Amazon.com

Even before he became an internationally acclaimed DJ and producer, Paul van Dyk was creating tremors in the techno world. Originally released in his native Germany in 1994, 45 RPM marks a pivotal point in the Berliner's career. Thanks to a deal with Mute Records, American audiences finally get a chance to catch up with van Dyk's formative work. The rudimentary club beats and synthesizer effects may sound a bit cold now, but signs of impending stardom are plentifully, particularly on the classic club track "For an Angel" and the high-energy disco cut "Emergency!" --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (30)

for an angel
the 7 ways cd was the first pvd album i had ever purchased... but when i heard "for an angel", that instantly became my favorite song so i ran out and bought 45 rpm. this cd is one of my least favorite of pvd's. although "for an angel" is probably the most beautiful song ever known to trance, the rest of the album lacks the energy and powerful flow of beats that exists in "for an angel". i do not regret buying this album, all new trance listeners should eventually get this cd, but i'd suggest getting out there and back, or seven ways before 45 rpm.

One of the Meistros of Electronica
This CD is purely awesome! Paul van Dyk is definitly the godfather of producers. I am not a huge fan of non-mixed Dj CDs, but this is one exception! PVD, brought goosebumps to my body with "For an Angel"! This song is deep, sufisticated, beautiful work. Trance has never seen a better man. If you are not a fan of Trance, PVD will change your opinion in no time! Get this CD.

Not bad for his early works
I own pretty much everything with PvD's name on it. I have every single 12" vinyl of his as well. Anywhooooo, this is one of the few that will not recieve a 5 out of 5 because there are some songs on this CD that I can't even dance to. Then again, there are songs like "For an Angel", "45rpm", "Spannung (Tension)", "Emergency!", "Rushin' (Revolutions Per Minute)", "A Magical Moment", and "For an Angel (PvD's E-Werk Club Mix)" that stand out as the best ones on here. I would recommend getting this first if you don't have any of his other stuff so that you can see or hear how he has evolved through the years.

The US' First Look at PvD
Now, most people who know PvD, know him from Seven Ways (released in the US in 1997) and later purchase his first album looking for a duplicate of Seven Way's beautiful and ethereal feel. Thus leading to the extremely common belief that this album is not very great.

Well, considering this music was made before 1994, this was his debut album, and most of his influence up to this point is German, I think this is a damn fine album. It's definately different from other PvD work, but isn't the variety and exploration what makes music great?

45 RPM has more a noticable steady bassline and solid beats in comparison with all of his other work, which gives it a much grittier feel and shows that years of practice and dedication do make an impact. =P

If you're looking for that smoother, dreamy heaven, though, I strongly reccomend Out There and Back - it's by far the best work PvD has done. The great thing about this artist is not just his amazing ability to make music, it's the incredible energy in him that shows up in all of his music - and radiates in OTB.

So, depending on your tastes and ability to go into new situations without preconceived ideas, 45 RPM might or might not be what suits you. Just let go of your expectations and keep in mind the factors under which this album was created and enjoy!

A Trance Lover Must Have
I thoroughly enjoyed Paul Van Dyk's compilation here especially "I'm Comin'(to take you away)...very sensual and borderline provacative, "For An Angel"...great "T- dance" tune to get you pumped up on the dance floor...he'll keep you up and bumpin it with the title track "45 RPM" with the same high ENRGY tempo. "Emergency" will leave you startled as you anticipate the arrival of an ambulance siren. This culminates with a reprised version of "For An Angel" leaving you craving more. Keep it comin' PAUL! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Boundary Bending Electronica that Grooves!!!
I thought this album was great in its ability to use acoustic instruments such as guitar and piano and blend them so well with some really funky and upbeat electronic beats. NYC/Dublin/NYC,Stolen Beat Box, and Somebody Dance with Lotti are my favorites as they are the most upbeat. The rest of the CD is mostly piano music, beautiful in its simplicity and power to move. I have never come acress a CD with such varied genres that still retains a common thread that hold the tracks together. I would definately recommend this to any music lover. Fans of electronica, piano, and even new age will enjoy this greatly.

Liked it
What is most impressive about this album is the way the direction subtly, yet intentionally, changes throughout. With very little vocals, other than those sampled to give an almost percussive effect, the individual songs rely completely upon the melody created (primarily piano and keyboards balanced by occasional guitar and horns), the beats laid down and the mood implied. While these songs can be appreciated on their own, it is within the context of the album that their strength becomes apparent. "Cecily" in particular gives life to the album. This is an album that deserves to be listened to.

"experience the genius ~ Jane Mangini"
The opening track "NYC/DUBLIN/NYC", will knock your sox off ~ mixed sounds of New York City and a blend of the Celtic. All songs are composed and arranged by Jane Mangini, with Al Pitrelli and Jane performing with a style that is simply intriguing with brilliance thrown in. The marriage of genres is so original ~ from New Age, Jazz, International and alternative rock, very smooth and enjoyable beyond belief.

Must make mention of "AUNT JANE", features the funky blues side of this group, the fingering on the ivories by Jane is unbelievable, just when you think you've heard it all a heavy metal guitar solo surfaces and in comes Jane again answering the beckon call. Another highlight is "DREAM RIVER", once again the guitar blending with percussion and enters our heroine Jane Magnini, nice touch with a distant trumpet. Get ready as "SOMEBODY DANCE WITH LOTTI", make room for some ragtime, latin jazz, funk, hip-hop, down and dirty performance by the artists extraordinaire.

Hats off to Peak, Concord Records and all who brought this album to the forefront. If you're not a fan after listening to this CD, then folks you'd better hang it up...it doesn't get any better than this ~ gotta love it!

Total Time: 50:30 on 13 Tracks ~ Peak Records 8515-2 ~ (6/10/2003)

Soothing and Refreshing
This CD is unique and original as it's artist. I've followed Jane's career over the years and I am delighted with this latest release.

The arrangement offers the best quality in surround sound mixing and Jane's delicate fingers seems to effortlessly glide and caress the ivories...sensually manipulating every note as though they danced in the air ....cajoling the listener away in flights of fancy and carefree melodies...

A classic in it's own time! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This CD is an outlet for the loose coalition of remixers, DJs, and studioheads known as the Asian Underground (because of their Asian or Anglo-Asian backgrounds). They all put a distinctly Indian spin on this music, with the dhol drum at the heart of the beat, and all the technology on top. Singh's two tracks are things of joy, but nothing here disappoints, whether the modern film music of A.R. Rahman or the drum'n'bass of State of Bengal. --Chris Nickson ... Read more

Reviews (49)

It satisfies my curiosity
Ever since listening to a Philips commercial earlier this year (the one for its recordable minidisc) I've been looking for the title of the song they used during a rave in its commercial. After a couple of months a friend informed me that it was "Jaan" by Talvin Singh. I sample some of the other pieces on the "Anokha" album and I was hooked.

Not having listened to many electronic pieces previously, I've been comparing this album to the only other techno CD I've listened to - Underworld, "Second Toughest of the Infants." Unlike Underworld, however, Singh blends electronic music with Indian classical music to successfully deliver fused and eccelectic sounds. I love pieces that blend music from different cultures and Singh uses his high-tech gizmos to deliver this blend previously unheard by me.

After buying the album, I was rather surprised to find that of the 12 pieces, only a handful were actually Singh's original works. But that is a minor glitch. The Milky Bar Kid, State of Bengal and, the icon of Indian film music today, A.R. Rahman support the album's effectiveness in delivering music that has been more than satisfying.

Recently, I came across a remix album of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan featuring Talvin Singh and State of Bengal. I haven't listened to it yet, but it sounds promising.

Manifestation of Asian Underground
A great CD. I've been listening to it since I bought it almost 3 years ago.At that time, Asian Underground movement in UK was in its infancy period,and I was introduced to the movement with this CD. So much happened since then. Talvin Singh was involved in 'Star Rise' project, a tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, released his solo debut named 'OK' and received the prestigious Mercury Prize. He also remixed songs by artists like Madonna, Blondie etc. And now he is considered the center figure of Asian Underground. His songs in this album are terrific. Especially 'Jaan' which is also used as Philips commercial music. Vocals by Indian singer Amar are amazing. Her own solo song (Heavy Intro) is stunning. The only other album I heard her voice on is Algerian rai singer Khaled's latest album "Kenza". She contributes to Middle-Eastern -Indian fusion "El Harba Wine". Great song.. I definitely recommend it. Another important contribution to this album comes from drum'n'bass band State of Bengal.Their both songs are amazing.They also contribute to Star Rise project with the best Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan remix (Shadow remix).I also listened to their other remixes to Bjork (Hunter), Massive Attack(Inertia Creeps) and DJ Cheb i Sabbah (Shri Durga). All these remixes are great. Recommended.. I think a State of Bengal album was released in UK, but not here in US. Other important contribution is from AR Rahman who is a well-known movie soundtrack composer in India. The piece in this album is from the movie called "Mumbai". Great piece, isn't it? If you liked this song, check out "1947 Earth" soundtrack again by AR Rahman.Although not as good as "1947 Earth", another album that you can find in US is "Vande Mataram". The title track is amazing, but the rest is not as good. Other than that, all songs in this album are good although the other contributors have been pretty obscure so far. I also recommend Badmarsh & Shri, DJ Cheb i Sabbah and all these guys' godfather Ananda Shankar.

not very happy
I bought this CD thinking about the indian-electronic music, and i get disappointed when i heard it, it hasn't the indian essence like other CD's, it's more electronic than anything, and believe me that i'm a fan of talvin singh, karsh kale, cheb i sabbah and more...but anyway it has few cool songs, all are from talvin singh, one from state of bengal "flight IC408" and from Rahman (mumbai theme tune), it's like a bollywood score

Horrible!!
I bought this CD because so many good reviews about it were listed, but man!! what a terrible dissapointment. This CD is just plain awfull and I think I have an eclectic music taste. This is TRANCE music, only one track remained in my collection and that was "Chitagong Chill". The rest were trash.
I should have known because I purchased "Ha" before, another Talving Singh CD and only one track was good on that one "Mustard Fields". You really have to be spaced out on acid to get into any of this stuff if you ask me. I made myself a note to NEVER purchase another Talvin Singh CD. I don't know how this got so many good reviews, so I had to cast my vote and try to balance the scales here.

