Reviews (page 4 of 8)
I've never listened to Aphex Twin before, but I love electronica music, so this was right up my alley. This album was really pleasant to listen to, and I enjoyed just relaxing and letting each track kind of wash over me as I went through this album. This album didn't exactly blow me away, and I don't think any particular song will stick with me, but it was just a fun listen. The only song that I didn't like was "Green Calx," which was really abrasive, and felt like it didn't belong on the album. It took a few minutes after that one for me to able to get back into the flow of the album. I do think that this album belongs on this list though; I can't imagine some of my favorite albums (Random Access Memories, Discovery, Crystal Castles I, Hurry Up We're Dreaming, Zonoscope, Epoch, The Bones of What You Believe, and Ice on the Dune, just to name a few) existing without its influence.
Interesting and sometimes beautiful textures with grooves that make you bop your head all over this record. The album is a wonderful example of music with a purpose: This is not a progressive artwork that opens for deep contemplation, but it is a selection of sounds that puts you into a pleasant state of mind. A great debut, but it also does lack the coherence and thoughtfulness that more mature artists usually show.
different
Lovely electronic tunes
cool music. bad trip.
Ok, je sais que j'ai chier fort dernièrement sur un album de musique d'ambiance instrumentale, mais Aphex Twin est un master de créer un atmosphère de fou dans ses albums.
I confess I'm a massive fan. Hard to judge with distance. AS debut some of which he wrote when he was 14/15. Not ambient but thoughtful elecronica. Landmark stuff from a genius
Xtal - 10/10 Tha - 8/10 Pulsewidth - 10/10 Ageispolis - 10/10 i - 7/10 Green Calx - 7/10 Heliospan - 8/10 We Are The Music Makers - 9/10 Schottkey 7th Path - 10/10 Ptolemy - 9/10 Hedphelym - 8/10 Delphium - 8/10 Actium - 8/10 TOTAL - 105/130
Not at all my usual style. Listened to some of his stuff on a previous list. I can see why he is as popular as he is. My appreciation for this is growing.
I know this is kinda like a compilation of his previous work 'before he got famous' but it's good solid ambient, trance music to concentrate on work with or zone out to.
Brani Preferiti: - Da ascoltare tutto Note: Il titolo fa subito intendere che si tratta di un album ambientale, quindi lasciamoci travolgere da questa musica elettronica senza tempo.
I wasn't excited for an hour-long album of ambient music but this legitimately delivered. Bassy atmospheric music with structure, menacing tone, and melodies that are mild but latch onto you. Interested to check out more. Best song: We Are the Music Makers?
Atmospheric
It was a good album! Some tracks were a bit too long though
3.5
oh yeah this is good
Good ambient chill music. 4/5
Great time. Really inventive sonics that stood out to me, while also just having a nice groove to each tune.
Good listen if you like instrumental electronic music
Really enjoyed this album, added to my frequent rotation, especially for when I’m working, ideal background music.
Loved this album. Perfect to play at a party in the background or just to study with.
fín bakgrunnsmúsik, stundum finnst mér eins og þessir skrattakollar þrái að gera tónlist fyrir bíómynd, svona michael mann dót. en mér finnst þetta mjög flott. og er til í meira.
Dreamy. Remember this guy got really into Moog synths. Love that he pushed the envelope for sound design in music. Going to give it 4 for it's influence but likely won't revisit
I started listening to this album on earphones which lack bass response, which was a massive mistake. I put on some decent headphones and it's improved ten fold. Really important in the history of electronic music, but also a great collection of songs and ambient beats. Funnily enough, I've found it helps me concentrate on whatever I'm doing. Worth listening to with an open mind.
Sweeping, epic electronic music, Aphex Twin surely top of his game?
Starts so strongly, unusual grooves, weird but compelling, send little dopamine explosions around the old cranium but, after a while, descends into a loose anxiety ridden noise-scape. The albums a trick a TRICK. It wants to HARM you.
Quite nice in the background or for just spacing out.
