Reviews (page 3 of 8)
I assumed that the title was a joke, but I was wrong. This really is more ambient than the music Aphex Twin became more known for, like the material on the album Syro. I liked this but I prefer his higher energy stuff.
Great
Mesmerising beep boop classic
ta bueno
Feels like hitting up the club underwater.
I love ambient music and hadn't listened to this in a very long time so this was great to hear again. Some genuinely interesting formal and timbral experiments for electronic music at that time.
Favorite Track: Xtal
I had no idea this band was that old. Anyways pretty solid.
Super chill, very fun low-key background beats, with the key phrase in the title: "ambient". Makes sense that this album is considered a foundation on which electronica has grown immensely, grown into something very different. I enjoyed it. Okay to have on in the background. Has it stood the test of time? Not for me.
The calming, ethereal nature of 'Selected Ambient Works 85-92' proved to be a game-changer for electronic music when it was release in 1992, and it introduced listeners to the inventiveness of British composer Richard D. James, better known by stage name Aphex Twin. This record plays it very cool and composed, providing some innovative ambient soundscapes encouraging the listener to think, feel and vibe. There's elements of the acid house scene that was burgeoning in Britain at the time, but also flourishes of 80s synth pop, hardcore, hip hop and even shoegaze. James composed this record over a seven-year period (as the title states), and its clear through the numerous stylistic shifts it takes. Aphex Twin emerged at a time when electronic house music was becoming faster and more intense (see The Prodigy) and James does lean into this harder edge at times, though not as extensively as he would on later releases. He keeps things very contained and focused on 'Selected Ambient Works 85-92', picking up effectively from the foundations built by Kraftwerk, Brian Eno, New Order and Primal Scream. It's a cool record to relax to, but it's also great thinking music! Best songs: Xtal, Tha, Ageispolis, Heliosphan, We are the Music Makers
Oikein mainiota taustameteliä! muutamat tutut biitit joita sämplätty myöhemmin muissa tunnetuissa biiseissä. Oli itelle uus tuttavuus
Tää "kokoelma" on vielä niitä aikoja kun apöksin eli mikä lie jamesi se on hommat ei oo lähteneet ihan säksätys-tasolle. Varmaan myös jotain semmosta eteen näyttäjää niille joille ottaa eteen elektronisemmalle tavaralle. Viihyn kyllä vaikka näistä ymmärrän vielä vähemmän kun noista 60-luvun poppirallatuksista. Mut kiittäen arvioimme tätä.
I'm not really a fan of the ambient scene, but this was a lot more engaging than the likes of Brian Eno and such, even though it was 75 minutes long. Difficult to choose between a 3 and a 4, gave it a 4 because I seek for the thrill
Very much a background music album, on brand with the title. Was nice, not sure I'd revisit, but I'm not mad for having listened to it. 4*
Love the ambient sound
Solid. So nice I listened twice.
It is not exactly my type of electronic music but it has good moments. Regarding release date I can believe it was very influential.
I’m very glad albums like this are on the list.
Weirdly enjoyable! Didn't expect to like it.
Finally something interesting! Loved the ambient builds on this
To people complaining about its inclusion : this is so influential, and so very fresh. 30 years is unbelievable to be making that sound. I don't think it's perfect, but I like ambient and I like this, my only complaint is that it is a bit long.
Great
First time listening to an Aphex Twin album, and I had a right good time. It’s like the perfect tracks for PS1 start menus.
Didn't like track 6 Green Calx, but everything else is straight bangers. Love Aphex Twin, could listen to this on repeat
I had to break this listen into a couple of different sessions. It's great background music, but I would love to set aside some time to sit down and really listen to this thing. Fantastic.
honestly I'm just glad music like this made it onto this list. Aphex Twin was on his own level basically from the start. that being said, I really wish Selected Ambient Works Volume II was the one featured here instead of 85-92. both are excellent, but Volume II is beamed in from another planet and warps my perception of time whenever I put it on. Brian Eno coined the term "Ambient Music" -- the following is excerpted from the liner notes for his album "Music for Airports / Ambient 1", Sept. 1978: "Over the past three years, I have become interested in the use of music as ambience, and have come to believe that it is possible to produce material that can be used thus without being in any way compromised. To create a distinction between my own experiments in this area and the products of the various purveyors of canned music, I have begun using the term Ambient Music. An ambience is defined as an atmosphere, or a surrounding influence: a tint. My intention is to produce original pieces ostensibly (but not exclusively) for particular times and situations with a view to building up a small but versatile catalogue of environmental music suited to a wide variety of moods and atmospheres... Ambient Music must be able to accommodate many levels of listening attention without enforcing one in particular; it must be as ignorable as it is interesting." Richard D. James isn't required to match Aphex Twin's definition of ambient music to Eno's, but Volume II hits way closer to that mark. I find most of 85-92 fascinating and by no means ignorable. also if you listened to this on speakers without bass or weak headphones, find something that'll carry the low end of this album and it'll likely change your perspective on it. those lower rumblings can really alter the journey of the higher end parts of the track.
I put this on in the classroom while the kids were doing independent research. Not one complaint, question, or request for something else. One kid said it sounded like video game music (complimentary). Another genre I don’t know how to assess though. I’ll give it a four but it could easily be a five idk
Some more than decent bleeps and bloops here but, much like Jason Mendoza, I was waiting for the beat to drop and it just . . . never dropped. I guess that's the nature of ambient, but still.
L'album qui porte bien son nom, sympa en fond en bossant
Un classique dans le grand monde de l’électronique Très bien en fond, en ambiance
Really liked this album. It’s my kind of electronic music? It’s upbeat both tempo and musically. Good straight through listen. Easy to get lost in the background as well and just vibe to as you’re going about the day.
I've heard of Aphex Twin, the alias of Richard D. James. He's a British electronic composer/DJ who's often considered a pioneer of experimental techno music. In fact, this debut album compiles the works he's committed to tape since he was a teenager back in 1985, using homemade equipment made from synths and drum machines. For as much as this album claims to be a collection of "ambient works" in its title, it's a bit more hard-hitting than typical ambient music. There are moments on this record where some genuinely pulsing electronic club rhythms are snuck in between the atmospheric textures, such as on the opener "Xtal", the uptempo beats of "Pulsewidth", the low-key swagger of "Ageispolis" with its glistening synth line, and especially the squelches present on "Green Calx". There is some fun, cerebral electronic music on this record that evokes the feeling of keeping the energy lingering after hitting the dancefloor, if ever so slightly. Yet, there are some hangups I have with this record. For starters, this is ostensibly a compilation of tracks chosen by Richard's mates, with no meaningful arrangement or cohesive flow, which can make the nearly 75-minute runtime a tad daunting. I wouldn't say every track aged well, where I feel that tracks like "I" and "We Are the Music Makers" could have been fleshed out more. Then again, these were composed by Richard over the span of seven years outside of his DJ sets at Cornwall. In a sense, it may be best to regard Selected Ambient Works 85-92 as a sonic chronicle of Richard's self-taught music learning. For what it's worth, his work under the Aphex Twin moniker this early on is commendable and shows the potential for his later output.
