aphextwin

January 22, 2015 10:25 PM

Diskhat ALL Prepared1mixed [snr2mix] Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments Pt2
posted by Artw (25 comments total)

(Pitchfork)
posted by Artw at 10:26 PM on January 22, 2015

First 40 seconds sound like an episode of Law and Order is about to start up.
posted by hellojed at 10:28 PM on January 22, 2015

Thanks, I desperately needed something to stop me listening to a chiptune version of Jagged Little Pill.
posted by aubilenon at 10:34 PM on January 22, 2015

Wonderful stuff - I was lukewarm about what I heard of SYRO, but I love this, and will be ordering the EP right away.
posted by misteraitch at 1:05 AM on January 23, 2015

This is very very good, even by RDJ standards.
posted by naju at 1:07 AM on January 23, 2015

Not a bad track, but once again his PR is writing checks his beats can't cash. Cue "yabbut..."
posted by rhizome at 1:30 AM on January 23, 2015

yabbut why cash beats that are already so cash?
posted by johnnydummkopf at 3:58 AM on January 23, 2015

It fills me with joy that this link had been flagged as "dangerous" by my browser. My browser protects me from confusing links.
posted by clvrmnky at 5:08 AM on January 23, 2015

I'm the biggest Aphex fanboy I know but I have to admit Squarepusher does this kind of thing better to my ears (wrt using real, physically vibrating instruments - those zima robots were laughable). I actually cancelled my vinyl order after hearing the rest of the leaked tracks; it's cool to hear his experiments but I just couldn't imagine listening to them at home. I listen to Aphex because he's the only one who's ever made synths and computers sound truly alive to me. People have been doing that to pianos and drums since long before either of us was born.
posted by STFUDonnie at 5:25 AM on January 23, 2015

I like this a lot. I've gotten to like Syro more with every listen, as well.
posted by Emanuel at 5:30 AM on January 23, 2015

Reviewer in the Guardian don't really like (though he sure loves his tricksy metaphors)

I'm still waiting for the Chris Cunningham directed Neuromancer with soundtrack by AT...
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:45 AM on January 23, 2015

He mentioned wanting to do something like this in the long interview he recently did (now seemingly removed). He was hoping, as I recall, for something that would plug in through USB and have mounts and relays for hitting drums. (I expected it to sound a lot more like the Gamelatron though.)

Oh, but he's responded in the comments. Priceless:

@kidcloudkicker: "played by robots, cool, my computer plays the midi notes I send it too- I hear no difference in rhythmic structure for 5 minutes, theme doesn't develop or go anywhere, sounds like a long sad drone with random notes- who am i to judge though maybe it sounds as good as mozarts requiem to some people...." This came to mind when i read that..

posted by Catblack at 8:45 AM on January 23, 2015 [3 favorites]

Oh yeah and I like it
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:51 AM on January 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

I'm sure the idea for this EP has been in Aphex Twin's mind for a long time.
posted by Catblack at 9:07 AM on January 23, 2015

The actual interview with AFX is interesting because he actually responds to questions in meaningful ways.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:26 AM on January 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Thanks to the bleep page for the EP, I found out about this artist as his inspiration (and who he had signed to Rephlex):

Pierre Bastien
posted by symbioid at 1:29 PM on January 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

It's buried in the pitchfork article, but it's a HAT (Hit Any Thing) robot that's been custom built for him by the Logos Foundation. (Warning, the fantastically deep site has many pics of naked people posing with the robots. It's also very, very worthy of a FPP of it's own.)
posted by Catblack at 2:53 PM on January 23, 2015 [3 favorites]

Gah, it's 2015, why do we still not have sites that automatically detect that if you're using a desktop browser, you might not want to be viewing the mobile site! :\
posted by symbioid at 6:55 PM on January 23, 2015

By following some interesting comments from Aphex's Soundcloud account, you might stumble accross new Soundcloud user user487363530, who is posting some extremely aphex-like tracks (mostly in the 90s style). Check out for example Bimbongo, Quad Rave TEAC, and 22 Pearls. The same 22 Pearls crops up on this video of a live unreleased Aphex track from 2010. From that, and several other clues, you might conclude that Aphex is trolling us by releasing banging old unreleased tracks via an anonymous Soundcloud account. Hear them now, before he deletes them all again.
posted by memebake at 11:50 AM on January 26, 2015 [4 favorites]

That's him alright. Holy crap, thanks membake
posted by STFUDonnie at 12:06 PM on January 26, 2015 [2 favorites]

Mike Paradinas confirmed on Facebook that a bunch of that is stuff he remembers from old tapes circa '89-91.
posted by naju at 3:03 PM on January 26, 2015

These tracks are so fucking good... It's like Christmas all over again! Call me smug but I can't help but think he's smirking at ppl who paid for CCAI
posted by STFUDonnie at 7:16 PM on January 26, 2015

This is probably worth an FPP
posted by memebake at 1:41 AM on January 27, 2015

He just changed the soundcloud user name, lol, its now https://soundcloud.com/user4873635301 (he added a 1 to the end)
posted by memebake at 8:43 AM on January 27, 2015

He just changed it again - https://soundcloud.com/user48736353001
If you 'follow' from your Soundcloud account it will keep up with the changes. Or consult r/aphextwin for the latest ...
posted by memebake at 12:22 PM on January 27, 2015