Singh
Pretty good CD. Not exactly enough Asian influence for me. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

SO OLD and SOOO GOOOD!!!!!!
It's the first and the best DJ Krush lp of the lot!! Sorry if you don't agree, but, you're WRONG!!!! The instrumentals are the sweetest! As for BIG CITY LOVER..... well I'm sorry but there hasn't been a tune like it in quite some time. I think McKAY's Lp has just taken the lead on vocals!!! YOU NEED THIS ALBUM!!!

Missed it first time but won't get away this time
Well, I somehow managed to miss out on this when it was initially released but then I finally took the plunge. I got DJ Shadow's Endtroducing and chatted with a colleague at work about this CD but until now I never possesed it or rather it didn't posses me. I knew a number of tracks on it like Big City Lover which I have always enjoyed but the music is varied and certainly great for your collection. I can regret not having it in the past but now I have it there is only bliss to look forward to.

Krush's best...
There is no doubt that this album is one of Krush's best works. With a sound unique from the rest of his stuff, "Krush" gives you a taste of DJ Krush's early vibes. Jazzy, headnodding beats perfect for chilled, late night hours. The creativity put into the production and sequencing is flawless, giving birth to a perfect combination of downtempo, dub, and hiphop mixed with just enough jazz to call it smooth. Also check out the "HipJapHop Project", "ColdKrushCuts", and "Strictly Turntablized" for more of DJ Krush's best sounds. Headphones recommended...

The Greatest CD I have ever owned
I don't know of any other artist who has been able to master the art of blending tranditional jazzy horns and electronic beats as well as Krush does. He has a way of doing it with an almost ethnic flavor thats hard to discribe.

Anyone who has listened to this CD has fallen in love with it. DJ Krush's other stuff is great, but this is exponetially better then his, or any other Acid Jazz artist.

LOVED IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was managing one of the top salons in the washington,dc area when I was introduced to Acid Jazz by a co-worker and friend. I was in charge of setting the mood of the salon so that it wasn't offensive or way too much dance music. I went to a Record Store and the guy there recommended DJ KRUSH. His music is so "CHILLED-OUT". I was amazed and shocked that Acid Jazz is such a Hot Sound that is not so commen on the radio. It has it's own groove. DJ KRUSH is SO!! AMAZING !! Everyone can listen to him without making too much to do about nothing. I have since then been a devoted fan. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

In the late 1980s, as American house and techno imports flooded Britain and the Acid House movement was sweeping the nation, brothers Paul and Phil Hartnoll were busy building Britain's own interpretation of the sound. Named for the illegal "Orbital" raves taking place on London's M1, they dragged their equipment from party to party, playing live PAs of their homegrown dance music to enthusiastic crowds of revelers. Their 1990 single "Chime" was (and still is) the anthem of many a British raver, and their self-titled 1991 debut remains a classic. Opening with the exquisite mid-tempo anthem "Belfast," and containing the "Chime," "Satan," and "Fahrenheit 303" singles, this album captures the innocence and energy of the nascent rave scene. --Matthew Corwine ... Read more

Reviews (27)

is everyone COLOUR-BLIND? this is YELLOW, not green!
Orbital's first.. what can i say? this is a fun record to listen to.. very housey and trippy. there's only one disappointment: 'Desert Storm'. why is this track 12 minutes long?? it's not excellent either, but even without that song, the album is amazing. now i have the UK version, which has the better tracks ('High Rise' is a must, and the live versions of 'Chime' and 'Midnight' are longer and have a greater presence; 'Steel Cube Idolaty' is very trippy. finally, the secret track, 'I Think It's Disgusting' is quite intriguing..) plus, there's Orbital's usual chill-out-song-with-abstract-female-vocals (which ALWAYS works!), 'Belfast'. Orbital is the best music on Earth.

Very good
It's just not the Orbital I'm used to. The album, also known as the 'Green Album', is actually a collection of singles and tracks made from 1989 to 1991. I don't want to be taken wrongly - this is a good album. There are 'Satan', 'Chime', 'Belfast' and 'Midnight'. These are great songs that are "carrying" the Orbital trademark that the latter albums have. And taking a closer listen, well... it doesn't have the emotions and the "atmospheric landscape sound" of like, let's say 'In-Sides' and 'Orbital 2'.

If you're an Orbital fan and don't have the 'Green Album', than don't hesitate for a minute - this is a must have, so you'll be able to listen to the early sound (late 80's/early 90's) of Orbital's work. But not a good place for a start; rather than this get the two albums I mentioned earlier ('I-S' and 'O2') to get the full listening pleasure of the ethereal music of the Hartnoll brothers.

AI is a fan of Orbital
I just chatted with the Artificial Intelligence engine "ZolaOnAOL" on the AOL Instant Messaging network... It turns out that Zola, the AI friend, is a fan of Orbital, particularly "Chime" ;-)

I guess it's a preference from one of its authors, but fun to mention anyway...

In the beginning
Although this album has some moments that are less than exciting, people should realise that the US version includes Chime, Satan and Belfast, which are 3 of electronic music's best known anthems. In general the album mirrors the house/rave scene that the band were emerging from. They were to grow up to be the one electronic band that commanded respect, both in the studio and in their live shows, from every part of the music media.
This album is the start of a very special band indeed.

Orbital's debut album and very patchy
It can be superb in parts, for example the classic 'Chime' and the superb 'Belfast' but the majority of the other tracks show a group in its early phase, forming new and better ideas to come.

For fans of the group it is a must have. I wouldn't recommend it for an introduction to the music of Orbital for new listeners. Try 'Insides' and 'Snivilisation' first. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Long before music marketers coined the term ambient to describe ethereal electronic music that's too slow to dance to, Moby had already written several songs that fit nicely into this genre. They are included, along with newer material, on this album. Moby's more conventional song structures will appeal to those who find Robert Fripp and Brian Eno's experimentation unpalatable. "Myopia" is a good representation of Moby's ability to write accessible ambient music that never strays too far into the abstract. --Beth Bessmer ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Disqualified for danceability
Pretense: Not to suggest that Moby doesn't know what ambient music is (nor especially that I do), but this is simply not in tune to the accepted norm. If this exemplifies ambient, then every softer electronic act in existence could also be included. Every time a beat invades, or one feels the urge to get up and dance, a true ambient listener should cringe.

But on to content...This was apparently compiled quickly. This album cheats the listener out of 25 minutes of ambience that ANY other would deliver. With so many tracks, many are mere 30-second vignettes which are nice, but over before they begin. Another unmet standard is the sustained 10-minute epic. Few here last five minutes. There are highlights, such as the exquisite piano/synthwave combo on the third track, but they are almost overshadowed by tracks better suited to the s/t release. Indeed, tracks like "Mercy", "Slight Return", and "Stream" should be here instead. Popular artists as the Aphex Twin have properly interpreted the name, producing massive releases that almost no one can stand (i.e. SAWv.2). Whether Moby was above or below that, I leave to your decision.

One who buys this buys the name of the artist...NOT the name of the album. Any strictly ambient artist who released a fifty-minute album of "abstract dance" would either be ignored or chastized for contaminating the purely ethereal genre. The Amazon review correctly separates this from the Fripp/Eno stockpile, but for more accessible stuff that better fits the label, one should try a full(er)-length effort by (among others I've never heard of) Global Communication, Terre Thaemlitz, FSOL, Loop Guru, The Black Dog (and so on). Get more for ambience for your dollar and look elsewhere. Moby enthusiasts, nonetheless, will feel right at home with this. I enjoyed it.

Beautiful, Not Like Play
This album is a collection of beautiful ambient tracks (hence the title). It's pretty old, but it blows his newer stuff out of the water. Recommended for people who like his mellow songs and were completely disappointed by Play. This is the best one that I've heard so far and it's a necessity for any Moby fan.

My favorite MOBY album
Sure MOBY's albums; PLAY, I LIKE TO SCORE, EVERYTHING IS WRONG, 18, are all pretty good...But no song consistently mesmorizes me(In a good way)like the song HEAVEN does....I focus on one single instrument as the rest of the instruments play around it.. It's an awesome song.. The rest of the songs are good..I hope MOBY does another HEAVEN like song... Then I will have two mesmorizing songs instead of just one...

So what, it's not ambient
blasphemy! he called a chill-out album ambient! STONE HIM! STONE HIM!!!!! HERETIC!

you people are losers. ok, it's not quite pure ambient, not in the smallest sense, but does that make it bad?
no.
what if the album was renamed, say, myopia. would that make you hardcore freaks happy?
what are you, the pharisees of ancient israel? stray just a bit, and you are a hertic? get over it.
try to review the music for what it is, rather than what the album was named.

Disappointing outing for Moby
I'm a huge fan of Moby. I own Moby, I Love to Score, Everything is Wrong, Animal Rights, Play and 18. I love them all with a passion. I love to chill out with Play & 18, and get dancing with Moby. Sadly, I didn't enjoy this.
Probably the most major problem I have is the title.
I call Brian Eno's The Drop Ambient. This album isn't ambient. The music is quite jarring, and isn't soothing like play and 18.

