Deep into the dark depths of electronic music lies the elusive Aphex Twin, commonly referred to in human form as Richard David James. Thirteen long years have elapsed since the release of his last studio album, Drukqs, and fans have been eagerly waiting ever since for another one. Though Caustic Window surfaced early 2014, it wasn’t a new release. Moreso an homage to his classic works, a collection of unreleased tracks hoarded by the artist that had never seen the light of day – until a bunch of people began to request its debut. A Kickstarter quickly formed online so fans could download a digital copy of the album.
So how can one describe Aphex Twin’s music? To put it simply: you cannot. It’s a diverse spectrum of melancholy sounds, distorted vocals, ambient instrumentals, luscious piano melodies, techno rifts, and elements of drum and bass. It’s as creepy as it is beautiful, a symphonic masterpiece hot-wired down to the last, precise note. The mixing is impeccable, and everything seems to be arranged to an almost obsessive-compulsive scale. One cannot simply just listen to Aphex – you get sucked into the world he’s created with his unique sound devices. Each song is an introspective crawl into the deepest recesses of your mind.
Syro was everything and nothing that we expected. It’s an album which represents the essence of Aphex Twin, yet has has evolved into a more modernized, mature anthology of sounds. “minipops 67 [120.2][source field mix]” (which was released a few days earlier) is probably the most general-audience approved song on the album. It’s reminiscent of his older songs on Drukqs, partly sounding like a more refined progression of “Vordhosbn.” Sharp sounds, off-key sounding melodies and the stylization of filtered vocals dominate this dance-able tune.
To truly understand the complexity of this album, as well as Aphex Twin in general, check out his gear list used in the creation of Syro:
Additionally, there is a massive amount of variation in this album. Songs like “XMAS_EVE10 [120][thanaton3 mix],” which begin in a familiar foreboding Aphex manner are categorized by full-bodied synths, clean snares, and punchy basslines. It’s a robust composite of layered sounds that’s both chill and soulfully saddening. There are distant vibes of “To Cure a Weakling Child” and “Delphium” floating around in this track. Subsequently, one of our favorite tunes from this album, “produk 29 [101],” flares out in a different direction with some funky synths and a vigorous bass. It later spans out into a nice build with echoed claps, distorted vocals, and sharp chords.
Furthermore, Aphex Twin has mastered the art of making things sound chaotically off beat by using odd time signatures. He employs these devices, although in a more polished format in Syro. In “180db_[130]” the album shifts gears with the emphasis on a heavy bassline and slightly electro/techno sounding synths. Another track, “CIRCLONT6A [141.98][syrobonkus mix]” builds on the usage of filtered vocals with super crisp synths and robotic/computerized noises. It’s one of the more aggressive songs on the album, almost a mixture between “Green Calx,” “Ventolin,” and “Start as You Mean to Go On.”
Syro wraps up quite eloquently with “aisatsana [102],” an extremely beautiful piano melody alongside chirping birds that evokes the same emotions from us that “Avril 14th” did. Despite the fact that there is still a certain gloominess that veils the song, there is a glimmer of hope one catches from the delicate chords. Overall, this release was well worth the wait and we’re happy to be jamming out to something new by the legendary Aphex Twin. It’s a modern transformation on the Aphex sound while still staying in context, proving the prodigy can keep up with the changing times.
Tracklist
1. minipops 67 [120.2][source field mix]
2. XMAS_EVE10 [120][thanaton3 mix]
3. produk 29 [101]
4. 4 bit 9d api+e+6 [126.26]
5. 180db_[130]
6. CIRCLONT6A [141.98][syrobonkus mix]
7. fz pseudotimestretch+e+3 [138.85]
8. CIRCLONT14 [152.97][shrymoming mix]
9. syro u473t8+e [141.98][piezoluminescence mix]
10. PAPAT4 [155][pineal mix]
11. s950tx16wasr10 [163.97][earth portal mix]
12. aisatsana [102]
Purchase this incredible album on iTunes or Bleep.
Connect with Aphex Twin
www.warp.net/records/aphex-twin
www.facebook.com/aphextwinafx
www.twitter.com/AphexTwin
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