I really like this album!! Turning on the bass boosting on my headphones midway through the second track immediately gave the song more life. It really seems like this guy can make great music out of anything, no matter what the sound starts as.
a somewhat austere ambient edm-style album for your inner hipster. music for doing chores and calculus homework. 3.75/5
This is my shit! A lot of these sounds are the same synths and drum machines that are sampled in video games and music in general, but this was way ahead of its time, and sonically a lot more tape-y and distressed than music in this style that people make today. I don't know much about how this album was made, but you can hear the distortion and occasional clipping that I associate with tape, so I'm assuming tape was somehow involved. A lot of stuff that hasn't really aged at all. "Tha" is sick and I immediately added it to my cyberpunk driving in LA playlist. A lot of other tracks have some 808 and other classic drum machines all over them, sounds that are still used today, replete with a lot of the hat rolls and proto-hip-hop patterns that you'd hear in modern stuff. Wish I knew more and had more time to dig into this one, but man, this feels very cool and ahead of its time. The kind of music I'd love to make even 30 years later. Love it so much.
This was really good. I had it on over the weekend pretty constantly. A fascinating proto-electronic project, gushing with interesting sounds, samples, all small adventures. Nothing is too ambitious, or too flashy… honestly I was expecting far more intimidating music. I was pleasantly surprised how understandable and listenable this thing was. Great for putting on behind your day. 4/5
A lot mellower than their other works. I was expecting something along the lines of windowlicker, but this is some nice chill almost lo-fi music.
Enjoyable music for working
⭐️ Ageispolis
First song, first bass line, and I’m in! I’m actually I little shocked I’ve never heard of this, as a bit of an EDM fan. After doing some research, I found that he was popular enough to even be on MTV! Listen again: yes! Purchase for my collection: yes Favourite Song: Worst Song:
Decent background music for getting work done. Much better than some of the other electronic albums on the list.
Before he was the king of ambient music (and supremely creepy music videos), Richard D. James was a teenager eager to experiment with synths and see where it lead. And where it lead was a collection of beautiful, disconcerting sound that belied greater things to come.
Fits in nicely with what I've been listening to lately.
Well this is all very nothing. There is some merit to the album, despite the nothing. The repetitive nature of it is soothing. There is familiarity within the texture. You're not going to sit and listen to it, but if you can't bear silence, this is a good alternative. The most interesting thing this does is play around with bass and sub-bass frequencies. But it isn't designed to be interesting. It is ambient music - Music that fits into the background, washes over your consciousness and occupies space you didn't know was there.
Un album viby que cuenta con la incursion de diferentes sonidos electronicos. Definitivamente como carta de presentacion es mas que suficiente pero se excede y oarece un disco que se consagra entre los grandes. Supera a discovery de daft punk y definitivsmente que drogadl seria una experiencia de otro planeta 8,50/10
The sort of electronic music that I can appreciate.
Great atmosphere to these, had a good time with it
Loistavaa tunnelmallista elektronista musiikkia. Vähän ambientmaista mutta kuitenkin enemmän rytmistä
already heard but i was distracted. it was alright
Despite rumbling around in the early 90's before this release, Aphex Twin can easily be credited for pioneering ambient techno and it's pretentious cousin IDM. In an attempt to move EDM away from simply dance tracks for the club, Aphex Twin's was grounded more in exploring unique sonic textures and soundscapes. It's a relaxing listen. If you don't mind that it's over an hour and slightly odd, it's a fantastic listen. The best parts of the album are when you can sit back and close your eyes while the music surrounds you. This is, of course, rudely interrupted by Green Calx and the noise that comes with it.
Tää on kyl ihan meikän lemppari levyjä mitä konemusaan tulee! Tasapainoinen lienee paras sana kuvaamaan tätä. 4/5
Klassikkohan tää on, löytyy kunnon bängeri melodioita. Mutta jotkut saundit on vaan niin kämäsiä että niistä ei pääse millään yli vaikka tätä oon yläasteelta asti kuunnellu. Siksi 4/5 eikä 5/5.
I’ve learned to appreciate IDM during the last years, and this is one of those works that helped me with that. Love it!
It's odd how I really liked this album of slowly evolving background music, but I don't find the same enjoyment out of quiet, unassuming albums of noise in other genres, sometimes. Guess I like electronica more, that's not too surprising
already knew this one before and I like it a lot. It's a great thing to put on in the background. Favourite tracks: Xtal, Tha, Ptolemy. I really don't like Green Calx, which is the only one track that actually bothers me on this otherwise perfect ambient album. 4/5
I could listen to this all day, very chill
Great, easy listen. Always been a fan of Aphex Twin. Pretty much the only i reason I have dipped my toe into electronic. He is pretty much the best imo. This album started out great, kinda of lewl towards the end but still enjoyable. 4. TBz 1. Pulsewidth 2. We Are the Music Makers 3. Xtal 4. Ageispolis
Aphex Twin is Richard James, British Electronic Musician. This is his first album. His only album on the list of 1001 albums. Genre: Ambient Techno Initial Impression: Thumbs Up Standouts: Xtal, Tha, Others: Everything else Rating: 4/5 (Outstanding)
Solid album and one I had never heard before.