7/10 Best songs: Xtal, Ptolemy This is a timeless, extremely vibey electronica album. No lyrics, just pleasant beats that make you nod your head and melodies with a futuristic sound. I find it really impressive that this album sounds so modern for being from this time period - Aphex Twin is a tremendous producer. I will say this however: this is very much a "background music" kind of album. You can turn it on in the background and it won't mess with your concentration, and much of it could easily have a vocal track added and nothing would change.
Definitely my kind of music, absolutely influential on music I listen to today, but I’m less certain it’s an album I would actually play on any given day. There are certainly moments where I thought, “Great, this is 90s techno made ahead of its time in the 80s, but do I really want to listen to 90s techno today?” At the same time, there are some songs that are just transcendent. They feel like minimalist classical compositions up there with John Cage and all those fellas. By the way, I shared the impression of many reviewers that Aphex Twin was dark stuff I would not look forward to, even though I knew he was cited as an influence by many of my favorite artists. Maybe that’s a consequence of the image he presents to the world… in any case that impression is gone now and I am eager to learn a lot more about him and his work.
Pa trabaja y pal viaje astral
Wonderfully hypnotic
Pretty interesting album. Not to everyone's tastes. Very influential and some standout stuff. Can be boring at times, but a perfect background, chill album.
Listened while driving home from work. Thought these would be more sparse soundscapes than they actually were. These were actually quite compelling and often very exciting. I don't think I liked it enough to rate it a 5 star classic but was pleasantly surprised.
I started really liking it after getting used to the genre
It's hard to say this is anything other than exactly what it's advertised as. It is, in fact, selected ambient works recorded between 1985 and 1992. I have limited experience with ambience (mostly just GY!BE and Ghosts I-IV by NIN), but I really enjoyed this. It felt more lively than I'd expect ambient music to be, but I don't think that's a slight towards the music. It was also good study music, I wrote 3 essays in the time it took me to listen to this. Favorites: Xtal, Heliosphan, Hedphelym
While listening to this, I like to close my eyes and pretend I'm playing a really cool video game and this is the soundtrack.
A little more techno than ambient, but still right up my street, as they say across the pond.
The album had sonically great songs like pulsewidth but it just gets too repetitive and boring
Selected and ambient ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Geweldig fantastisch
Enjoyed this
𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘈𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝟪𝟧–𝟫𝟤 has a warmth and clarity that still feels startlingly fresh. The combination of ambient textures and gentle techno rhythms creates an atmosphere that’s immersive without ever drifting into background music. In many moments, the album could almost pass for a lost Brian Eno project — the same sense of calm, space, and melodic subtlety, just filtered through early-90s bedroom electronics. It’s a deeply inviting record, and even if some tracks are rough around the edges, that rawness is part of its charm.
Impressive that this includes music from 30-40 years ago, aged very well and can see the influences that led to so many DJs to follow. However for me this is short of a 5 as it is just a random assortment of tracks, rather than a cohesive album
I actually really liked this one. I always thought this band was more hard techno, not ambient (as the album title suggests). Will definitely listen again.
A brilliant piece of work. Something I’ve heard many times but rarely put on so a real treat to listen to.
fire
This feels a bit more involved than just ambient music actually. More interesting than most of the electronic music I’ve heard on the list so far
Tons relaxantes com um fundo dançante. Transforma a contemplação do Ambient Music em algo mais excitante e envolvente.
I can't believe Richard D. James invented robot serotonin
Haven't heard this in years
4.5
big fan of this! I’ve said this before; but I’m learning that I really enjoy the staticky, blorpy, wet sort of synth bass sound. not that music needs a purpose, but I’ll save this as an excellent companion album to writing or doing work. makes sense that it was an album that got a lot of indie listeners into techno in the 90s.
i like the beats. 90s has some pretty cool beats.
1/6/26. This is vibes. 8/10
Super good. Very chill. Might be a 5 after more listening
"Selected Ambient Works 85-92" is the debut album by British electronic artist and producer Apex Twin (Richard D. James). The album is ambient music James recorded on a cassette from 1985 through 1992 using homemade equipment constructed from synthesizers and drum machines. The album had wide-spread critical acclaim and is cited as a classic, defining work of electronica. Commercially, it reached #6 on the UK Dance Album Chart. The album opens with "Xtal." Sort of rough sounding due to the cassette recording medium. Loud beats sampled from the Incredible Bongo Band's "Apache." Ambient synth keys. Very dreamy. Vocal samples are inserted from "Evil at Play" by Steve Jefferies, Mary Carewe and Donald Greig. A wavering, higher-pitch synth sample of "Butterfly Holocaust" by Neutron 9000 begins "Pulsewidth." Dance beats are added which are layered by other beats. Eventually, a "Close Encounters"- sounding synth comes in completing the song. Bubbly ping sounds appear at the beginning and throughout "Ageispolis." An underlying dance beat. James layers in an ambient synth and a Kraftwerk-esque deeper synth. James uses samples from the movie "Robocop" to make "Green Caix" sound futuristic. Laser sounds and robotic noises intermixed with a dance beat. "Heliosphan" layers ambient synths and 80's-sounding synth keys. A ticking beat is enhanced with a sturdier dance beat. Ambient and chill with electronic and dance beats. James does an outstanding of layering his synth melodies and sounds and the electronic beats. The songs are varied and always interesting. Sometimes techno and electronica can be sterile but the synths used here give more a warmth and emotional vibe. James leaves his influences on his sleeves so to say with movie samples, Kraftwerk sounds, 80's-sounding synths and the dance beats. This is an outstanding album in the techno genre and a must for any fan in that category.
An inescapable classic, even if I've always thought it's an overlong demonstration of the peculiar talents of one Richard D. James.
Giving this 4 stars, with caveats. First, a lot of its appeal stems from reading about it's creation and given the artist's age and tech limitations, its impressive. Also, the vibe is cool feeling like the soundtrack to some never-produced sci-fi film. But, I do wish there was more to some of the songs. It tends to fade into the background. It's cool background music but background music none-the-less. At least "ambient" is right there in the title, so it knows what it is.
Kind of like that YouTube lofi channel, but made when dinosaurs still roamed the earth.
Certainly a very solid start to his career. Definitely not as good as his later work though
I had some pretty low hopes for an album called Selected Ambient Works 85–92 due to the unusual title and my assumption this would be some electronic garbage album (especially by a British artist). To be fair, other ambient, electronic, techno albums have been a big miss for me. I'm glad we had an exception to the rule. This is a long album that zooms by! I couldn't believe the length of 74 minutes afterward. And despite the length, the album wasn't repetitive but kept things varied and engaged. I just kept vibing with every beat and song. This album appears to be groundbreaking in the electronica genre, which I can't fact check, but considering the originality I heard, I can believe it.
This is exactly what ambient music is supposed to, not interesting enough to distract, but if you want to focus on it there’s enough going on to hold your attention. Not sure if it’s worthy of a top 1000, but I do think it’s a good representation of good ambient music
Pretty good music to do work to, definitely easier to listen to than some of his more recent output
Really enjoyed this one. Will revisit.
Oh man... THIS guy. He's a weird one.