Probably the most interesting thing about this album is the cover. It's the first time I've seen Moby properly with hair. ;) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

close to 5 stars, but not quite...
if you are farmiliar with Daedelus' other work, this album may come as a suprise when you first listen to it. It doesnt have the same cohesive nature as Snowdonia or Invention, which in my opinion, keeps it very interesting. The instrumental tracks on here are the standouts, along with Impending Doom, where MF gets nice to a different beat than you will be used to hearing him rhyme over.
The only song on this album that gets skipped is cadavre exquis, which the album really could have done without.
The remixes on here from Prefuse and Jogger are two of the highlight songs for sure, definitely standout tracks.
Overall its probably his best album along with Invention, so pick it up quick

Sickest Album on Earth
This album is for someone who has already delved in either Underground Hiphop, or Contemporary Electronica / IDM.. It is not for the narrow-minded, mostly.

It is a near perfect combination of IDM and Underground Hiphop, i'd say it is right up there with Prefuse 73 and his attempts.Aside from that aspect it glows beautifully with Daedelus's intelligent musical innovation.. If you have heard anything else from him, this album will top it all.

Unlike Of Snowdonia, it includes much more experimentation.. With crazy remixes by Prefuse 73, Jogger.. And tracks featuring such unbeatable underground hiphop artists like MF Doom, Cyne, Mike Ladd, Lil Sci.

In conclusion, this album is extraordinary. So much so that it might take a while to sink in. ... Read more

Album Description

Reissue of 1999 album includes three bonus tracks, 'LesNuits' (DJ Spinna Mix), 'Finer' (Paul Nice Mix), & 'Burn Me Slo' (feat. O.C). Warp. 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Chilled beats at its best.
Compared to everyone else on Warp Records these days, it always seemed that(Along with LFO) Nightmares on Wax were a bit out of place. But considering the progressive nature of the label, it only seems proper that George Evelyn and his laid back grooves are allowed to breathe on Warp. This is the finest, most laid back album you will ever hear. The Album starts out with the cinematic "Les Nuits", and the laxadazical grooves of "Morse", my presonal favorite, and then grooves on with "Ethnic Majority", "Ease Jimi" and "Finer". If you can find an album that flows better, give it to me, but right now, smoking a jay and listening to "Carboot Soul" seems only right to me. George Evelyn put chill out on the map, and really no one would even think about putting one of those stupid "Chill Mix" cd's without thinking of the man and his work. He's come a long way from his Acid House days and put in perspective a definitive sound that many have tried to copy. I could go on and on (Can you believe I'm 19?) but I'm going to let this review speak for itself.

Great chill/trip hop
Hands down, this has got to be one of my favorite albums of all time. This album is designed to make your senses tingle and your mind to drift into bliss. Starting out with the classic "Les Nuits", the track eases you into "Morse", the second track and my personal favorite. Layered with warm melodies and beautiful female vocals, the song will surely capture your mind and transport you to a state of pureness. "Ethnic Purity" follows with a nice horn section and bass line reminicent of the Antibalas Orchestra of the black movement. "Jorge" slows down with an easy, relaxing rythmic beat and female vocal, while the popular "Finer" invites your mind to wander with a deep, yet soft bassline and female vocal element. "Ease Jimi" brings the instrumental Antibalas influence back, while the psychadelic "Argha Noah" climaxes the album and send you into a state of euphoria. The three songs that follow are designed to bring you down and conclude the trip, thus the category "trip hop"is fitting in every respect. I recommend this not only to trip hop/chillout enthusiasts, but to anybody who enjoys music.

Track 7s
I have a strange predilection for judging albums by their seventh track - ignoring for a moment all the mythological mumbo jumbo that goes with this most interesting of primes. Carboot Soul has arguably one of the best Track 7s in the business - Argha Noah. Argha Noah is perfect accompaniment for bathing, snoozing, baking, discussing Ugandan Affairs, walking, reading, spacing, recovering, driving, anything in fact. Magnificent. To try to describe this music with pathetic adjectives, metaphors or similes is just a waste of time. The rest of the album is pretty good too. Buy it & enjoy. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Often proclaimed as electronica's one true genius, Richard James, a.k.a. Aphex Twin, returns with a double CD that showcases his cleverness as well as his inevitable inscrutability. Still, amid macabre birthday songs, unsettling screams, and other bizarre touches, Drukqs offers the most technically accomplished and beautiful tracks of Aphex Twin's career. Every aspect of the Aphex brain is on display here, from stark pieces performed on sampled piano and zither to Squarepusher-styled drum & bass implosions, all informed by that peculiar Aphex treatment of bittersweet melody and unparalleled programming. For an artist once engrossed in homages to his dead twin brother and grotesque videos, Drukqs shows James getting by purely on music alone.

"Mt. Saint Michel Mix" starts as maddening drum & bass, but is soon transfixed by glowing tones, hand drums, and police sirens. "Vordhosbn" is all acid beats and mad synths matched with fart-bombs and haunted cries. "54 Cymru Beats" sounds more like the tweaked-out, goofball techno of Wagon Christ than Aphex, while "Taking Control" goes metaphysical with cerebral synth-drums and muddled vocals. If Drukqs is the result of medication James has been imbibing during his three-year hiatus, then this is indeed better living through chemistry. Regardless, his music is still as beautiful and frothy as ever. --Ken Micallef ... Read more

Reviews (138)

Richard D. James revisited...
Richard D. James has been around the electronic music scene for quite a while now. Under the guise of Aphex Twin, he basically founded the gnere of iDmb, and released critically acclaimed works such as "Selected Ambient Works", "Richard D James Album", and "Windowlicker" EP. His compositions are so musically diverse, so surreal and schezophrenic, that many people have seemingly forgotten that Richard D. James is a human being.

In "Drukqs"--which is said to be Aphex Twin's final commerical release by many--James embarks on a journey of self re-discovery through his old sound mediums. "Drukqs" is filled with his classic signature sounds: the broken twitter box, dizzy drum n' bass, and distorted sound effects. The only difference this time, is that all the songs sound much calmer. James seems to be at a point of reflection in his career, and it is as if he was trying to find peace and solace with himself. Even his drum n' bass tracks seemed to lack the usual jubilancy and driven cynicism that we are so accustomed to.

What is really touching, though, are the piano works that he decided to include in this album (Most notably "Avril 14th" and "Nanou2"). They are all delicately simple, yet shows a emotional side of Richard D. James that we never knew for all these years. And while the sample of James's parents wishing their young son happy birthday (in "Lornaderek") is hilarious at first, it also makes your heart ache at the same time. Perhaps James' endeavors as Aphex Twin for all these years was a diversion to calm his sense of lost identity, or a search for his truest soul.

Have Richard D. James finally reached a state of grace with himself? We'll probably never find out...

Back in the saddle.
Let's go: After 4 years of dissappearance, Richard D. James alias Aphex Twin hits back the scenery with a new album called "drukQs" (drug use ?). There have been several innovative groups (Autechre, Luke Vibert's "TEK 9"), new projects (does drum 'n bass still exist ?) and groundbreaking new styles (two step !?) in those 4 years, and at a first glimpse it seems "drukQs" can't quite compete with RDJ's earlier stuff, which was always the most interesting, innovative and best electronic music at the time.
But:
"drukQs" is full of magic moments and contains everything you'd expect from an Aphex Twin recording, such as: sweet and tender melodies over brutal drum 'n bass breaks, complicated loops, clever samples and so on (there's also a "Happy Birthday to you" piece, which was sung by RDJ's parents (!) for their son's 28 birthday. There are many so called "interludes" in a way only Erik Satie could have made them. These piano pieces were entirely composed and created on a computer, simulating the illusion RDJ really could play the piano. They are not only beautiful, they also fit great into the whole concept and make the 102 Minutes (!) of playtime more even more "enjoyable".
You really should spend some time with the album and if you are familiar with Aphex Twin's earlier stuff (or Polygon Window, or AFX, or The Dice Man, or....) you surely won't be dissapointed.
RDJ's mother can be pround of her son's work.

?????
My friends and I listen to s*** loads of music of all kinds, but the only thing we never talk about is this. It quite simply excapes description. But, what the heck...
Every track a masterpiece, this presentation pulls the attentive listener through Richard James' consicousness, revealing the expanse of his emotions. Truely one of the few "electronic" albums which has the capacity to toy with your soul, it exudes personality of all tones; from the delicate, fine and gentle, through the cheeky, quircky and mundane, to the revelationary, infinite strata of hyperspacial reality - this recording truely has as much depth and content as the spectator could wish to find or even suppose. To put it another way, this is as close as those who havn't discovered the potentials of the inner landscape will currently ever get to experiencing the kind of continually evolving subconscious patterns that stir within us all. Drukqs exhibits a kind of artistry comparable to all the great masters that display a coherant understanding of the transcendent; and the personality of this genius displays a human originality of which will impact the art world as a strong reference for years to come.

great
Just great. I am a fan of his music for quite a while and all of his records are special in their own way. Tracks with a little twist only RDJ can add. Sometimes a bit sinister, but thats ok for me! Most of his tracks are sertainly refreshing and energy boosting. A philosopher teacher once said: "to enjoy and appreciate the quality of sertain aspects (of whatsoever) you have to have rotten spots besides it". In case of some of the tracks ("ventolin" (medicine for asthmatic patiens) for example in which you hear a sample of a person hyperventilating), annoying bleeps, cracks and sounds are added in such way that when they fade away in a track you almost feel a releef....a contrast between serenety and rotten (no offence)

a little twisted
Just great. I am a fan of his music for quite a while and all of his records are special in their own way. Tracks with a little twist only RDJ can add. Sometimes a bit sinister, but thats ok for me! Most of his tracks are sertainly refreshing and energy boosting. A philosopher teacher once said: "to enjoy and appreciate the quality of sertain aspects (of whatsoever) you have to have rotten spots besides it". In case of some of the tracks ("ventolin" (medicine for asthmatic patiens) for example in which you hear a sample of a person hyperventilating), annoying bleeps, cracks and sounds are added in such way that when they fade away in a track you almost feel a releef....a contrast between serenety and rotten (no offence) ... Read more

Reviews (14)

awesome!
the bass queen kicks out the best of florida breaks! check her out at ICON in orlando every tuesday! she is the BOMB!