Beautiful, catchy. I don't know anything about how impactful this was on ambient/techno or anything since I know very little about that kind of music but I enjoyed this a lot.
Very nice, not as energetic as the Aphex Twin stuff I know but very listenable background music
Nice reminder that I have like this group in the past.
Ok
Great ambient tracks to work to
Hearing this always brings back the very vivid memory of the first time of ever hearing this album. One of the best Saturday nights of my university days: drinks and pool at the Poly, a random party in Jesmond that got shut down by the local constabulary, listening to Apex Twin back at our house with everyone in my housemate's room at 3am-ish, up at 9am for Sunday morning football. I miss being 20.
It's not Eno, but it's enough.
trippy
Good vibes
Perfect background music for basically any activity, with enough hooks to keep things interesting while still being just a lovely and spacious ambient backdrop
notes - electronic/idm producer aphex twin’s debut album - recorded from the time he was like 14 to 21 - ranges from techbo music to industrial to acid house - instrumental except for a couple vocal samples - really organic sounding for electronic music - recorded onto casette which adds some warmth and human element - lots of reverb, underwater level - he has a great handle on melody specifically fav - schottkey 7th path - silent hill 2 soundtrack vibes least fav - pulsewidth - nice change of pace but not as compelling as the other songs 4/5
It was so fresh, chill and different from all albums I listened before this. Nice ambient, really good to just play in background. I don't thin I need to remember any of this songs because it's ambient and not made to be remembered. I kinda impressed that some tracks was made by 14yo. Also, am I going crazy or track 'Ageispolis' is at list what inspired melody for 'Ugly boy' by Die Antwoord?
Issa vibe, mang.
I really enjoyed this, I've heard of them but never listened. I recognized one of their songs from Die Antwoord (Ugly Boy)
Very interesting, great to have on in the background for studying
fucking vibe.
hyvää. klassikoita. mukaansatempaavaa (jumitukseen ja miksei tanssiin)
OOOH heel toffe geluiden
Boop. But also, and I am quite serious in this: Beep.
listened to again the chillest most accessible IDM I know
An excellent album featuring pleasant melodies, great beats and fun details. Feels like it was ahead of its time in sound and style. Highlights: “Xtal,” “Pulsewidth,” “Ageispolis,” “We Are the Music Makers,” “Ptolemy,” “Actium”
Beep boop
Late 80s and early 90s electronic music is incredibly my jam, especially the more experimental works when people were just throwing stuff at the wall to see what stuck. They're not all winners, but there are some incredibly good tracks and moods on this album.
Brilliant stuff.
Like anything which kick starts a genre, better stuff comes with time but this was a catalyst of inspiration. Crazy he had been doing it for years prior to release as a teenager.
Forse ho un piano per il futuro grazie a Tha. Grazie.
Have definitely heard "Pulsewidth" before and it's driving me nuts trying to figure out where. I'm often puzzled by the potential for this type of music performed "live" or I guess maybe I just don't "get" the concept of live DJs or raves. Not really a critique of the music I don't think because... I kinda love this...? It's completely different from what I usually listen to and doesn't follow anything like a traditional form of "songs" - I could call it background or better-yet atmospheric. I just really like the way it sounds - spacial, mysterious, never really abrasive but still not so safe that it's boring. Again - still not really active listening music but more music or melodic sound with a purpose. Would and will listen to again. 7/10 4 stars.
I think I would put this on once in awhile. I was listening to this while putting together a computer workstation and it was really good background music.
Zou ik nog eens luisteren
Another daft hole in my music listening history (I was listening to Orbital when in these moods instead, so far from a total loss). Wonderful.
Had heard selected songs but never the album. Very mellow. Wish I had listened in a more intentional setting.
nice and chill ambient electronica. good in the background 4/5
I liked this but I’m not sure what all you say about it. Ambient is a weird genre where sort of falling back from the forefront to become part of the context is maybe the point. Bonus score for the precocious origins and technical inventiveness.