It’s wild listening to this and knowing what future Aphex Twin albums sound like. This is pretty chill and atmospheric for the most part. I like it, but if this was all I’d ever heard from Aphex Twin I would be a bit underwhelmed. It’s a solid album but his other stuff is groundbreaking. Here’s hoping The Richard D James album or Druqks is on the list!
Reminds me of chill Sunday mornings after a night out, not wanting to get up but also not wanting to lay around forever. 4/5
I like a few bands that were inspired by Aphex Twin, but I have never really been able to get into them myself. I think this is my favorite thing I have heard from them though. Just some very straightforward ambient electronic music. It definitely has its place and is very influential, but not something I would really choose to actively listen too. It made great background music as I worked though. Mid 4.
I dug this. hard to put my finger on what makes this stand out from other electronic music, but he has a good sense of texture and knows how to keep things interesting and when to simply ride the groove he's created.
a damn good vibe.
I always used to get Aphex Twin and Basement Jaxx mixed up. This was way better than I expected this to be. It reminds me of a lot of songs from the Mortal Kombat movie soundtrack, or even Hackers. You could totally play this while surfing early cg cyberspace like Lawnmower Man. Great ambient music is right.
Enjoyable music that I just assumed was the pause menu soundtrack for Siphon Filter for the PlayStation 1. I guess this is a good example of Aphex Twins? I have a hard time picturing a spooky faced guy making this music though. They must have better albums?
it sure was ambient. i think i get the hype
There is nothing else like Aphex Twin at his best.
I can dig it. Real good chill music to listen to.
The kind of musical beats that really appeals to my particular slice of mental illness. 4.5/5
Great album
Heard of Aphex Twin never listened to any of the albums however. Really enjoyed listening to it. It’s not something I would actively listen to instead it would be something on in the background whilst unwinding
Very good, but something I’d need to be in the mood for.
Not really heard much Aphex twin but really enjoyed that after some utter tripe recently.
A really enjoyed this a high 4 for me an album I’ve been meaning to listen to.
Great for background music while working or cooking. I'd definitely throw this one on again.
It's fantastic as background music. Dreamy and chill. Just a an album that achieves what it wants to achieve. Might not be the most interesting thing, but still enjoyable.
puts you in a room with shiny white walls staring at a black shiny sphere in the middle of the room The light is yellow-ish but not ugly, more like a heavenly glow I think it's very advanced for its time Some songs are really saturated its kinda weird 4/5
Det her va en behagelig lytteopplevelse, æ endte opp med å høre den tre ganger, tror æ, mens æ leste bok (og mens æ va på jobb). Det sagt så satte det sæ ikke, fordi det ikke e sånn musikk som sett sæ, anna enn som en behagelig stemning, kanskje, æ vet ikke om det e sånt æ kunne hørt på og hatt meninger om? Men det kan også være fordi den typen musikk har et helt annerledes utgangspunkt hos mæ i 2025 enn det ville hatt da det opprinnelig blei lansert? Men ja, gode greier.
Rrally cool album that shows how you can do so much with a few noises and create such an interesting atmosphere with so little. I'm always amazed when ambient tracks like these have so much character and can hold your attention. This is really good to chill to or work to or game to, or whatever. It feels so alive. I really enjoyed my listen, and I've had some pretty rough goes with some electronic/house stuff on this project so far. Aphex Twin is one of the greats of the genre and this album proves it. Not what I'd want to listen to all the time, but really fun to dip into every now and then. 4/5 for me.
Loved it! Perfect for studying and working!
Love this
Solid background music but not very engaging despite how much I hear about Aphex Twin (2.5/5)
I've never sat down and listened to a full Aphex Twin album before. This is more chill than I anticipated, and as such, I also enjoyed it more than I anticipated. I'll probably listen to this again.
Day 181 and I've now had a few electronic albums to listen to in this project. My only real knowledge of the genre was my son's incessant desire to play EDM on his way to hockey matches when he was in high school. I learned to strongly dislike most of what I'd heard. With this, along with Let's Get Killed from a couple of weeks ago, I am forming much more favorable thoughts on what can be done with electronic music. I really enjoyed this album. I was listening on my drive to work and hit some construction on the way, and I was perfectly happy to just sit there so I could appreciate what I was hearing. Each song had a different vibe, and I liked all of them. If I was able to listen to music at work, this (and music just like it) is what would be on in the background all of the time.
Selected Ambient Works 85-92 was quite a bit better than i was expecting it to be. I've never really listened to any of Aphex Twin's music but i do know of the guy due to him having one of the most interesting personal life sections on Wikipedia. As for the album, i was expecting it to just be okay but it turned out to be really darn good. The songs here all feel layered and complex and had some good melodies and rhythms for just being simple background music. It is rather repetitive but i think that is to be expected from a genre like this. It may not be the greatest electronic album but i still liked it quite a lot. Best Song: Ptolemy Worst Song: I
The pre-90's tracks are strangely ahead of their time. Not quite the breakcore of Come To Daddy yet. Definitely set the stage for what was to come from several electronic bands in the 90's.
Another one that I'll probably be on an island for, but I really enjoyed it. Perfect balance of focus/study type beats and head nodders that you could cut a rug to. Music Makers is the only song I had heard before, but excited to listen again.
Good stuff…not normally my bag, but there’s something about Aphex Twin’s music that i find easy to listen to as background noise and kind of be hypnotized. A couple songs are more challenging but mostly good to do work to
A strong argument for this being the best working music of all time. I did a lot of quite boring admin with a level of furious intensity not seen since the episode of Mad Men where the whole office got injected with amphetamines by Jim Cutler's doctor. Is it good? Yeah, I think it's definitely a vibe, although it's hard to pin down what the qualities are that make it good. Also, I carried on listening to whatever came after it for a good hour after it finished, which is a backhanded compliment - I definitely wasn't waiting for it to finish, but nor did I notice when it did.
- oh boy i do love aphex twin - aivan ajatonta musiikkia ja tää levy on fakin mun ikäinen - hyvää nakuttelua ja upeinta on kuinka paljon erilaisia juttuja aphex twiniltä löytyy - tykkäsin ja kuuntelisin uudestaan
For being created between 1985-1992, this is AMAZING.
I got really luck with the timing of this album. Monday morning with a bunch of work that I needed to get done. I put this on and cranked out most of my days work. Perfect background music. Crazy that this came out in the early 90's. It feels like it could fit in perfectly with the 2010's lo-fi boom.
Quite unlike electronic music that came before it, this collection of pieces by Aphex Twin is a melodic and atmospheric dreamscape that one can listen to actively or simply allow to wash over you passively. Beyond Eno, I haven’t given ambient all that much attention in my record collection, so this was really my first deep dive into how the genre has developed. I have to say that initial skepticism morphed into solid appreciation over repeated listenings. A masterpiece of the style.
Was perfect for headphones and working to. I'm sure I could enjoy it listening on speakers working or socialising with others, but I can't imagine it. Maybe when doing a group art class?
So far ahead of its time. Rewards commitment from listener … but then - it is ambiant music
A remarkably consistent, impressive body of work which showcases a wide range of electronic styles. My personal favourite are the hyped up, more aggressive and melodic entries such as Xtal and Green Calx. I admire the more chilled out sides to this record even if they are not what I’d intuitively gravitate towards. It’s all very intelligent, intellectual dance music.
