when a label puts together a comp? I'm not suggesting that it's necessary to makes these sacrifices (or even really pragmatically feasible), but the fact that you can often tell is kind of a bummer.

quoted 2 lines I'm sure we can look forward to the US version of "...i care because you

> I'm sure we can look forward to the US version of "...i care because you > do" in about a year, with two or three more tracks.

Didn't Sire already license this? In which case, their license would have to expire (or be bought) for someone else to reissue it in the US. A little off topic, but I just re-listened to the first Maurizio Bianchi re-release box set (ArcheoMB 1) and I want to officially eat crow on my previous verdict. Although some of the CDs fall towards the noise-cheese end of the spectrum (I mean, merely entitling an album "Symphony for a Genocide" dates about as well as naming a movie "She's All That"), the last two are timeless in their analogue warble. Whereas his earliest recordings seemed to embrace the pure shock ability of his electronics "system", these use its distinct, homebrew vibe to soak the air with a more spacious, mysterious sound. There's still a sense of decay underpinning the proceedings, but it takes on a melancholic feel, as with ruins or anything that has failed to withstand the ravages of time. It's odd to find any emotion that might be mistaken for sentimentalism in any genuinely experimental music, but an interesting comparison could be made with the less maudlin Boards of Canada material. The box set, sadly, is out of print (so you probably won't get the illuminating inserts that provide a larger context for the material- for instance, Conrad Schnitzler is cited as a big influence, which makes total sense to the point that I'm annoyed that I didn't pick up on it myself). However, the individual titles are available separately- their titles are _Regel_ and _Mectpyo Bakterium_ and I recommend them wholeheartedly. -rob ps- does anybody else think it's funny that Boards of Canada evoke nostalgia in an audience that is decades off from a mid-life crisis? pps- people shy away from his "later" works because he found God (and Yamaha DX7s) --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

At 07:28 AM 3/29/2001 -0500, you wrote:

quoted 5 lines I'm sure we can look forward to the US version of "...i care because you

> > I'm sure we can look forward to the US version of "...i care because you > > do" in about a year, with two or three more tracks. > >Didn't Sire already license this? In which case, their license would have >to expire (or be bought) for someone else to reissue it in the US.

And didn't WaxTrax already license SoSW? Wouldn't their license have had to have expired for Warp to reissue it in the U.S? -Ryan --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

At 07:28 AM 3/29/2001 -0500, R. Lim wrote:

quoted 14 lines pick out the "best" things and plops them together. I think his "side

> > pick out the "best" things and plops them together. I think his "side > > project" as Polygon Window didn't fit this scheme - it sounds like an > album > > created from one or two main ideas. Of course, I could be wrong too. > >Might I propose that (IQ factor aside) even compilations can be sequenced >effectively? I mean, to treat it as a mere assemblage of unconnected >contributions is to cement its "for novices and completists only" status. >For instance, a film director will often choose to cut a scene that he/she >really likes, just because it interrupts the flow of the larger work. >How often do you think this happens when a label puts together a comp? >I'm not suggesting that it's necessary to makes these sacrifices (or even >really pragmatically feasible), but the fact that you can often tell is >kind of a bummer.

Yeah, I think that there are definitely compilations that are very cohesive (and of course the opposite end of the spectrum). I think that cohesive compilations are a little more prevalent on independent labels due to the fact that most indie labels strive for a certain sound (usually one that the label founders enjoy), and then compile tracks in a more "logical" order. I think it also shows whether the person(s) putting the compilation together create music of their own or not, too, since compilations put together by salesmen always seem to be rather boring... It explains why a compilation "album" by Richard James has a pretty decent flow to it, and why your run-of-the-mill "greatest hits" cd usually blows.

quoted 2 lines ps- does anybody else think it's funny that Boards of Canada evoke

>ps- does anybody else think it's funny that Boards of Canada evoke >nostalgia in an audience that is decades off from a mid-life crisis?

We're either prone for mid-life crisis, or are looking forward to what nostalgia must feel like. "well, I hear this is nostalgic, so this must be what nostalgia feels like! Ahhh, nostalgia..." cheers, /derek ------- eggytoast.com ------- what? --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org