Always avoided because I assumed it would be noise but turns out it is literally what it says on the cover & very much my genre of bleepy bloopy. Also, turns out he's my boss boss boss boss boss' brother - tenuous celebrity connection?!
Xtal - 8/10 Tha - 9/10 Pulsewidth - 8/10 Ageispolis - 8/10 I - 6/10 Green Calx - 9/10 Heliosphan - 9/10 We Are The Music Makers - 8/10 Schottkey 7th Path - 5/10 Ptolemy - 9/10 Hedphelym - 8/10 Delphium - 8/10 Actium - 9/10
I enjoyed listening to this quite a bit today. (Thankfully, it fit the day quite well. It may not always have.) I liked it being mellow and groovy but also with a beat. Am I meditatin' or dancin'? Both!
This was some nice background music for me today. I didn't find anything groundbreaking, but there was a steady beat and somewhat soothing sounds. So very decent electronic music from the early 90s.
Really great in the background today. Caught my attention now and then in a very pleasant way.
Took me back to my 90s Sunday morning radio days inserting local ads into a new age music show. Really great for chilling out. I’m digging this!
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Xtal, Actium
8/10. Enjoyable ambient music. Always feels weird that ambient albums are included on this list at all, but that aside my main complaint with this one was some tracks were a bit distracting for something to be in the background, especially Green Calx.
Rating after listening several weeks ago, but I enjoyed it. But I already knew that.
These are indeed ambient works
I love aphex twin but this isn't my fave album I have to say. I prefer the first half of the album to the latter. But obvs overall it is great. It's that relaxed ambience that suits any mood or occasion, v relaxing
Must admit I didn't really know this album but I really enjoyed it. Definitely something to come back to. Perfect for chilling and working
6/26/2022 - ALBUM #150 Today's Album: "Selected Ambient Works 85-92" by Aphex Twin - This is an artist that I've been meaning to check out for a long time, and although this isn't the album I've heard is their best work, it is still so good that it's hard for me to imagine how they could have improved upon it. Some of these tracks even date back to when the artist was 14 and it's just amazing to me what they were able to create so young. These tracks are a collection of ambient loops and each of them is a unique soundscape that is slowly explored with incrementally added instruments and samples. It actually reminds me a lot of the Orbital album I just reviewed, but there is a more subtle approach to the production and layering of each song. The droning ethereal synths and echoey production remind me a lot of those sleep/meditation playlists on Spotify, but the steady drum machine and lead synths make it much more engaging and enjoyable. The album as a whole feels like one long song in a way since all the songs do take a pretty similar approach to the sonic landscapes they're building, but each song does stand on its own as a unique piece and it becomes very enjoyable to hear what each track is going to build off from. Overall, this is a really peaceful, but engaging album with a ton of really interesting sounds and it's filled to the brim with ethereal grooviness. Give this one a listen if you want a good electronica album to study or sleep to. Highlights: Tha, Ageispolis, Green Calx, Heliosphan, We Are the Music Makers, Delphium, Actium Score: 8/10 The most peaceful electronic music I've heard before
What an interesting collection. I got caught up in the techno vibe. I was so happy they were not trying to bemore than just a great beat. Would be 3.5 if I was allowed halfpoints
Would never have guessed these were from 1985-1992 with how well produced these tracks are. The time flew by while listening to this album! Perfect for relaxing or doing some work to.
Aaah, yes yes, this one good. XTAL JE SAVRŠENSTVO!
Cheeeeeeelin
Straddling a line between standing the test of time and having aged unfavourably, it’s place is certainly earned on this list
Sw4g
Surprisingly good for not my usual cup of tea
Really clean, and surprised to find the sample for Ugly Boy in this piece. Really lacking something for the final star, but strong for a debut.
Iconic electronic music. 7-8/10
Not the easiest listen, but interesting and clearly influential. Definitely one to come back to in the future.
Not soppy ambient muzak, but interesting background music
Took me a lot of tries to make it through paying attention... a combination of it being a bit long and also ambient. Overall, an enjoyable trek through ambient electronica... definitely some that find their groove, while others are interesting.
Loving this so far as I listen, groovy as heck. Ageispolis slaps hard Really enjoyed this album!