I’m a 4 for today, it’s the same at Autechre for me, I think it’s perfectly made and can’t find a single fault with it but it doesn’t quite move me
I first became aware of Richard James' stuff through the intense videos accompanying late 90s crossover stuff like Come to Daddy and Windowlicker neither of which seemed particularly ambient. I was intrigued enough to get his compilation album of remixes (26 Mixes for Cash) a few years later. Sadly that one doesn't seem to be on streaming probably due to licensing issues though the odd individual track can be found just not the full album. I'll have to dig out the CD and give it a spin. There definitely should be more than one Aphex Twin record on this list given how influential and unique his musical ideas are/were..
85/100. Definitely one of those albums that puts you into a daze. Some incredibly tight drum work and forward-thinking production. It’s ambient, sure, but there’s rhythm and movement. The textures are rich, and even decades later, the album feels both timeless and ahead of its time.
Classic, though a little rough at times.
As an ambient music fan, I've always liked and respected Aphex Twin's work but it's never been my favorite. 3.5/5
Good background at work
As a retired type person I usually have the luxury of being able to lie in bed first thing in the morning and on my iPad complete the daily Wordle puzzle, check out The Times and of course listen to the 1001 selection of the day. Today I had a dilemma because today was also the release day of Taylor Swift’s 12th album. So should I join the rest of humanity in listening to that or not divert from my daily routine and have Aphex Twin welcome in the day? As a now dedicated Swifty and because I had received a notification overnight on my iPhone announcing the album’s arrival I chose the former. As I listened, I wondered if Taylor’s most recent offering would be in the 2050 edition of the 1001 handbook. A disturbing thought as by then it is a possibility that I would have actually died. Shuddering this led me back to the here and now to quickly resume my challenge of completing this list before that fateful day arrives. I Doubt if there could be a more diverse comparison between Aphex Twin and Taylor Swift. When in the mood I do like to listen to Aphex Twin. Usually late at night so this is the ideal album to do that with. I like ambient music and often listen to Brian Eno the Godfather of ambient. This album is definitely on the techno side of ambience rather than the more mellow sounds Brian Eno produces. But it is a lovely album to put on, close your eyes and drift off somewhere to contemplate the vexing question of why at my age and a lifelong Prog Rock aficionado Taylor Swift came into my life. 4/5 3/10/25
Ambient is in the title yet I’m still surprised how ambient it is. It feels very modern. That’s about all I can say, I don’t have a grasp on the ambient scene to understand its significance. I did enjoy most of the tracks Rating: 3.9
Really liked this one. Started as a kind of spa relaxing vibe and built energy as it went along. Hedphelym probably the best of both worlds
Not one for ambiental techno, but I got lost in this really easily. It's great.
Nostalgia is a powerful thing. Whilst reading the other reviews, I wondered "is it going to be as good as I remember it being". And yes, I get the "boring lift-music" criticism. But this is a beautiful, beautiful thing to be treasured.
really good and very relaxing. gives Brian Eno turns hip hop vibes.
I remember listening to this album for the first time when I was studing for my final exams in my third year of collage. As anyone else who doesn't know anything about this project, I thought this album was going to be full of pure ambient tracks and be very similar to some of the ambient works by 'Brian Eno'. So I put it on believing that it would be a great background while I was focusing on my studies. Turns out, this album is not quite an ambient project. It is true that it is very atmospheric, but it doesn't reach that level of pure ambience. Either way, from what I can remember, it did is job at being a great companion. What I can also tell you is that 'Richard D.James Album' is not a great album to listen to while studying.. So, months passed withouth returning to the album, until I decided to do so. I wish I could remember exactly my first thoughts and opinions. I knew I liked and it is thanks to this LP that I am now a big fan of this man's work, but I can't really tell what I specifically liked about it at that time. Today is a different story. This album is incredible and what really shines about it is how good it sounds and how great the atmosphere is. The basses are drowned in reverb and add a very peculiar feeling of being underwater while the high pitched sound very futuristic. Another thing that makes the album very unique are the weird sounds and the best example is, in the track 'Green Calx', he uses a spring or a stock sound of a spring. This add a little sense of goofiness, which leads me to the next point, the different emotions portrayed, because there are quite a few. The main melody in the tracks 'Green Calx' and 'Schottkey 7h Path' feel very melancholic, while 'Xtal', 'Heliosphan' and 'Ptolemy' are super fun. And I can't forget about how nightmarish the song 'Hedphelym' is. So overall, this is an incredible album and one of the best electronic album of all time. I think it aged quite well thanks to its uniqueness and I have to add that I don't think this is his best work. That title would go to 'Selected Ambient Works 2' in my opinion. Adding to this last point that I think the last two tracks pale in comparition to the rest of the songs, I came to the conclusion that it is a 4 stars album.
Excellent beat pour faire de l’autoroute!
One of my favourite Aphex Twin albums - mind-twisting excellence.
Love it.
ambient genius
4-
4.8
One of the best ambient/IDM albums I've ever heard. Throw this on when you're working or studying or just relaxing. Wish I would've known about this in college. 8/10
Good enough Ambient Techno.
It's an interesting album which I quite enjoyed. It's not something I'd often reach to due to the ambient nature of it, but I did enjoy listening to it a lot as background noise and occasionally as focused listening. I quite liked Xtal, Pulsewidth, I, Heliosphan, Schottkey 7th Para, and Hedphelym. Schottkey 7th Para and Hedphelym were probably my favourites. For somewhat lowkey ambient noise there's a lot going on in the songs which I liked. 3.5/5 stars.
8 Ya so cool bippy bop
Nice one
This might be the best ambient album I've ever heard, and I generally like ambient music. It just doesn't quite get to 5 stars. Favorite Track: Tha
A thrilling adventure of soundscapes. Xtal is exceptionally beautiful.
A great soundtrack to life. Easy to read as modern Muzak today, but that's only because of how successful James has been.
Meh
I had previously heard this album before. This is a great album for playing in the background but it's also interesting when you listen close. I may not always choose to listen to this, but it's never a bad choice. I would listen again for sure.
Really wonderful album, some great grooves, perfect for flow state. Will be returning to this one.
Just chill, wordless music that is upbeat.
Андеграундные звуковые коллажи.
heard this many times before today Xtal - 5/5 Tha - 3/5 (it's chill but kinda long) Pulsewidth - 5/5 Ageispolis - 5/5 i - no rating Green Calx - 4/5 Heliosphan - 5/5 We Are the Music Makers - 5/5 Schottkey 7th Path - 3/5 Ptolemy - 4/5 Hedphelym - 2/5 Delphium - 5/5 Actium - 4/5 Average score: 4.2/5 solid and very influential album, i don't really think any of his releases are misses tbh. this album isn't exactly among my favorites per se, but i return to listen regularly
Perfect album to put on in the background
This kind of music reminds me of the transitionary period of life that I'm currently in. It's a kind of purgatory that I find comfort in, oddly. If there was a soundtrack to my life, it would realistically sound something like this.
Доста добър за работа и по някакъв начин неостаряващ
8.5/10
lo escuche mientras hacía un ensayo para mi preu y siento que mi productividad fue en aumento.
