One album which never tires with age

Review by johnjjg2001 from Leicester, England

Richard D James began making music from an early age. At age 8 he took apart and reassembled a piano, and was forming electronic music from age 14. As his first LP, SAW brings together these melodic electronic experiments in one neat package essential to those curious about this genius. 'Xtal' launches the oddessy , with a hushed percussion floating over a muted snare-riff to a blunted bass, in a hypnotically soothing loop. A dreamy vocal sample ghosts in and out in lullaby, apparently taken from a Cocteau Twins recording sampled in a garage. Simply, the feel is lush. 'Tha' cuts in with a submerged synth hook-loop and remains subliminally minimal through its 9 minute course; A round-robin dreamstate with muffled conversation fading in & out of a seamless ambient soundscape.

'Heliosphan' is an endlessly uplifting classic, making the mind dance to its gently hypnotic melody and percussion loops...... the track is as fresh now as ten years ago. At times James goes into acid overdrive; 'Green Calx' leaves the ambient arena and becomes what it always was, early 90's floor filling techno, perhaps as such the least well-aged track here ; But he always returns with beautifully weaved, almost haunting slowburn melodies, 'Ageisolis' a fine example.

The title says it all. Its a selection of works, and if it doesn't hang together as a classic LP ought, thats in its nature. But the quality of the gems on offer in this mixed bag make that a petty irrelevance. If you have any other Aphex Twin albums, this is where it all started. I have to say, two or three tracks here would definitely make my personal Aphex top ten. Along with 'I care because you do' and 'The RDJ album', this is Aphex at his sublime best .