Classic Florida Breaks Collection !!!!
This CD is simply loaded with bass heavy classic Florida Breaks.
...and it is certainly one of the reasons why I got hooked on breaks.
This is the classic Baby Anne without all the cheese of some recent releases. She certainly does rock live at all times though. You can feel Icey's influences all over the Cd.....can't go wrong with that.
This one is not for the Nu Skool Heads but will please anybody who likes Funky Breaks.........real Funky Breaks I have to say none of those vocal pop songs with a breakbeat layered on top of them.

Really enjoyable music
I have to say that this one of the 1st cd's I ever rolled to,so of course im gonna like it,because its good stuff,and brings back the good memories.This is the album that got me into funky breaks to begin with.Def.recommended for a true techno lover.

Filled with heart
As far as entertainment value: this is a bright cd, no doubt, one that's great to dance to. Isn't that the point, anyway?

Great album
Please excuse the hater, straight from Orlando of course. You know how it is when somebody from your hometown gets big......some of the local haters can't stand it. Baby Anne is dope, period. Anyway, this album is great. ... Read more

Amazon.com

OK is one phrase that's universally known and understood, and on OK Talvin Singh tries for a similar global connection. A classically trained tabla player, he's performed with Björk and Massive Attack, holds his own club nights in London, and is the leading light of the burgeoning Asian Underground movement--in other words, a man of many parts. He brings them all together here--the Bollywood strings, the kannakol patterns of Indian music, and the skittering rhythms of drum & bass and jungle--to create something that is new and thoroughly vibrant. This is Britain at the millennium, drawing on its immigrants, full of Eastern promise, and ready to dive headlong into the future. An album of both intelligence and passion, it is more than OK; it's a complete marvel. --Chris Nickson ... Read more

Reviews (59)

An excellent fusion of Indian music with western beats
I have been meaning to check out Talvin Singh's music for some time now and I finally got the opportunity to when I found a copy of "O.K" in the used cd bins at my local record store today. I have always been fascinated with the idea of blending two completely different musical genres together, and especially the idea of world music (in this case, Indian music) with electronic beats (drum & bass). But if you really want to think about it, why wouldn't Indian and drum & bass music go good together? I was completely confounded by the gorgeous aural soundscapes of "O.K". The fusion of traditional Indian music with the modern sounds of drum & bass and ambient music is a relatively new to me so for me this is a complete departure from a lot of electronica music that I listen to. I loved listening to the traditional Indian instruments mixed together with the skitterish beats of drum & bass. The sonic impact of that combination had quite an impact on me. I was particularly enthralled with the closing track "Vikram the Vampire". The vocals at the end sent chills down my spine. The opening track "Traveller" is simply awesome. It immediately sends the listener on a spiritual journey as he or she listens to "O.K". After hearing "O.K", I think the future of electronica music should continue exploring its traditional roots in music while fusing them with modern electronic beats. "O.K" just proved to me that the combination works.

Travelling...
The song "Traveller" first got my attention, ultra stereophonic sound, amazingly mixed drum sequences, and then on, heading on to the rest of the tracks, great music. This is different from most of related music, cause this guy pulls it off. Inclusion of asian sounds gives it a fresh air, and the power thrown into this cd just makes it so right! Songs as "Butterfly" or "Light" mean a reason for having this cd, surely! Fresh, fresh music for those looking for something "in-the-genre" but totally fresh, and surely something worth to have collection of the people who praise themselves to hear well-done and open minded music.

fantastic in parts, ok in others
the whole album vibrates with rhythm and feeling, but it is a little uneven. starts at a somewhat familiar, somewhat tried place - flute, synth, drums atmospherics ending with a droning sitar and flute, and violins. pretty standard stuff. another tune with rich flute-and-tabla interplay follows. things dont really get interesting for me, however, till "mombastik", when the grooves get more deep, and the music leaves its indian trappings and floats in the in-between, sometimes approaching the soundspaces which the afrocelt sound system roam. the brass instruments (sounds like a sax and a trumpet, or maybe this is the "modular flute" in the credits?) provide a very unique sonic texture to the tune. nice cool breaks. right, i say. this is where its at. the middle section of this album is incredible. it is difficult to get my attention on vedic-style chanting (this is simply overworked by most asian underground stuff that i have heard - just run aground as it were), but the sarangi accompaniment on "eclipse" makes it interesting. the album continues very strongly with the title tune, a wonderful melange of colors from the hills in the north east. i wonder what language that is (i have the import release, so maybe the standard release has more info). this heat china folk stuff is quite hot. first time i have heard this kind of sound. the next tune is the highlight - "light", a glowing, luminous, groovy sunrise. fantastic arrangements - simply marvellous. echoes of the last tune buried in there somewhere. the piano accompaniment by talvin is spare but very effective. mental note to check out the chaurasia-talvin collaboration "vira" next. the rest of the album returns to more familiar territory, but finishes very nicely in a different place and space. i like this album now. will i continue to like it a month later? that is the question. 3 stars for now.

great grooves
Talvin Singh is a master at his craft, and it's evident on O.K. Elegant tabla rhythms mix superbly with electronic music to create a sublime ambient sound from the Asian underground. If you like ambient music, or Eastern-influenced electronica, you won't be sorry you bought this album.

Marvellous
This is beyond any doubt a very strange album. Since I'm not really into drum'n'bass (with the exception of some rather old Aquasky stuff), it was kind of a risk to buy it. Anyhow, I'm really glad I did so. It contains a magical blend of Indian and electronic music, Singh balances on the thin border between earth and space. The sound of the asian instruments is incredible, since Talvin Singh is a professional tabla-player, the technical quality is far beyond average.
I like it. A lot. The most bizarre thing is that I keep on doing so, no matter how much I listen to it.
Without any doubt a marvellous creation... and you shouldn't doubt a second about buying it. ... Read more

Reviews (108)

Interesting melodies, but repetitive and dated
Usually I don't spend time writing reviews, because there's not much point. Adding yet another good review to an album that already has plenty of them is unnecessary. However, if I can deter people from buying a mediocre or bad album that has been hyped, I will do it.

Let me preface by saying that I am not one of those, "I hate techno" people. I don't even use the word techno anymore, because some newbies use it as a label for all electronic music and other people use it as a label for crappy dancefloor trance/house/etc. This results in confusion. I'm an electronic music fan. I love intelligent, complex listening electronica in various styles including jungle, ambient, electro, and so forth.

Get to the friggin point, eh? The point is that this an an overrated, overhyped album. Sure, Orbital can create interesting, even emotional melodies. But the songs are extremely repetitive, and not even in a good way like chilled out ambient dub, for instance. Nope, they're just boring and mind-numbing. The other aspect is that the sounds are incredibly dated. This really is "bleep bloop" music. It's embarrasing to listen to this stuff. One of the major ways in which electronic music has progressed over the years is to create more "organic" sounds that don't sound like the stereotypical bleeps and bloops or mechanical sounds that are dense and exciting (e.g. Autechre, Speedy J).

Avoid this album. In fact, avoid Orbital entirely.

Nothing less than Orbital's defining moment.
Where to start? As an Orbital fan, I have carefully listened to each album, from the early promise of 'Belfast' on Orbtials first cd, through to the oddities collection that is 'Altogether'. But this is it, the moment they reached the top of thier form, producing music , that in my opinion, has not been recreated before or after. 'The Box' alone is a work of art, chilled and distant, and utterly amazing for 1996."dwr budr' is sci-fi bliss, soundscapes that move and twist over etherial vocals and broken beats, beautiful and mysterious, this may be one of my favorite Orbital tracks ever,and its influence can still be heard even in Trance dj's like Sasha and Digweed. Other tracks like 'Adnan's' are more of a wandering take on break, melodic and drifting, while 'P.e.t.r.o.l.' is much more agressive and impacting. This album sweeps you away and never lets go, and sounds just as good, if not better, 6 years later. Buy it.

The Best Orbital
I was angry to see someone classify this album as DANCE. This is not a dance album, rather it is a wonderfully done soundscape. This album comes after 3 good, but somewhat generic Orbital albums. This album broke all the boundaries. Also, to anyone who doesn't know the next Orbital Album, Blue, will be their last. OH HOW CAN THEY DO THIS TO ME? WOE IS ME!

Also, if you haven't already, go and buy the rest of their albums too.

A must have in dance music
I was a late bloomer when I got into techno music. I didn't get into it until I was in college and started going to nightclubs where I was exposed to some really great dance music. I also lived with a guy who was into techno music. Not only did he expose me to Delerium and Leftfield, but he also exposed me to what I consider to be a classic and definitive album in techno music...Orbital's "In Sides". I first heard Orbital on some import compilation of techno music, the song I heard was "The Box". I loved the melodies as well as the intricate beats. A couple of years ago I bought "In Sides" when I found a copy of the cd in the used bins. I haven't listened to it in a long time because of my constant change in musical obsessions. I decided to listen to "In Sides" tonight because I haven't heard it in a long time. Unlike a lot of techno artists/groups, their music doesn't hold up very well with time but Orbital is an exception. Eight years later and "The Box" and "The Girl With the Sun in Her Head" still sounds fresh to me. I love all the songs on the first disc. there isn't one song I don't like on it. The second disc is a live disc except for "The Saint" and "The Sinner". I like "The Saint" but I wasn't too wild about "The Sinner". Overall "In Sides" is still the masterpiece that I thought it was a few years ago.