Lub dis
I listened to ambient music in the 90s and liked it a bit. i am surprised how early this was made in the decade, find it solid music. Four stars even though i may never revisit it.
Perfect Monday morning music! Also great rave music, at like 5am-ish, when the wildness is winding down and the light of dawn is starting to peek over the horizon. I really enjoyed this, and it's super impressive he was making some of these sounds as early as 1985 at such a young age. It's mesmerizing and comforting and feels so warm and lush. An electrifying hug.
Never thought I would give an ambient record a high score but here we are. Perfect album to have in the background. It just had enough ear worms to keep it interesting and fresh. It never became to monotonous or boring. I am a fan! It was something different and felt fresh. 4 star.
Atmosférico. Hace que me apetezca entrar más en el IDM.
yeah those are some ambient works alright
I feel selected and ambient.
Ahead of its time
Interesting, I can't imagine the skill needed to create these soundscapes.
First time Aphex Twin listener, here. Somehow. I enjoyed this album wayyyy more than expected. Exceptional to work to. Great for city walks, when your brain is a bit too active to concentrate on vocals or musical nuances. Not entirely ambient, either, as there's a pretty strong beat and plenty of interesting textures throughout. I almost want to give this a 5 because of how pleasantly it caught me off guard. But 4 is more realistic. Will definitely check out more of AT's catalog, though!
Monotonous at times, but not bad at all per se
Aphex Twin is een legende. Zeer terecht dat er een album van hem in de lijst staat, alleen had ik liever 'Druqks' gezien omdat dat een wat gevarieerder album is wat een soort bredere indruk geeft van zijn toch enigszins Rain Man-achtige muzikale brein. Deze glijdt er ook wel soepeler in dan bovengenoemd album. Rondzweven in een grote bunker, gehypnotiseerd. Veel laagjes die als donzige watten aanvoelen. En het is weer eens muziek zonder verveelde Britse zangers. Noem het saai, noem het heerlijk. Het wordt in ieder geval nergens te ingewikkeld of abstract. Een prima achtergrond plaat tijdens het werk. Ik geef 4 sterren.
SO good - nearly 5 stars, but the first few weren't too exciting - second half was back-to-back excellent though.
Didn’t know they went this far back, enjoying the electronica 3.5
Ambient Works is exactly what this was. It felt like something from a hip spa. I didn’t hate it and it was actually pretty chill.
This is the kind of ambient music I can get behind, chill but upbeat. Rating: 4
Better noise music other than Brian Eno, but still very ambient
This is exactly what I want chill, ambient music to be. You can either lose yourself in it or have it in the background, and either way it works. Big fan of this for when I am in the mood for it.
3.8 One of those where the sum of the whole is bigger than it's individual components. In isolation, it's a good but not great album. Songs arguably go on too long, some are not great, it isn't the most accessible for those not familiar with electronic music, but there are definite highlights - the opening two tracks remain two of the best in the IDM genre in my opinion. However, taking a step back, I think this is a seminal release. Yes, artists had been making electronic music for a long time, Brian Eno was releasing ambient work in the 70s for example, and artists such as LFO had already opened the door to this genre, but this album defined it in my opinion. Without this then you could argue artists such as Boards of Canada, Squarepusher, Autechre, as well as future AFX stuff itself, might not have become as prominent as they have done. A very niche and not very well known genre, but if you know, then you certainly know. Some of the most enlightening and breathtaking music has come out from this genre in my opinion, so I can't help but rate this album highly, despite it being far from his best work.
I love
Hermoso álbum. Adelantado para su época. Por momentos un tanto repetitivo (o dado por la extensión de algunos de los temas). Entiendo que es debido al estilo que tiene esa búsqueda, por algo la etiqueta de "ambiental". Fuera de eso me pareció un buen álbum.
While I am a pretty big music nerd - I am doing this whole thing, after all - I have a pretty minimal grounding in ambient electronica. Counterintuitively(?) there's a lot to digest here, and I actually do want to try, which is not something I have felt from a lot of albums in this project that were hitherto unknown to me. My initial feeling is like, 3.5/5 but I can see it going up with repeat listenings, so I'll be a little generous here.
Cool. I loved this
This is going to sound strange, but this a great album to not listen to. There are times when I need background music: not attention grabbing or distracting me with OTT drama, not silence or twee pastoral noodlings. And the this album fits that role. Taking a momentary break (between surgical procedures, or writing the next novel, orwhatever) this album has enough texture and craft to entertain me but never enough to break my concentration.
If you know me, EDM is not my thing, so me giving this a 4, you know its good. Dunno what it is, its just a good vibe. And it sounds like it was extremely forward thinking. Wouldn't expect this sound from the mid eighties to early 90's. Feels more 2010s to me. Gives me John Wick vibes, but if he were bumping around in the Mirror's Edge universe. Maybe a little Metroid Prime-y on Hedphelym.
This album is really solid, starting of really strong for the first half with the exception of a small break for I, but it kind of weakens about half way through. From about We Are the Music Makers on it just gets a bit more repetitive and less interesting, though in no way bad. The whole thing is just really impressive, though, and while it flags just a bit, it's still just at the cusp of 5 stars for me. All that said, it's not close to my favorite Aphex Twin album.
I have never listened to Aphex twin before. First track is great! Ok, I need to seek out more Aphex twin. I was aware of them but never really listened and I really like this so far.
The title seems to imply Richard D. James was merely a teenager when he composed some of these tracks. What? That's very impressive, especially considering how groundbreaking this album is. Nothing sounded like this at time, both in ambient or dance music. I can't say I return to this album very often but it's always a great time for either letting it play in the background or to fully immerse myself in its countless intricacies. Key tracks: Xtal Pulsewidth Green Calx Heliosphan
You're supposed to zone out. Favorite track: Xtal 3.5/5
Against all my reservations against late 80s/early 90s electro/techno music, this one is more than just very decent. It's called Ambient Works for a reason - if you need to do some work with not too intrusive music in the background, this is one of the things you might listen to. I know I would. 3.5/5
Ah, I have this as a vinyl reissue. It's an album of fairly noodly techno ambient. I like it, but I'm not sure it's a truly great album. Possibly fairly influential, but if pushed, I'd prefer Plastikman.
This album was interesting.
I saw this album and I let our an audible groan. I'm so sick of all the electronic music this generator is pushing. But I listened and it's pretty good for what it is. It's music to listen to softly in your office so you can concentrate and focus.
