Selected Ambient Works 85-92 - Aphex Twin

This album is a compilation of Aphex Twin's (aka Richard D. James) earliest works, mostly of beautiful, almost spiritual, techno. The title suggests that some of its tracks date back to 1985, when Richard was 14. Such early sign of genius explain why Richard has been compared to Mozart. The overall tone is calm, making it an extraodinary "come-down" album. If you allow me to be a bit soppy, it's like that feeling you get when you leave a really banging club and you're sobering up, feeling emotional and yet you've still got those banging beats in your head. I think it sounds best on headphones at night, when you really appreciate the ...  Read the complete review

As an electronic music fan, I found myself embarrassed and slightly ashamed that it took me so long to get round to listening to this startlingly beautiful collection of early Richard D. James works. The opener 'Xtal' is one of the most gorgeously uplifting tracks you are ever likely to hear, on this compilation or anywhere else for that matter. 'Tha' follows in much the same, spacey vein with James employing techniques that strike many blows in favour of arguments extolling the virtues of analogue as opposed to digital. Some tracks are of their time, especially 'Green Calx', but it suffers not as a result (the title is a bit of a giveaway, I suppose). The ...  Read the complete review

In almost all walks of music there has been moments that changed the game & brought that particular genre up a notch,set the benchmark so to speak.Selected ambient works by "aphex twin'was all that and a lot more.Released at a time when "rave culture'was at its peak & chillout music was best complimented by artists like "the orb & there many clones'this album came from nowhere and blew the leftfield away.Comprising thirteen tracks of the most surreal off kilter & alien sounding harmonic musings'it launched a whole culture of bedroom studio artists & basically tore up the rulebook'creating what would later be termed as"I.D.M.or ...  Read the complete review

Voted fourth best dance album of all time in Muzik magazine, is certainly earned through Richard D. James' magnificent debut album. Combining a collection that started when he was fourteen (after building the majority of his own equipment) up until he was twenty-one this album shows maturity far beyond his years. The albums feel is one of post-club/late night listening. Only then can it be appreciated in its full entirity. Vinyl is the obvious choice however if CD is your only option best played on a decent stereo, or it becomes wasted. Each song has a different feel to it revealing practically teenage moods in their vast differences. Production is ...  Read the complete review

Selected Ambient Works 85-92 is another addition to the greatest albums of all time list, certainly for me. I was lucky enough to get the album before all the hype surrounding Mr Richard D. James aka Aphex Twin kicked off and was/am able to judge it for what it is. What really makes this album stand out is two things, the space between the sounds and the actual sounds themselves. On this album you will hear sounds that you won't hear anywhere else combined with sounds that they shouldn't be combined with in an eerily effective manner. Take the haunting We Are The Music Makers as an example, beautifully musical on one level with the ...  Read the complete review