A must for all listeners of REAL music!!
This Cd was my first Orbital CD i've listened to and it is still my best Orbital Cd in my collection. And mark my words:after you've listened to it you cannot but fall in love with it immediately. The music is inspiring, light and so breathtaking!And it is varied too. I mean, you can hear not only "slow, meditative" melodies, but also energetic, vital compositions. P.E.T.R.O.L. is my faforite on this CD. The CD is great in any situation. it doesn't make you feel weary after a couple of hours, in fact, I was listening to it for weeks non-stop and I still LOVE it!
It's ideal for a background music, whatever you want to do: drive, read, study.....If you ever buy this Cd you will never feel disappointed, believe me! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Listen to the samples
Endless Summer is a good example why you should never trust written music reviews. It has all the ingredients for an intelligent-sounding review e.g. acoustic guitar meets computers, noise meets kitch and some subtle references to whatever. After the wave of praise-reviews talking about the above someone was bound to look through it all and be smart and say 'well it has all the right ingredients but its not really that good' or just plain 'it sucks'. The reason for this review-war is of course that the real qualities of this album (and all music) are not academic but abstract emotional personal stuff which cant be put into words. Personally i cant explain why i love this album.

fascinating
Fennesz is my new favorite music discovery. Whenever I go see a rock show and there is a guy up there with a guitar and a huge cabinet amp full of processors and gadgets, I get excited. Fennesz is that guy but with a laptop. Ambient music gets a good seeing to with an element of live instrumentation. Fennesz, along with Squarepusher (the nuttiest bass player ever), gives me hope for the future of my guitar.

Conceptually successful but with few musical peaks
Fennesz garnered so much acclaim so quickly for Endless Summer that the album quickly sold out before most folks could ever find a copy. You can see why: harnessing glitch and guitar with equal aplomb, Endless Summer, from title to warm processed drones inside, soundtracks your ideal Ibiza screensaver.

Meaning, if underwater somulent moods sound intriguing, the vast echoscape of
featured cut "Endless Summer" offers low-key, filtered guitar and fuzzy feedback in hazy harmony. "Caecilia" adds playful gurgles and some marimba-like touches to the formula. "A Year in a Minute" and "Got to Move On" focuses on hum that unfortunately crosses the nuance/repetitive threshold. Closer "Happy Audio," for all it's seven minute build, never truly blossoms to the spectacle it aches to be.

While consistent (a good thing) a lack of tuneful exploration leaves this album conceptually successful but with few musical peaks.

Fading idealism and regret, from atomic to digital age
Wishful thinking in the face of irreversible decay, or raw-nerve exposure of the wires and circuits that were always beneath the romantic artifice of recorded popular music? Fennesz makes it easy on the ears, but not on the soul: his beautiful, skittery, irregular constellations within constellations of sound carry melody and longing as surely as the Beach Boys album this wasn't named after. It's difficult to decide if the evisceration of these tunes is a Deleuzian molecularization into flux-as-form, or a craftier Romantic device in deconstructionist's clothing. Maybe it's best simply to marvel that something so sharply digital in its immanent tactility changes emotional shades depending on the listeners vantage point or current place in life and the world. That an an album not even two years old has proven so contextually sensitive says something about the power of association, and the power of this music. Will this responsiveness to context and listener mood hold five, ten years from now? Perhaps the appeal of this sort of prickly digitalia will fade with time like so many of the sounds over the course of this album. Perhaps remembering its former appeal will add yet another layer of nostalgia. This music is too of its time, and brilliantly so, to speculate beyond the cochlear tickle of its more immediately grasped pleasures.

a virgin blows my mind in Paris
fennesz is able with this album to present something new for the genre mixing noise elements with delicate melody and tonality in way that in my opinion really shows a sophisticated aesthetic lacking in a lot other electronic composers right now. endless summer is much more listenable than his other work, delivering on earlier promising tracks on previous albums like hotel parallel while maintaining an independent beauty that seeps through the clipping and post-digital trend of abusing technology. my friend says he's a jerk though. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Old School Classic!
This is a classic compilation from the early 90s. A must have! It contains the now classic rave track "Obumbratta" which features a unique and creative blend of hard techno with opera. It sounds like a song you would expect to hear in a movie action sequence, really cool! Other hot spots are: "50,000 Watts of Power" and the cheesey, yet addictive, "Poing". A great collection that every techno fan must have! If you dig this CD, then I also highly recommend mr.deviant's "Techno Obsession" which is just killer! Mr.deviant is the only artist out there right now that's pushing new techno!!!!

If you like older Techno this kicks!
If you like Techno this is a must. Hear the beginnings of the Techno revolution. This has everything your hart desires, good base, good highs and pure quality. Have a nice trip

An Infectious beat,wanting to hear the next combo.
Welcoming beat with a follow up of good clean high's with a nice deep bass back-up. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The dense, mathematical music Autechre pioneered on their debut album Incunabula is given a new twist on their follow-up, Amber. While percussion took center stage on their previous works, highly evolved melodies and textures dominate here. The spirit of electro still lives in the muted beats, rhythmically complex and strangely funky. But they don't merely provide a background; they meld seamlessly into dense layers of strings, wandering synth hooks, and massive shards of white noise. It's highly intellectual, but by no means is it unemotional. While tracks like "Glitch" and "Peizo" are dense and impenetrable, most of Amber covers emotional territory from quirky and upbeat ("Slip") to melancholic ("Nine"). This highly emotional "machine music," continued to great effect on their later albums Tri Repetae++ and LP5, makes Autechre one of the few genuinely memorable artists of modern electronic music. --Matthew Corwine ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Top electronic listening music
The Autechre sound reaches it's apex with "Amber". Hard, ever-developing electro rythms form a solid foundation where frail, beautiful melodies thrive. Clocking in at 74 minutes, the album is not a second to long. Each of the 11 tracks on the album stands out in its own right, although the best track is saved for last; "Teartear" is a highly emotional finale to an excellent album. 4 years on from it's original release in the autumn of 1994, it still sounds as fresh as if it was put out yesterday (or tomorrow for that matter). Truly a masterpiece. Anyone who likes passionate, emotional music should own this album.

Beauty and Death
Amber is perhaps Autechre's most low-key album. Understated, brooding, expansive. But be warned, Amber is not easy-listening. It is neither an Enoesque ambient exercise nor is it a chill-out record to slap on at the end of the night's festivities. It is like listening to Death. Beautiful, powerful, SERENE yes, uplifting, life-affirming, no. It's easy to gush when talking about Autechre. The fact is, however that this listener hasn't heard music as powerful as this since...well, ever. My particular favourites are Slip and Teartear, but I do not suggest that they are the best songs. It's just a matter of taste. What's so good about Autechre? They have an instinctive knack for layering loops and rhythms that are intriguing, surprising and sometimes very danceable. On Foil, for instance, there's a sexy, almost tango-like groove that may well have ypou bopping around the room. Autechre also have the Aphex Twin talent for juxtaposing staccato rhythms with haunting strings and synth pads to great effect. There's drama too. Teartear IS the sound of impending doom, an apocalyptic soundtrack depicting the final deaththrows of civilisation. Yes, really.
For all it's beauty I would say that Amber is their bleakest album. But if you can take that you're in for a very enjoyable listening experience.

Nine
The best and most depressing track from Autechre...."Nine". Just take some time and listen for yourself.

Amber.
The deconstruction of classic musical arrangements and melodies has always worked for Autechre, who, after 1994's Incunabula and before 96's Tri Repetae++, created the next complicated piece in their ambient saga entitled Amber. In the same vein of Incunabula, Amber deconstructs melodies and molds and reshapes them in new forms, inducing transient states of euphoria in the listener. While Incunabula has more of a sense of internal buildup to climactic ambience and controls the texture and soundscapes with silence and subtle manipulation, Amber controls you in immediacy: its extremely external and variant. Minimalist beat loops and patterns are evident in sharp and abrasive coherency. But the euphoria instead comes from the innovative obscurity of mixing various sounds and creating new musical soundscapes that are at times brilliant and others horrific. But this is what Autechre got together to do, and its nearly impossible to say that Autechre have failed in creating a compelling follow-up. They have, and they will continue to evolve in abstract style and substance, even if IDM does not. Amber is a brilliant mix between the melody based music of Incunabula, and the chaotic and brilliantly deconstructed atmosphere of Tri Repetae++.
Essential tracks: Silverside, Slip and Nine.

Beautiful ambient sounds
Their final album before they got too harsh for my liking. This album is considered their best by many fans of the group, but I'm sure fans of the harsher material like 'Tri Repetae' would have something to say about that! (I think 'Incunabula' is their best anyway!)