I really enjoyed this! 4/5
Chill electronic album. Some enjoyable tracks for sure, like Delphium.
bleeeeeh
There's genres where I've talked before about how hard I can find it to discuss them. Jazz, for instance: I often feel like discussion of it requires an ear for and knowledge of music theory I just can't get a grasp on. Or there's rap: thanks to my AuDHD brain, I struggle paying attention to or understanding lyrics, and since that's rap's main appeal — at least as I understand it — I'm left at a disadvantage. And, y'know, those are both personal problems, and I do try my hardest to engage with these genres despite them. But then you have the one genre represented on this list I don't doubt not too little people have a problem with discussing: ambient music. Now, this isn't my first rodeo with ambient music. We've gotten a lot of stuff before that's leaned into the genre, and particularly we've even gotten one of its most landmark albums: MUSIC FOR AIRPORTS. Heck, on my own time, I'll admit to being one of the rare people who doesn't mind Pink Floyd's THE ENDLESS RIVER all too much. The problem with discussing this kind of music, though, just comes along with its entire goal, purpose and reason for being. Ambient music, more than any other genre, is wallpaper music. More than anything else, it's meant to color space audibly and unnoticed. You are not meant to engage with it like you would any other album — in fact, you're probably missing the point entirely if you are. I mean, you wouldn't judge wallpaper with the same standards you would any classical painting. Why are you even looking at the wallpaper in the first place, even? And that's not to say there can't be anything notable in ambient music, or that it's impossible to quantify or judge it. Ugly wallpaper **does** exist, after all. And heck, I **like** a good bit of ambient music here and there. It's just that I doubt the average layman can really tell the difference from one swatch to the next unless it's just **that** egregious — perhaps myself included. Which brings us to this Aphex Twin album. Now, I don't have very many preconceptions about Aphex Twin himself, besides that he made "Windowlicker", he has a funny grin, and that Kanye West stole one of his piano lines once. The most relevant thing I'm coming in here with is just the knowledge that this album and its follow-up are pretty highly regarded in the world of ambient music. Certainly, a lot of people in the Discord group I'm in are crazy about it; one person has given this album some 800 plays between all of its songs. Thus, of course, I was left with the most simple and obvious question: what does Aphex Twin do with ambient music that's so special? In short: techno music. There's a lot of techno influence here. Mostly, it comes in the form of these drum machine beats you have underscoring the tracks. You know, the album is still largely composed of the airy, free-floating synths I've come to expect from ambient music, fading in and out of view — and they're as pretty and relaxing as ever — but then you've got these driving beats pushing them along, and... Honestly, it's interesting how much such a simple addition as that can do to these songs. It leads to a different feel entirely than if it was just the synths on their own, or if these were just techno songs. Throw in the occasional unusual synth on top of that... Yeah, there's clearly stuff to dig into here. I've gotta be real about my tastes, though. As ambient music... Mm, it just doesn't quite do it entirely for me. Like, the techno beats are what make this album, but they're also what have me thinking I might not return to this too often. Y'know, other people harp on other ambient music for being sleep-inducing and uninteresting, but, like, that's honestly the sort of thing I come to ambient music for. I like my ambient music relaxing; y'know, something to zone out to. Focusing on nothing else but these pretty synths and letting them wash me away from the world. Adding a four-on-the-floor "tss-tss-tss-tss" beat to these kinds of tracks, yeah, kind of takes away from that appeal a little. No matter how good they are, and I do think these are very good, they just won't match up in my mind to Eno's MUSIC FOR AIRPORTS or, heck, even the recording of wine glasses Pink Floyd made. Honestly, I think I'd be more into Aphex Twin's second volume of ambient tracks, despite its insane run time of 156 minutes. Like, jeez, at least this thing is only 71 minutes... Still, though, my personal preferences aside, I can appreciate how this pushed ambient music forward. It's a statement that wallpaper can and should be considered in the same breath as more classical, traditional pieces. I mean, just because something was made to fill space doesn't mean it's not art and isn't worth consideration, y'know? Like radio jingles or bumpers on TV: artists still made those, and they shouldn't be counted out just because they didn't make big, important rock albums. I'm not saying you'll find absolute beauty or the secret life in any of them, but still. If nothing else, you gotta appreciate the effort to make life a little less empty, eh?
It was much better than i expected it.
A fantastic set of electronic music. Often cited as a masterpiece. I like it a lot and could be 5 stars in the future.
ну это классика электронного звука
Great album to listen to while programming. Provides great background music.
Really nice chill ambient. 4 stars
It's super repetitive but I think I got into what it was trying to do, this weird trance ethereal kinda vibe I can dig, not one for all the time but deffo ones for certain times
During the course of this project, I come to realize this I’m not a fan of electronic music. This is because of two things; they are long and they don’t have any content that justifies their length. It all seems to be made to be background music and I’m not a fan of this “set it, then forget it” music. So here comes this album. I heard of Aphex Twin, but I never really heard Aphex Twin. It clocks in at over an hour. It literally states that it’s ambient music in the title. It’s practically everything that I would hate about electronic music. There’s just one issue: I somehow ended up liking it. It doesn’t make any sense. It’s all background music. Even the title says that it is. But there’s something within the songs that somehow keep my attention. My brain was constantly being stimulated and the album never felt boring, unlike other electronic albums. I think Aphex Twin cracked some kind of code to make me enjoy it. Does this change my opinion on electronic as a whole? No. If anything, now I known for certain electronic is just music that’s literally made to be forgettable. I just think Aphex Twin proved to be a worthy exception. Favorite track: Pulsewidth Other hits: Xtal, Green Calx, Ptolemy, Actium, Schottkey 7th Path, Delphium
I've listened to this before when I went through a huge electronic music phase, but it's been a while since I last listened to it. It never really clicked with me before, but I enjoyed it this time. I've been trying to give albums ratings based on how "good" I think it is """objectively""" based on """""vibes,""""" so even though I only kind of liked it, I'm giving it a 4.
A bit long but I thought it was pretty good
new music for me, relaxing. But i don't think that i'll listen it often
nice electronic ambient beats to wash over you I admit, I'd never heard any Aphex Twin before, but I like it
Well, this was an out of body experience. Didn't listen to ambient techno before, but I know that it's a favorite amongst audiphiles, and for good reason. This album somehow managed to both - sound like it's from the future, and be one of the earliest albums of it's kind. It captures an atmosphere and emotion really well, you feel like you are drifting through space, having a party and chilling with aliens. The beats aren't crazy complicated, but they are so well blended together that it doesn't even sound like somebody made them out of different sounds. They are just one unit of sound which draws you in and dips you into a pool of intraterrestrial sludge, where you float around and just let go.
No soy realmente fan de la electrónica y lo disfruté, no lo volvería a escuchar aunque si me pareció bueno Calificación: 7,8
3.7 2x
peak RYMcore. i thought that I'd hate the stuffs that all self-pretentious people love. but i dont hate it. it is just... mid. good for studying background music. 4/5
Being more familiar with vol 2 and Drukqs, I’m surprised how straightforward and chill this album is… but I still really enjoy it.
Holy S***!!! This thing is ambient as F***!!! So electronic! It's Fu***n' SICK! YEEEeaaaahhHHH!!!! As far as this period's Ambient Electronica goes, this and The Orb's "Orbvs Terrarvm" are arguably the only two that need to be on this list.
I’m sure I remember listening to this back in my uni days as study focus music. I might crack it out again for the new course I’m starting because I seriously enjoyed the vibes. Pulsewidth was my favourite.
Infinitely better than Daft Punk could ever dream of being
There's two kinds of people in this world, people who like ambient techno and miserable bastards. I'm both.
They certainly are ambient works. But they work pretty well for ambiance, better than a lot of other music like this.