I am SO glad this popped up because I've been meaning to listen to Aphex Twin for the longest time, but I didn't really know where to start. Most of this was repetitive - ambient seems to be that. However, what really shined through were the moments where it didn't FEEL repetitive and it felt like getting lost in space. Now that was pretty neat.
Really cool low key “background music”. Great for work or studying
Nice
<3
Audio zen
The standout tracks just about overcome some horrible midi sounds.
Best Song: Ageispolis. Groovy and bloopy. Worst Song: Green Calx. Sounds a bit too much like a rave inside a malfunctioning office printer. Overall: It is excellent at what it aspires to be. This feels like the pinnacle of what "ambient" music can be. Lacks the busyness/aggression of some of Aphex Twin's other work. Great music to read or work to.
Very mellow
Great ambient tracks, smooth chillout background. Four stars!
Ambient - it's a doddle eh? Some relaxed beats, a bass line and a few chords on the synth. Aphex Twin shows how difficult it is to make great 'ambient', if such a thing exists, by showing its all about the details. Without lyrics or vocals or anything like a verse/chorus stucture to grab the listener, these tracks are a masterclass in detail: detail in how each track unfolds in time, and the textures employed to keep simple elements always evolving.
selected ambient percs
A very listenable ambient album featuring lengthy spacey hypnotic grooves. It's psychedelic without being weird.I can imagine this working well as film music, running music, background music and naturally it would be great music to listen to with certain substances.
Love me an ambient album!! Always nice to have one of these on hand for work days. I'm surprised this was made in '92 because the tracks sound like the EDM hits I would listen to today. Must have been part of that inspiration. Green Calx was too techno-y
So original for its time. Great instrumentals
This is a classic in this genre, wouldn't make the list if it came out today but in the late 80s to make this kind of music using mostly analogue equipment is really impressive and it still sounds relevant and modern even now.
Some quite fun tracks on this album. Some recognisable as they've been used as the music for other songs as well. Doubting between 3 and 4 stars as it got quite heavy at the end and I didn't really want to continue listening. Giving it 4 stars because I see myself putting it on again.
fair enough - great background music for working.
Just cool. It's ambient but rewards active listening. Electronic music with heart.
Отлично
11/16 Booop beeeeep, ticktick tiiIING, wrrraaaaooow WHOMP haaaaaAAAAAAAAH Standout Tracks: Xtal, Tha, Schottkey 7th Path, Hedphelym
3.5
doop bloop doop bloop
Delivers on the name
Way better than I first expected and really picked up after the first couple of tracks. Great ambient music to work to. Not memorable but the context of the album marks it out as significant. Will listen again.
This is mellow beats sounds that are good and not interruptive. I also have a soft spot for precocious musicians. Not too shabby for a recording damaged by the family cat's urine.
Very very very very good electronica.
Very good. I liked this a lot.
If you can dance to it, it's not ambient as far as I'm concerned. It's likely the title of this one is another troll by young Richard. It's a great strong collection of glitchy bangers and really good driving music
Great album, iconic beats and so lovely. Less weird than some of the later stuff but so polished and listenable.
Just a perfect piece of music to accompany you through a foggy Amsterdam morning. Though you may not want to have such a morning every day.
Very cool
Música ambiental, not bad!
Great chilled out album
I like the one that goes Pewpewpewpew pewpewpew doo doo doo doo chicka ta chika ding ding
Veeeryyy weird. I’m certain there’s an audience for this type of music but it really just put me on edge and freaked me out. A friend of mine would love it, though, so if you like cool ambience and just interesting songs without lyrics, definitely give a listen. Very uncanny and creepy sounding though. Not my cup of tea.
tror aldrig det bliver helt noget for mig men meget behageligt at lytte til
kinda funky kinda cool this was a good album for the work day i had some were hits some less but overall fun and twins!!!! 3.5
5 - AVERAGE
Okay stuff. Repetitive, but it is dance music.
Very nice, but ultimately background music
Pretty indifferent to this, even if I just sat and listened it faded into the background. I did enjoy it though.
Although technically I listened, it was as if I didn't because I remember nothing. Still, a vaguely positive experience. 2.5⭐️
Man, I wish I could get into an Aphex Twins record. Like.. I get it. Its super unique and cool. Its kind of like Brian Eno that way, but similarly to Brian Eno, I can't really handle a whole record unless I'm in a sterile enviroment or deep some deep focus.