But for me, this is a snapshot in time. Warm melodies combine with shimmering electronics to form magical electronic pieces. Sure, there are harsh and abrasive elements on here too, and they are also enjoyable. It's a perfect balance. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of techno's prime trendsetters, Moby flashed surprising rock chops on the Joy Division tribute Means to an End in 1995. Here he abandons the dance floor completely for a convincing stroll through a multitude of guitar-based styles. "Come on Baby" is the man's idea of trad rock, "Someone to Love" explodes like the best hardcore, and "Face It" is a swelling progressive epic. Animal Rights also includes Moby's ode to his roots, a cover of Mission of Burma's "That's When I Reach for My Revolver." --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (33)

refreshing sound from a music trendsetter
Moby's "Animal Rights" isn't what you expect to hear from a musician whose known for such songs as "Go" and "Bodyrock". Moby used to play punk rock back in the day and he seems to be exploring some of those roots in this album. But don't get me wrong this is by no means a punk album; moby just cranks out the guitars and drums for a bitchn' good ride. He doesn't abandon the electronica element completely with stellar tracks "Alone" and "A Season in Hell" which seem to juxtapose the other guitar driven tracks. You can expect more lyrics than other moby albums, but they're not written in the CD insert. The CD insert does offer up some refreshing moby rants about animal rights and the christian coalition. This is probably one of the best concept albums of the 90s' and hopefully opened some doors for other electronic musicians who want add some rock to their music.

A Brave Album That Didn't Really Work Like He Expected
This review was actually 3 and a half stars. This was the album that followed Everything Is Wrong and preceded his movie album, I Like To Score. Those people who know Moby know this album as an infamous album. This was the album in which Moby shocked everyone including a lot of his fans by doing an album that was predominantly punk rock. Now, Moby is a great musician and I liked some of his other hard rock tracks like New Dawn Fades from I Like To Score and What Love from Everything Is Wrong, and there are definitely some highlights like Come On Baby, Soft, and That's When I Reach For My Revolver plus there are some ambient tracks like the first track and the last one. However, my big problem with this album is 2 things:

1) There are too many tracks that go on and on whether they be ambient or hard rock--examples of this include Say It's All Mine and Alone, both are over 10 minutes long. I know God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters was long but these 2 tracks are no GMOTFOTW.

2) I really like Moby when he does techno/dance/trance. Everything Is Wrong, I Like To Score, and of course, Play are great examples where he performs some classic tracks in this genre (Feeling So Real, Everytime You Touch Me, James Bond Theme, Oil 1, Honey, Southside, Run On, and Porcelain just to name a few).

I think Moby did this album to prove to his critics that he was more than some DJ that can mix songs, that he was actually a musician, and a talented one at that. However, he did not play to his strengths on this album. I would recommend this album to die-hard fans of his like me or those who like punk/hard rock. Don't be expecting Play or you will be severely disappointed.

Raise the heartrate
I love that moby does different things and realizes that music is not set in boundaries. This album will surprise anyone who has the misconception that moby is just a techno or rave artist. The music on this album is strong, loud, angry, and then you hear "Living" and you relax. This album is emotional just like any of mobys albums. To realize why moby is amazing listen to this album and just feel it.

Gorgeous Sounds, Hits hard
This is an amazing disk. I personally love almost everything I have heard from Moby, but this album rates in the top three. "Living" is perhaps the most beautiful song I've ever heard. The sounds of this album are soft, then hard, then soft again. It all works though. You won't be dissappointed.

That Evil Ninja's done it again!
This is definately my favourite Moby album. It mixes some mellow ambient tracks that he's famous for with exciting, incredibly fun punk-rock tracks.

If you enjoyed ply a lot, you micht not like this, but that's the risk you take. Personally, I like this a lot more than any techno he's done, and it rates as even with his gospel stuff.
"Come on Baby", "Alone", "Someone to Love" and "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" are highlights.

Give this album a try. You might like it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Everything But the Girl's Ben Watt and DJ partner Jay Hannan return with more of the deep house they mixed to dazzling effect on the first Lazy Dog disc. Modeled after the program from their weekly residence at London's Lazy Dog social club, the double-disc Lazy Dog 2 finds the duo energized and dripping with deep house attitude. The duo's interpretations, which are more svelte, elegant, and modern than classic house, include ubiquitous handclaps and cymbal splashes met with salsa keyboard riffs, squawking saxophones, steaming organs, and sped-up vocals (on Peal Orchestra's "No Win Situation" the singer sounds like a prepubescent Michael Jackson). Both DJs confirm their tastes here; Watt indulges in lustrous mixes of vocal stars like Lucy Pearl, Sade, and Sunshine Anderson, while Hannan gives props to movers like Benjamin Diamond, Andy Caldwell (the man behind Sounds of Om, Vol. 2), and DJ Sonic (though he also sneaks in '80s pop star Kim English). The tracks pile-drive along in party mode, never skipping a beat but offering plenty of variation in style, making for a worthy addition to the Lazy Dog canon. --Ken Micallef ... Read more

Reviews (16)

excellent deep house
Ben Watt and Jay Hannan serve up some great deep (but danceable) house on this two cd set. Overall I think the tracks on the first CD, ben watt's set, are better, especially Jon Cutler's classic from this year, "it's yours," the great remix of Sade's "by your side," and deep swing's "in the music." However I would have to disagree with the reviewer who said that Watt and Hannan capture the club feel. The mixes are anything but raw and thus are very bland and boring. There isn't a single spot one either cd where melodies from two records overlap as they would at a club, where you can't have the precision that a studio environment allows. Still, if you take this cd as simply a collection of great deep house tracks from over the past year, then you won't be dissapointed.

Amazing dog.
I must say that my primary motivation for buying this CD is that I'm a big EBTG fan. I expected to listen to it and be able to at least appreciate what Ben is up to now. I loved it.

The songs in Ben's set explode like dynamite, one after another. Easy on the ears, pulls you right in, until you find yourself actually moving to the beat. In the car, at work, at a party, wherever - you'll be listening to this over and over and over. Disappointing though that Ben's reworkings of Me'shell Ndegeocello's "Earth" and Maxwell's "Lifetime" didn't make it to this disc.

This would also have been an easy 5-star CD, but I felt that Jay Hannan's set wasn't as solid as Ben's.

lazy dog vol .1 and 2
This 2 house compilations are absolutely a dream.....Never have i come across to such a high quality dance mix packed with outstanding tracks blended in skilfully in a variety of funky,latin and deep house charged with relentless energy.The result of Jay Hannan's and Ben Watt's effort is electrifying....... Unlike other compilations you have to work hard to find a track you DON'T like or any fault at all.This is shear quality and talent,both of every each artist and the DJs involved in the project.To be listen to for the next 20 years or so......an icon and a legend of dance music,a beacon,a light-house(so to speak),and "THE" standard and reference point for any house/dance complation.Best served at Notting Hill Art Club/London or in a hammock on a tropical beach under the full moon and the stars..........PURE BLISS.......

cheesy
This is definitely not a first-rate release. Jay Hannan's set is far superior, as with the first in the series. The mixes are just rather bland and the track selection is boring. Maybe people who don't know much about good house we'll like it. And the remix of "In The Music" - butchers the song! NOOOOOO! I much prefer the original mix appearing on Ei Bi Si 2 mixed by Barcelona's Eric Entrena and DJ Puku. Sorry, I'm just not feelin' this release. If you like this style of house, check out Casamba Clubbing mixed by Rafa Navarro (rare), Miguel Migs' Nude Tempo One, Jeno's Emotion Electrique (rare), or the 1st Lazy Dog.

Really good Stuff
This LD compilation in my eyes almost parallels its predecessor. I think overall Watt's mix is a little weaker this time around and that's not necessarily because Tracy is missing from the frey. I think it's overall because Watt is a bit more redundant and predictable as opposed to LD1. That's not to say his disk is without any merit; tracks 2-4 comprise a very solid block on the Watt mix that's just as formidable as any other section from either of the 2 compilations.

With that said, cheers to Hannan. After reading the other reviews, I get the impression other listeners feel the same way about his mix. On LD1 his mix was far weaker than Watt's; with the release of this compilation I can safely say he made up for any previous shortcomings and did a fantastic job of leveling with Watt here. I'm not quite sure I agree that he's outdone Watt's mix, but then again I am a big Sade fan, so it may just be my biases speaking here.

Overall this is a great pair discs. If you're a fan of night club hopping or just like deep house you owe it to yourself to pick this one up. You may not enjoy this one as much as LD1, but I think you'll still find this compilation has plenty to offer. The cultural blend of jazzy, disco and pop elements make this an irresistible title. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

None of the chirpy, intricate, eclectic tracks on I Care Because You Do sound dated, certainly not in any heinous way. Richard James's work stands outside any genre cages and continues to satisfy dedicated listeners. This is at least partially due to James's twisted, British-bad-boy sense of humor: the title of the disc alone is something of an ironic display. I Care Because You Do is a sound introduction to James's peculiar, personal work, which ranges from symphonic to spartan to relaxing to unnerving, though it generally manages to be all those at once. The disc is cleverly constructed and juicily modern, and it's easy to see why critics, struggling to understand James's emergent "ambient techno," early on compared him to minimalist composers such as Philip Glass and Steve Reich. James was clearly influenced by these pioneers, but his music is more about stretching the limits of what one perceives to be music, of sound itself. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (61)

Classic
This is my favourite of all James' output. Worth purchasing for the first three tracks alone, each containing subtle, repetitive but gorgeously orchestrated melodies. At first all you hear are beats, and then almost subliminally the music sinks in. Thrill to swelling highs of 'Wax the Nip', the string hooks of 'Icct Hedral', the sparse brilliance of 'Alberto Balsalm' and haunting march of 'next heap with'. Lot's of humour on this album too. If you have patience with ambient sounds, a tolerance for techno beats (you don't need much), and an ear for music with a decent shelf life you should get into this. I've been listening to this one regularly since 96' and it's just as good as ever. Thanks.

