Still semi-fresh off his grammy-win for Syro(2014), cited as the year’s best dance/electronic album, Aphex Twin has released two new-songs under his moniker, AFX. The two new cuts are the latest teases to breathe life into the release of his forthcoming EP, Orphaned Deejay Selek(2006-2008).
Unlike its misleading title suggests, there is nothing simple about the mathematical-rattling of percussive-based nuance issued in the first track, “Simple Slamming B 2.” While clearly digitally-based, the drum-section of this cut emulates the talents of a finely-tuned jazz-percussionist, itching-and-scratching his way through the overlapping mess of dissonant synth-chords that hover abroad. As mentioned before, it’s clearly not a simple, but intricate slamming, indeed.
The second new-cut, from the forthcoming EP, Orphaned Deejay Selek(2006-2008), chimes-in as the inverse to its predecessor. “Midi Pipe1c Sds3time Cube/Klonedrm” is a different set-of-rules at to which can be described as a whole new ball-game all-together. If “Simple Slamming B 2” is day then “Midi Pipe1c Sds3time Cube/Klonedrm” is most certainly night in the spectrum of things. Sounding-off with the artifice of woodwind-pipes, the droning-percussion yields to syncopation while the synthetic-lazers pierce the air waves like shards of glass in motion.
With less than two weeks to go, Orphaned Deejay Selek(2006-2008) marks the the first release under the AFX moniker in nearly a decade. Aphex Twin is recognized by many to be one of the most influential and inventive persona’s in contemporary electronic music. Born Richard David James, the British musician/composer is also the co-founder of Rephlex Records, alongside Grant Wilson-Claridge. Ever the elusive-prodigy of sorts, James has also released music under various aliases: the Tuss, Polygon Window, and Caustic Window. Following the successful release of 2014’s Syro, James posted an unprecedented 230-outtakes of previously unreleased material on SoundCloud. Such an unorthodox approach allowed his music to be free for anyone to download.