[JasonK]

I picked this up on Tuesday. It's not really "new" Aphex Twin per se, but as the title implies, it's 26 remixes done for money.

There are tracks by Jesus Jones, Nine Inch Nails, and Aphex Twin spread over 2 discs.

The first disc is what I've listened to the most so far. Really mellow and it reminded me of "Selected Ambient Works Volume 1". The remix of 'Journey' is a standout.

From what I've listened to of Disc 2, it's more like the jackhammer beats of "Windowlicker" and "Drukqs". I'll be able to give it a more thorough listen next week while at school.

Anyhow, I know a lot of people were disappointed with "Drukqs" (not me) but 26 Mixes For Cash should win back some fans.

[Mike Broadman]

Now there's a band I've been meaning to get into. I did recently pick up my first Massive Attack CD and liked it. Do they have much in common?

[JasonK]

Mike, which Massive Attack did you pick up? I've got Mezzanine, but that's it.

If you're new to the world of Aphex Twin I'd suggest starting with the Richard D. James Album.

Aphex Twin (real name Richard D. James) sounds really only like himself. He's invented his own equipment. He's sampled his friend during a bout of diarrhhea. I'd say the closest sound to Aphex is Global Goon, Bogdan Racynziski, Squarepusher, and Autechre. All of those groups have put out some decent material.

But, to paraphrase The AV Club from The Onion - they seem to lack an "internal logic" that James has.

And many of James' biggest fans will be the first to admit that some of his stuff is hit or miss. For me, there's a lot more hits than misses though.

[BrianB]

Quote:

He's invented his own equipment

Is that actually true? Back in the early days of the Aphex Twin, there was a lot of hyperbole & "true statements" made about his music & lifestyle that in the 10 years since, he's kinda gone back on. I thought this was one of them.

(just to be clear, I'm talking about the early statements of "he makes all his own electronic instruments").

[JasonK]

Brian,

I'd like to think it's true. Here's a snippet from the All Music Guide:

Quote:

James began taking apart electronics gear as a teenager growing up in Cornwall, England.

But, as you point out anything that's said about Mr. James' history has to be taken with a grain of salt.

For instance, AMG also noted that:

Quote:

(If the title Selected Ambient Works 85-92 is to be believed, it contains recordings made at the age of 14.)

That's a great album, but did he really produce some of the songs at 14? Only he knows.

[snip]see my next post [/snip]

I guess my answer is, I don't know for certain. From the sounds I've heard on his albums, I would be willing to believe that he's taken apart equipment and made mods.

Needless to say, James enjoys having fun with the press and any interview with him is always a good read.

[JasonK]

Quote:

[snip]see my next post [/snip]

Brian,

I cut out a statement while doing some fact checking.

My fact checking game from the book "The Ambient Century: From Mahler to Trance - the Evolution of Sound in the Electronic Age" by Mark Prendergast

Here's a quote from the book:

Quote:

His specialty was dismantling cheap synthesizers and keyboards to make something new out of them...Once he explained to me: "I started off just tweaking pots and making ranges bigger. I took filters out, rebuilt them and made them more powerful. Then I began to improve the actual sound-generating properties of my synths by adding new elements. Then I added dozens of more controls which could activate parameters with voltages or via computer."

More from Prendergast:

Quote:

With no recognized qualifications, James went to London in the early 1990s to attend an interview for a sought-after course in Electronics and Micro-Computer design. When he show the interviewers his inventions he was admitted without pause.

Hope that is of some help, but I don't know that Prendergast would print this information if he thought James was pulling his leg.

It's a good book, worth a read.

[Alex-C]

ah...a RDJ thread. what a nice surprise.

First of all, Mike, I greatly encourage you to first check out Selected Ambient Works 85-92. It is probably one of my most prized possesions. At the time when I bought it, in 93, it was terribly hard to find. I had to go to BPM in San Francisco and paid well... I digress. (this was pre internet).

Anyway, back to the topic of this thread. I am sort of mixed on Drukqs. Some of the Satie-like nocturnes and quieter numbers really appeal to me (yes, I was one of the 10 people who like SAW2) and other drill and bass acid wacked weirdness were okay.

I will probably pick up 26 Mixes, if, for no other reason, Richard's take on SyncSwim by 808state. (the uncredited "mix" track on disc 2).

Aphex Twin is such a tough artist to like....some of his stuff is damn near unlistenable (ventolin) but there are superb gems hidden on b-sides and rare tracks (flim, IZ-Us, Analog Bubblebath 5, now that is hard to get.)

[JasonK]

Quote:

I am sort of mixed on Drukqs. Some of the Satie-like nocturnes and quieter numbers really appeal to me (yes, I was one of the 10 people who like SAW2) and other drill and bass acid wacked weirdness were okay.

Alex, I'm also one of the 10 who liked SAW2. As is the author of the book I mentioned before, he considers it required listening.

I liked Drukqs as well, even though it was all over the map creatively. That could be because according to James, the album was kind of forced out in a way. He claims in an interview that he left a laptop with a bunch of tunes by him and Tom Jenkinson (aka Squarepusher) on an airplane. To combat the possibility of piracy, he took the back-ups of the songs and released some of them. He figured if whomever ended up with the laptop knew what they had, all the music could end up, well, anywhere.

But, as Brian and I were discussing, James is known for his hyperbole so it could just be Richard blowing smoke.

[Mike Broadman]

Jason, Mezzanine is also the one Massive Attack album I have.

I'll keep Aphex Twin in my mind the next time I hit a record store.

[Paul_D]

Mike, which Massive Attack did you pick up? I've got Mezzanine, but that's it.

Jesus H. Christ! You both need to get Blue Lines right now. Run out of your house and buy it. Mezzanine is my favourite album of all time, but BL is right behind. Protection is also superb but easily the least of the 3. And 100th Window a rather distant 4.

[Khoa Tran]

Blue Lines is the new album right? I have protection and mezzanine...i'll have to pick that up soon then....

Have you guys had a listen to UNKLE or AIR? i think they have worthyness of a listen...

Definately Hooverphonic and Red Snapper...