Totally Awesome Stuff!!!!!
I was amazed when I first heard the Richard D. James album, but this one is head and shoulders above the previously mentioned album. This album, "I Care Because You Do", is a much more mature album whereas the Richard D. James album sounds very childlike, but no doubt that was his intention, hence the song titles Goongumpas, To Cure a Weakling Child, etc. This album is a more ambient album, but mostly it should probably be called hard ambient because it's not like anything I've heard from SAWII. Songs like "Start as You Mean to go On", and "Acrid Avid Jam Shred" have loud drums throughout the song with ambient tracks beneath, but yet they still captivate you while you listen, and are very hypnotic even with the loud percussion. Other songs like "Mookid" especially, but also "Alberto Balsalm" (one of the coolest songs ever), "Wet Tip Hen Ax", "Icct Hedral", and "Next Heap With" are closer to the ambience of SAWII. "Mookid" and "Alberto Balsalm" are both absolutely beautiful. "Icct Hedral" is one of the most awesome songs I've ever heard. It is such a dark, evil sounding song, and it just sucks you in that it becomes scary. I was listening to this track on night when I was pretty close to being asleep, in other words I was lying down totally relaxed, and with a clear mind while the music was playing. I was totally relaxed just letting the music wash over me, then this track Icct Hedral reachs, somewhere around the 5 minute mark, and I literally had the breath sucked outta me, it was such an intense experience. You'll have to listen to the song to understand what I mean, but in the state I was in it totally affected me in a way I have never been affected by music. It was almost like I fell down a trap door, and my god, it was cool!!! Anyways, check this album out if you like the Richard D. James album, or the Come to Daddy EP, or if you just like music of all kinds. My favorite tracks are Alberto Balsalm, Mookid, Icct Hedral, Start as You Mean to go On, and Wet Tip Hen Ax.

a little twisted
Just great. I am a fan of his music for quite a while and all of his records are special in their own way. Tracks with a little twist only RDJ can add. Sometimes a bit sinister, but thats ok for me! Most of his tracks are sertainly refreshing and energy boosting. A philosopher teacher once said: "to enjoy and appreciate the quality of sertain aspects (of whatsoever) you have to have rotten spots besides it". In case of some of the tracks ("ventolin" (medicine for asthmatic patiens) for example in which you hear a sample of a person hyperventilating), annoying bleeps, cracks and sounds are added in such way that when they fade away in a track you almost feel a releef....a contrast between serenety and rotten (no offence)

A masterpiece
This album does not seem to draw from the musical 'fads' or movements of the day (like drill'n'bass or spinach-tune), but is just a distilled potion of Richard's musical sense.

Plenty of contrasts in frequency and hardness, a general lucidity of tone and timbre, and an obvious talent for balance and proportion are the hallmarks of this album.

Highly recommended.

One of his most consistent, and subliminal works
This album came right before RDJ became famous (though "fame" may seem like an oxymoron when describing the still-niche electronica genre, a level of fame which might make Britney Spears scoff seemed to have a profound impact on the outlook of this bedroom knob twiddler). So forget the incessant images of a grinning/leering Richard, and Chris Cunningham's perversely brilliant videos. Though Richards face does appear on the cover, ironically I think at this point it was as much a bid for celebrity as a comment on it; I remember when the album came out I thought "Ugh, what an ugly portrait, who is this guy?" Now everyone knows. I wonder if Richard has ever received any award for self-promotion - aspiring musicians should follow his inspired example. Squarepusher, ever the slow learning idiot-savant, just seems to have caught on fifteen years later with Ultravisitor, featuring his emotionless mug.

Anyway, moments of "f**k with the listener's head" music do appear here, eg. on the track Ventolin, but at this point they were the exception rather than the rule. What you get is a continuation of the subliminal vibe present on both Selected Ambient Works albums, only with harsher beats(I think Autechre took many of the harsh beat/fragile melody innovations on display here, and ran with them in their own direction.) When I say subliminal, I mean it; another reviewer here said it was "mind control music" and he has a point. If I were a psychologist studying music (or perhaps Boards of Canada, who seem fascinated with discovering the mathematical underpinnings of great music), I would dissect this album to try and figure out how the simplest of tones, and the simplest of contrast in melody and rhythm, evoke such vivid mental images and strange feelings. Incidentally, Richard said he used to have the ability to lucid dream, and that all of his pre-Drukqs music sounded "yellow" to him. I'm somewhat dubious of his synesthesia claims given his penchant for self-promotion, but I bet there's something to this. It's funny how you can tell if something is made for the artists' enjoyment, or to satisty/annoy his fans (this sort of evaluation has little to do with artistic merit - there have been many pop albums with clear target demographics that were nonetheless brilliant.) To my ear, I Care Because You Do is one of the best examples of the former type of album; it sounds like Richard made it for himself, though you can see him toying with the idea of celebrity in the cover art and playful song titles, many of which are near anagrams of "Aphex Twin."

Back to the music. Well, it's hard to classify. I will say that this album has a "cowboy western" motif not present in RDJ's other work. Really. Listen to Wax the Nip, Wet Tip Hen Ax, and Mookid and I swear there is a whistling sort of melody that brings to mind Ennio Morricone and Clint Eastwood squinting at the sun. As others have said, there's also a serious "classical" vibe to the melodies, that caught Philip Glass' attention among others. If you've listened to Drukqs and find the idea of Aphex Twin aspiring to Erik Satie legitimacy sort of sad, don't fret: the "classical" arrangements here sound much less forced and are really beautiful.

I'm a bit tired of people labeling RDJ a "genius," as though everything he puts out is pure gold. I think somehow the label genius is only applied if an artist has a prickly, attention-getting personality, a dash of charisma and fame-hunger. Why do people never say, for example, that Orbital are geniuses, when their Snivilization and In Sides albums show better consistency and have tracks that to my ear blow much of Aphex Twin's work out of the water? Who knows. Anyway, point being that this album is still a bit uneven like all Aphex Twin stuff. As is often the case with electronic artists, it seems as though RDJ has trouble finding good bridges for songs. Even the much-praised Alberto Balsam has a boring drum breakdown in the middle that bugs me every time. Like I said it's subliminal, and much more likely to put you in an altered state of consciousness, than stimulate the way the Richard D. James album does. Nevertheless it fully rates five stars, and if you are someone who's just curious about this "Aphex Twin" guy, you can't go wrong with this album or the Richard D. James album, though I'd start with the Come to Daddy EP, which is the purest distillation of RDJ's "genius" to date IMO. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This U.K. duo's landmark ambient techno album Lifeforms (1994) explored lush jungle vistas. Its follow-up opts for a much darker urban nightmare motif that makes it an ideal soundtrack while reading William Gibson.Progressive rockers by any other name, FSOL are highly respected innovators who rate with Orbital as the genre's leading exponent. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Thinking man's "electronica"
To lump this album under just "techno" or "electronica" would be doing this absolutely wonderful album a disservice. While it isn't quite EVERYBODY's cup of tea, "Dead Cities" does a fabulous job of telling a story throughout the 70 some minutes of this epic CD. "Herd Killing" and the 4th track, "We Have Explosive" are very crunchy, loud, filled with all sorts of F-off beats and yells. "Dead Cities" and "Quagmire/In A Permanent State Of AbysS" are darker sounding techno-like tracks, with the latter track being a twisted d'n'b collage. From "Glass" on, the tracks take more of a subdued feeling, more depressive and pensive feeling. This album has too many styles to be lumped into any category. It's just Future Sound of London, folks. You'll either love this album or hate it. I love it because of the multitude of styles within it, and the whole dark apocalyptic feeling it carries with it.

A Solid Effort
FSOL again demonstrate their talent, but Dead Cities is however their least impressive album in my opinion. Seeing the album as a whole it doesn't quite match with Accelerator, Lifeforms, ISDN or Tales of Ephidrina.

The 'dead city'-theme idea was wicked; the tunes really are dark. The singles My Kingdom and We Have Explosive are two classics and the highlights on the album. Tracks like Dead Cities and the 11th track, I think it's called Yage (the tracklisting is the worst ever, although deliberately done so), also stand out, there's really a scary feel to them. The weakness is that the album from time to time loses a bit of structure, which perhaps is somewhat unexpected as Dead Cities was intended to be more of a real album, compared to the impeccable ISDN, which was a compilation of tunes recorded not with purpose to be for an album.

Anyhow, this album is likely to give you a listening experience different from anything else you've heard, there's just sooo many weird sounds on here... An essential album, but go for FSOL's other CDs in first place:

Accelerator - club monster
Lifeforms - ambient masterpiece
Tales of Ephidrina - ambient (with a commercial touch to it), must have
ISDN - triphop, progressive, FSOL's best probably

Fan-freakin'-tastic, friends
FSOL doesn't do songs. They do "albums," that being a continous flow of music that all follows a theme or continuum, rather than merely being being a coalescence of unrelated singles. FSOL didn't invent this idea, but they do more with the idea than just about anybody.
And Dead Cities is the quintessential ALBUM. These songs flow seamlessly from one to another, creating a 70-something-minute soundscape with the elements occasionally coalescing together into a cohesive "song".
And said songs, it should be noted, are excellent. Yage is an otherworldly journey (fitting, given that in addition to being FSOL's pretend engineer "Yage" is a hallucinogenic South American vine). We Have Explosive is a serious industrial dance track sandwiched between several minutes of moody, ambient backwash on either side. While previous FSOL albums searched out a specific timbre or feel to them (see Lifeforms, Accelerator, and ISDN), this one is all over the map, ranging from chlostrophobic and depressing beats and samples to playful ambient ditties like Her Face Forms in Summertime and track 7, whatever it is. (As you'll discover, the number of tracks and the number of songs aren't the same.)

And for those of you who just skip to the end of long reviews to see what the punchline is, GET THIS DISC! It's an anonymous classic.