- You know what, I'll give it to him, this is an album of ambient music! - I'm less familiar with electronica as a genre, and this was an easy album to listen to in the background while I was working, and I really enjoyed it - I can see how later electronica has been influenced by this album, which I have read has been a hugely influential one, leading the charge for mainstream electronica - I will need to come back and listen to this one again, to get the full experience again
I regret not listening to this sooner, always thought I wouldn't like it for some reason. A bit hard to describe why I like it as it's not 'musical' in the same way the rest of the list is. It's just some very nice ambience to have playing whilst doing something, it doesn't need to my full attention to be enjoyed Despite being pretty minimal, it's very dynamic and moves around various sounds and styles. Kevin James manages to switch the tone from laidback and relaxing to add a bit more tension and sort of sinister very easily between tracks, We Are The Music Makers into Schottkey 7th Path for example Some of it reminds me of the music Limmy makes between Limmy's Show and his streams so that probably helps endear it to me too 4.5, could be a 5 with repeat listens Highlights: We Are The Music Makers, Ptolemy, Xtal
Very good, did not expect to like it. Very unique
The real beauty here is the literal sound soaking into your ears. Each hi hat click feels like a tiny kiss. Each boom keeps the momentum alive, and feels so welcoming in an entirely ambient, instrumental collection like this. If you’re willing to absorb it the way it was meant to be absorbed, (not passively consumed) you’ll have a rewarding experience.
Trippy - definitely racing game music
Tasty beats. 7/10
Lovely ambient music. Glad the album art isn't terrifying.
This never clicked with me because: A) listening to Aphex Twin normally just makes me wish I was listening to μ-Ziq; B) listening to ambient techno normally just makes me wish I was listening to proper ambient music. Giving it another chance for the thousandth time: I can't deny it has a gorgeous sound. Great sound design that warms your mechanical soul with vintage analogue electronics. When the beats and the ambience coincide just right, there are some untouchable bits of IDM here. However, I wish either the drums would go harder, or the textures would gt more richly developed - otherwise, this is just techno and ambient stuck together to the detriment of both (I feel the same about dub techno as well). Another issue with most of Aphex Twin's output is that it feels long, unfocused, and non-album-y at 75 minutes. The best 40 minutes of this would have made a killer album. But yeah, I do love the sound, I'm glad this exists, and I'm glad Aphex had/has such an influence on electronic music. I'm being picky because I want to fall in love with this album, and it falls slightly short of that. 4*
Xtal
Like all albums, they need the right time and moment to work well. Fortunately for me, this suits my mood in the evenings.
Groundbreaking with impressive moods and countless tiny variations on the same drum track. Also, I was today years old when I learned that Die Antwoord sampled Aphex Twin on 'Ugly Boy'.
Aphex Twin began reinventing techno as early as age 14. That’s no easy feat. The album could easily have been just a wonderful background piece, but it manages to always remain playful and even the smallest changes of pace demand (and are worthy of) your attention.
Had a great time having this on in the background while making breakfast this morning. It’s a perfect record to just relax to. 4/5
I've had very little experience with Aphex Twin but know he's highly regarded. Didn't know what to expect but was worried by the word ambient. This isn't ambient is it? Unless I don't understand the word. It had slightly background music qualities on occasion but was mostly full of ideas and interesting turns. Reminded me of the music in the game wipeout, maybe that's acid house. Anamanguchi/chiptune too. Would like the tracks to build up a bit more, maybe that happens in the bin 'ambient' albums, hopefully we get more.
Sound design is definitely top notch on this album. Song construction leaves a bit to the imagination though. I was definite grooving at points during this album and I appreciate listening to it with good headphones. This is an album where I enjoy bits and pieces, but as a whole it just doesn't quite do it for me. I understand why this is "your favorite DJs favorite DJ", but it wasn't quite there for me. This hits that 3-3.5 realm for me, with a biased bump up knowing that Aphex Twin influenced so much EDM that I love + the sound design is incredible.
Really cool 90s electronic which indeed was very ambient which the name suggests. Excellent background music while working but wouldn't put this on at any other time. I have never heard of the genre Intelligent Dance Music. I think I am going to start putting intelligent in front of all of the music I listen to. This had some extremely cool beats but was quite repetitive and long.
Real chill and great for working. Might be jarring to some, but I love the juxtaposition of Green Calx. This shit is music for aliens and I'm here for it. Lots of beeps and boops. Love the repeating parts with other instruments woven in. Just solid and interesting stuff.
At first I was thinking it was some old techno for background music, but a closer listen revealed some intricate atmospheres behind those beats. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this
I'm the worst public ever for anything "techno", but... Wow! This album was really good and surprising. I quickly found myself lost (in a good way) in the atmosphere of those tracks and enjoying the whole album. Great stuff!
80% Best: Xtal; Pulsewidth; Heliosphan; We Are the Music Makers; Ptolemy; Delphium Must-Hear? Almost
Fav song: Heliosphan Another album I listened to a LOT in college. I love ambient music and Selected Ambient Works 85 - 92 might be a big reason why. The production sounds a little bit dated these days, but it’s interesting to go back and listen to where Aphex Twin got his start and how he evolved his sound over the years. Don’t listen to anyone who says otherwise - Richard D James is a genius.
So much better than I anticipated. I've always thought of Apex twin as being a bit difficult to listen to. Not that I didn't like it but I had to be in the mood for it. These works were incredible.
This was pretty great. Definitely the best ambient techno I've heard (which is not a lot). I can see that this is a very good example of the genre. Good background music.
No bangers here, still sounds cool
Fuck yeah
made me fall asleep while driving. thanks Aphex Twin
I didn't know if I was going to like a full ambient album, but this was really nice to listen to. 4/5
Excellent album to walk to but as ambient can kinda blend into the daily rhythms of the day, it doesn't feel transformative? Or maybe I haven't recognized its influence on today's music yet
Ambient electro at its finest
shifting, developing, moving - interesting listen!
Crazy impressive work for such a young guy without a computer! This one had a bit of an uphill battle to win me over because I'm more of a "tight, completed songs" kinda guy but the soundscapes were really cool.
Listened to this in the gym, it works well.
Really interesting. I'm not really into electronica, but I really enjoyed this and would listen to it again.
Никогда бы не включил специально, но музыка прикольная и атмосферная
I don't mind ambient electronic music every now and then. To me, it makes for boring active listening, but in the background, it's a great soundtrack for work, studying, etc.
Apex twin, responsible for many head melting moments. All good and the videos still creep me out in a good way.
fine(?) ambient sounds
This is the kind of music I don't normally listen to but was excited to try. I'll admit that because the music is all beats and doesn't include lyrics I have a bit of a hard time remembering any of them specifically and there weren't any big standouts. I do however believe that the album was technically well made and the music does a very good job of creating a "mood" rather than saying a message. Some of the tracks are too discordant and off-putting for my taste, but overall I do enjoy the album. Favorite song: "Heliosphan" Best representation of the album: "Tha"
Lovely mixture of danceable and calming
For what this is I think it’s quite good. Obviously not something I paid a lot of attention to but I liked it in the background. Light 4.
🧿🧿 👄
already listened to it, my favourite of his. prefer it to selected ambient works vol2
Creative ambient techno that’s valuable for setting a vibe or close listening. Short bursts of melodies come and go and blend together over looping beats. Everything melds together and washes away in a haze.