Pre-Millennium Tension
Future Sound Of London's last tribute to the 20th century is an apocalyptic peace of mastery. With dark, almost industrial heavy beat on some of the tracks (Herd Killing, We Have Explosive), and ice-beautiful melodies on others (Glass, Through Your Gills I Breath), this album weaves a tapestry of opposites. There is compassion (Everyone In The World Is Doing Something Without Me), and majestic (My Kingdom). You progress through the album, closer to the climax of his apocalyptic end, and just when you think it's over, and the cities are ruined, there is a last gasp of air. A distant heavy rock band is playing the continues mantra, repeatedly crying "dead cities, dead cities" before melting away.

Dead Cities is the wrong title for this CD.
I'm glad I didn't go by the majority of these Amazon reviews to decide whether or not to buy this disc. The reviews I read said that the music on this album was dark, scary, or complimented the title "Dead Cities." Maybe two tracks on this CD have a dark feel to them, but mostly this is an energetic album. It contains lots of soothing synthesizers made for dramatic movie background music. The artwork in the booklet is definitely spooky, but it is just art. The first track is warm up for track four, "We Have Explosive." Track 2 should be soundtrack music for a sci-fi movie. Loops of a flute come in and out as steady synth hits maintain the flow. The guy talking in a high-pitched voice at the end cracks me up to no end. Track 3 reminds me of Hawaii or some beach where you can catch some nice waves. It has a strumming guitar throughout the five minute track. It starts off slow and builds up with stable percussion. "We Have Explosive" is next, and I think everyone has heard this, so I will not say anything else about it. Track 5 starts off with choir-like singing with what seems to be an animal snorting like a pig. The pig noises stop with the choir still singing and then the there are orchestral strings going in sync with the singing. Track 6 has an Asian vibe to it with strings and a percussion similar to what you could hear walking down the street in Thailand. Track 7 is an uplifting piano and synth track that would make Brian Eno proud. Track 8 is a beautifully constructed piece with with wonderful synthesizer harmonies. Track 9 appears to me to be the darkest track on this album. It maintains a dark monotone synthesizer throughout the song with heavy blasts of percussion and computer noises. Track 10 starts out with a harmonious poppy synth which eventually develops with the help of various bleeps and bloops. This is my favorite track. Halfway through this masterpiece the drum and bass kick in to add flavor to the positive and happy synthesizer. Track 11 is easily my second favorite track and reminds me a lot of "Amoeba" off of "ISDN." This is another positive track with major flowing sonic synthesizers backed by tickled drums and cymbals. Track 12 would be the next darkest track in my opinion with an ominous synthesizer keeping the dramatic melody in check. It's not totally dark (if you want to say it's dark in the first place), because a very upbeat synthesizer chimes in with about three minutes to go in the song. That upbeat synthesizer doesn't last long unfortunately, but that's how FSOL keeps stuff from sounding drab. The final track is a very moving piece with a percussion similar to Queen's "We Will Rock You." This band has always been underrated for their talent, so if you enjoy "real" music get this as soon as you can. ... Read more

Reviews (97)

good creativity music despite being scary and disturbing
i found this music to be weird,scary disturbing but i guess that was the point of aphex twin with these songs.

here are my favourite songs/tracks

Come To Daddy (Pappy Mix)

i remember seeing the video for this song(on a large screen tv with the sound up at 2am) and its probably the most scariest song i've ever seen or heard and definatly the scarierst thing i've ever seen on a tv screen, no movie or anything comes close to this, it was a horrific experience.

The music starts off with this spooky guitar 3 notes playing while with the heavy drum and bass sound with this evil growling voice yelling "i want your soul,i will eat your soul,come to daddy" simular to that voice of that demon from the movie the "excorcist" but that wasn't even scary compared to this. I managed to watch the whole video untill near the end as i found the "middle" and "end screaming part" the most painfull and disturbing to watch and listen to. Its certainly not something that i would listen to too often or even while driving or before bed becuase of the nature of it but it deserves at least one listen or watch, though be warned because of the nature.

film

this is a nice song with a nice melody that i can listen to anytime.

Come To Daddy (Little Lord Faulteroy Mix)

this song is my favourite, its not scary just a little creepy maybe but its listenable. It sounds like a 2-step hi-hop type beat with these voices(sometimes kids) singing or talking with this wierd melody or notes playing, i like this song becuase of its weirdness.It sort of makes me think of something from the x-files or walking through the haunted mansion at a theme park.

Bucephalus Bouncing Ball

this isn't a track i like much but its a great song to listen to for the beats and they are all made from sounds of bouncing balls, the song does get noisy especially the 2nd half but it is interesting.

To Cure a Weakling Child (Contour Regard)

this is another weird song but its also a little creepy a kid would be singing this but its really samples of kids singing put in a loop,"my feet,my arms!" e.c.t. Its a good song becuase of the beats and the song makes me think of a great song the kids from the adams family tv show would dance to or if you lived in the haunted mansion then your kids would dance to this music.

Funny Little Man

this is my least favourite track but i thought it was a joke just as the aphex twin song "milkman" comes to mind sounded when i first heard it, this would be a great song on a soundtrack for a weird comedy movie.

Come To Daddy (Mummy Mix)

this song sounds alot different from the other come to daddy remixes and its not scary at all. The song is just a bunch of beats and there is no melody or lyrics. Some people said this song was noisy?? well it is if you have the trebble on full with the volume up but otherwise its listenable.

IZ-US

this song is just as nice as "film" a really peacefull song that i really like listening to and is my 2nd favourite on this cd.

well i hope i can help with this review, it is certainly an experience and i hope other can share it as i have.

Mr. Inconsistanty
This mini-album/EP is a bit too harsh sounding to stick it on repeat in your CD player, but... it's a guilty pleasure that warrants a spin once every fortnight or so.

1. Come to Daddy [Pappy Mix]

This is the video death-metal version. Splintered beats rattle behind a heavy three-note guitar riff with mad Richard screaming "I want/will eat your soul". Like Windowlicker, it loses quite a bit without the excellent Chris Cunningham video backing it up.

2. Flim

Not as ground-breaking as others may have you believe. Basic playful melodies with a skittering jungle beat. Serves as a good contrast to the mayhem that precedes it, but it's minutes too short to amount to much.

3. Come to Daddy [Little Lord Faulteroy Mix]

Better than the Pappy mix. This features the typical Aphex 'sick keyboard' sound combined with suitably creepy skewed kiddy vocals chanting 'Ooh you dirty little boy' and something about watching swans and listening to birds singing. It's quite catchy too which is unfortunate, as any attempts to sing it on the bus will get some pretty strange looks.

4. Bucephalus Bouncing Ball

Fast junglish beats coupled with metallic bouncing effects. The first half is nice enough, but it deteriorates into a mess of noise towards the end.

5. To Cure a Weakling Child, Contour Regard

Probably the EP's highpoint, although I can't really point out why. It's the most tuneful anyway.

6. Funny Little Man

A funny Daft Punkish electro tune with "Oh you funny little man" samg over the top in a warped computer voice. Amusing in a mentally ill kind of way, but nothing that you'd listen to too often.

7. Come to Daddy [Mummy Mix]

Not really a tune, just screeching white noise with jagged breakbeats. The worst side of Aphex in my opinion, but it's a side he likes to excercise on most of his newer releases. Noteworthy because of his mother's voice fed through his PowerMac.
"You've got so many machines Richard".
"I 'aven't got that many."
Funniest is a slowed down Mrs. James intoning over ear-splitting white noise, "Oooooohhhh, thaaat's a naaastyy noise... but I like those faaast bits."

8. IZ-US

Mellow synths with unusually paced beats. Like Flim, too short to do anything worthwhile.

About Flim
If any of you cats got the vinyl of Come To Daddy, put song 02- Flim on slower speed (which on a normally 45 speed LP would be 33rpm), I swear it sounds so much better. It's almost as if RDJ intended it to be that way but released it faster to trick his fans. The rest of the (cd) album is great, the cd has more songs, some of the best songs. Mummy remix is terrific, Contour Regard fantastic, Iz-Us compelling.

Daddy Meat
This guy just scares the crap outta me. Listen to "Come To Daddy (Pappy Mix)" in the dark at 1:49 AM with headphones after (enter chemical amusement aid here) like I'm doing right now and tell me Richard is not one disturbed man. Brilliant, but what a nut job. Excellent beats, interesting melodies, twisted, disturbing, funny. Great EP. I think the cover tells you best what to expect inside, yowch.

Aphex Twin - "Come To Daddy EP"
This is my first Aphex Twin album and I just bought it about 1.5 hours ago. And since it's an 8-track EP, i've already heard the whole thing. For the past few years, I have been strongly into rap music, listening to artists such as Ludacris, Eminem, 50 Cent, etc. Then someone I know introduced me to artists such as Mum (Iceland), Boards of Canada, Prodigy, The Crystal Method, etc. So I decided to try Aphex Twin...and I am very pleased with this album. I'm going to go through each track and tell you what I rate them.

01. Come To Daddy, Pappy mix (4:23)
RATING: 7/10

02. Flim (2:57)
RATING: 9/10

03. Come To Daddy, Little Lord Faulteroy mix (3:48)
RATING: 8/10

04. Bucephalus Bouncing Ball (5:45)
RATING: 9/10

05. To Cure A Weakling Child, Contour Regard (5:10)
RATING: 8/10

06. Funny Little Man (3:55)
RATING: 6/10

07. Come To Daddy, Mummy mix (4:24)
RATING: 5/10

08. IZ-US (3:03)
RATING: 8/10

I am very pleased with my first Aphex Twin album and it motivates me to look into buying some of Richard D James' other albums like, "I Care Because You Do", "Richard D James Album", "Selected Ambient Works, Volume II", etc.
Another thing: if you don't agree with me that this CD has one of the most interesting/disturbing covers...you must have not seen it yet. ... Read more