Beautifully subtly coloured
Classic
First Listen: 06/07/2023 First album I got on here that I've already heard before! Idk it cool instrumental album. kind of goes in one ear and out the other, but like in a good way. It's peak background music
Música electrónica pionera. Se notan las limitaciones técnicas de la época pero no queda corto en creatividad. Se crean atmósferas agradables pero un tanto extrañas. Lo volvería a escuchar.
Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works 85-92 is a groundbreaking electronic album that pushed the genre's boundaries. Its ethereal soundscapes and rhythmic experimentation are both mesmerizing and challenging. While it's a landmark for electronic music, some tracks may be too abstract for casual listeners. Ultimately, it's a classic for electronic enthusiasts but could be an acquired taste.
Like it says on the tin, this was excellent ambient music. I had this on while working and it faded smoothly into the background while letting me stay focused. Could equally see myself listening to this with eyes closed at a late-night electro club with the bass thumping in my chest.
Algjörlega dásamlegt.
listened prior to this generation; love the album and have been listening to most of the songs pretty often. as the title suggests, this is just a selection of songs put into sort of a compilation(?), so i didnt really feel the need to appreciate the collection as an entire album. the classics hit of course, but i do still find some songs challenging to get into. common examples that i think most also share the same consensus are the songs green calx, schottkey 7th path, hedphelym, and delphium. however, i pretty fond of the latter two, with hedphelym being the hot take (sleeper favorite). anyway, great album; can definitely listen to all with focus or as background music. 4 personal favs: tha, pulsewidth, ageispolis, hedphelym, delphium
Delightful ambient music.
I forgot I had this album on multiple times. I don't listen to a lot of ambient music, but I enjoyed this. It obviously isn't gripping, but it isn't meant to be. It's pleasant and occasionally interesting ambient music and it was very nice to have on in the background. 7/10
Exactly what it says on the tin.
3.5
OK, so some decent stuff here. You can hear the beginning of the genre really taking shape. That being said, not enough "ambience" for me, there was a tad more techno flavor than I care for. Still good.
Really great background music while doing something else like working or choking.
Great background music
Nice. To think a lot of this album was originally made at home
Epic. Glad to finally get an album from Aphex Twin, I'm only tangentially familiar with his work, but I know this is a big album from him. It's really nice, "ambient" is a fairly accurate descriptor but there is more drive to these songs, it's really engaging. Great album. Favorite tracks: Xtal, Tha, Green Calx, We are the Music Makers, Ptolemy, Actium. Album art: Is that a capo? That icon has persisted in memes for music nerds for a long time, that's all I really see though, a capo. Solid cover though. 4/5
Classic album - merges techno (which I don't like) with ambient (which I love) , end up with some sort of unique shogazie/indie electronica. Not everything hits the mark but really enjoyed this.
Pretty solid for no lyrics. Good work music
Great electric ambient music, this album is famous so nothing new over here, for the time, this must’ve been a trip. 3.8
Nice and chill
1001albumsgenerator.com, thank you. I have finally been freed from the curse of classic rock, and this is just what I was asking for. This is the best thing I could have gotten on a sick day.
Pretty cool
I'm entering my listen with a lot of apprehension. I'm not an instrumental/ambient/etc. music fan and have thus avoided Aphex Twin, as significant an artist as he may be--but now my time has come. For whom does the bell toll; it tolls for thee. And it tolls so fucking loud, because this album rips, actually. Highlights: Xtal, Pulsewidth, Ageispolis, Heliosphan, Schottkey 7th Path, Actium
Super cool and a lot of fun to listen through
This is inventive and good music to work to - which I mean as a compliment.
Amazing 4.5, crazy for '85
More techno then ambient, but I liked it.
A little dancier than one recalls but nicely balanced with deeply contemplative tracts. "Xtal" gets us off to a dreamy start, leaning slightly more toward spa than club. "Pulsewidth" is coolly scientific, as is "Schottkey." "I" is lovely/dreamy (full-on spa) but then gives ways to the gizmodically bonkers "Green Calx," which is somewhat interesting, but way too reminsicent of videogame soundtrack. "Heliospan" is controlled grooviness. Would "Music Makers" have been better off without the spoken word silliness? One thinks so, as its restrained beats and drifitng, twinkling keys work well enough on their own. The latter cuts wane in engagement level, but blip and bounce along pleasantly enough. The whole thing remains a decent and thoughtful listen, dance music for thinking people (or non-committal dancers) and coders, too, obviously. As with all music that is synthesized, the "songs" (which are really more like aural backgrounds or canvases) sound precisely as dated as the tech. The influence is clear, of course.
Great work!
Finally an electronic music album that explores tempo and texture. Each song tells a sonic story rather than pummeling you with repetative rythyms.
aciiieeeeeddd
Really enjoyed this one.
Great sounds. Standouts: Tha, Heliosphan, Ageispolis, Pulsewidth 4/5
This is just ambient music, so if you’re into that this is great
Really enjoyed this, will listen to more. Album maybe went on a bit too long to sit through it all. Perhaps best as some chilled background music whilst driving etc. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I generally really quite liked this. Particularly liked We Are the Music Makers. Not incredible but really well done and a fun listen. May listen again when I need to hyper focus on something.
changed the game for ambient forever. Good shit.
I like this kind of electronic ambient stuff. It can't exactly reach the highs of other albums in terms of impact and merit, but I really dig it.
Good!
This is great for just ambient vibes, which is what I have been feeling recently. Aphex is great for this vibe and I really enjoy this collection of songs.
4.25
I am shocked as to how much I liked us. I considered giving it 5 stars just because of the context of many of these songs coming from a 14-year-old with homemade equipment in the 80s off a cassette that was damaged by a cat, but I think it might be too long for me to enjoy actively listening to the entire thing. But for what it is I can’t imagine it being much better. One of the best albums I’ve listened to yet. Wish this site had half stars. 4.5
One of the albums that got me "out" of EDM. 4 stars
Only ever heard Come to Daddy and Milkman by Aphex Twin! This is really outside of my normal listening patterns, and I'm only on the first track but I love it. This is the perfect work music for me. While it can be repetitive if you're paying close attention, most of this music feels meditative to me.
This was a great album to work to. Not my favorite of the ambient music I've listened to, but a solid 4.5 nonetheless. I really enjoyed this one.
This was actually really cool to discover.
didn't finish all but like it so far
Not always a fan of ambient music but this hits
Nothing I ever listened to straight through. But I'm sure I've heard it all before
These songs are quite beautiful. I found myself entranced by them right out the gate. Fascinating that the debut album was essentially a greatest hits - his friends favorites of his tracks to that point.
Though his best work was still to come, this is an impressive debut. I wouldn't say it's timeless, but it definitely holds up much better than most electronic music from the same time period.
I was thinking if this was made today it would be a 3, but at the time it was much more innovative. Interestingly I wouldn’t normally classify this strictly as ambient, although funny enough most of the tracks washed over me so I’m a sense it has that trappings. 3.5 up to 4. Funny Wikipedia quote: The recording's sound quality has been described as poor due to it being recorded onto a cassette damaged by a cat.