Good study music. Cool to listen to all the different types of instruments coming together
Can confirm. Is ambient.
Good background music
Solid album. Like most of this genre, not necessarily something I would actively listen to, but it was great background music while I was working. Good vibes though.
What is even the point of an ambient album? The idea of a beginning and an end is antithetical to its nature. This may be beautiful at times, but it’s ultimately meaningless. An arbitrary collection of pleasant sounds does not an album make. Should not be on the list.
It’s surprisingly..well, ambient compared to the later works he’s known for. Anyway, I find this album just ok.
Very enjoyable listen, kept waiting to be blown away, will keep listening to the artist, searching for a revelation
Does what it says on the tin. Good ambient music.
This one is going to need some more listens. But my initial thoughts are how can somebody come up with these sounds in 1992? This sounds so futuristic. I can’t wrap my brain around how someone made this
For all the many times I've seen references to Aphex Twin, this is the first time I've listened to anything by Richard James' (I guess he released albums under various names, but this seems to be his most famous pseudonym). I can see why this made waves in the early 90s given the context, and even in 2026 it's a pretty distinctive sound, especially when you find out about his technical mastery of synthesizers and sampling and recording from a pretty early age (and hilarious to read that many (all?) of the tracks on this album were recorded to cassette and a cat damaged it). It's far too long, at least for non-fans, and there's not a lot of variety across the tracks, and the focus on ambient sounds/music makes it *really* hard to focus on the music for any sustained period, unsurprisingly. But despite all its shortcomings, I'm glad I finally had an excuse to hear what all the hype was about nearly 35 years ago. (Too bad we didn't get to hear his more foregrounded tracks like "Digeridoo", though, although I guess "Green calx" kind of counts.)
I've always loved the Willy Wonka quote (Gene Wilder quoting O'Shaughnessy) but otherwise found this album okay. I rarely stopped what I was doing to listen and the individual tracks didn't seem to relate to each other well. Perhaps I should have given this more attention, but it never grabbed me.
This steadily grew on me. This would be top tier 'intense study tunes' but as an album listening experience these IDM albums are way too long. And once you've heard 2 minutes you've heard the whole 8. 2.5 but veered to a 3.
This one's kind of hard to rate. It is indeed ambient tracks, which I generally enjoyed, but don't know that I would ever want to listen to again??? At least not as a whole album
I thought this guy made house music. I was mistaken. Sounds good for what it is. Not for everyone.
I mean ya those were some Selected Ambient Works. Feels more like background music to a video game.
It's ambient alright!
A nice listen.
Honestly fine. Good background music
Xtal
No strong feelings At least it’s not Brit pop
# Album Name: Selected Ambient Works 85-92 # Artist: Aphex Twins # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Honestly, not my kind of thing. Couple of decent tracks. It wasnt overly offensive. Id only listen to it as background music. # Top Tunes: Xtal / Pulsewidth / Ageispolis # Would I listen to it again? Background music only
Ok bro I get the just of it after the 10th song of the same electronic noises, I’m not a fan of electronic music but I didn’t mind this one, just the fact that it feels like forever to get through the album, it also kinda sounds like a scuba diver game
Probably good writing music
A fully electronic album I liked. However, still not something I would put on freely. 6/10
I don't hate it.
This was decent background music but I wouldn't revisit it
There's definitely some meat on the bone. If I sit and listen, it's a little intriguing. However, it's not a type of music I appreciate or will listen to again.
This list would feel incomplete without some album by the great Richard D. James, with this one being perhaps his most famous. It is such an atmospheric and enigmatic listen 8/10 [KEEP]
01) Xtal - 7,5 02) Tha - 6,5 03) Pulsewidth - 7,0 04) Ageispolis - 7,0 05) i - 6,0 06) Green Calx - 6,0 07) Heliosphan - 7,0 08) We Are the Music Makers - 7,0 09) Schottkey 7th Path - 6,5 10) Ptolemy - 7,0 11) Hedphelym - 6,0 12) Delphium - 6,5 13) Actium 6,5 TOTAL: 6,65 (67/100) Current ranking: 581/886
Part of my enjoyment might have been because I listened to this on the train into NYC and it was a good vibe.
3.2 To slow to party with, too fast to chill. Gonna have to take another run at this at some point
I laughed when I got this album, because I knew I was in for a ride. I was only partially familiar with Aphex Twin and never gave myself the time to sit down and listen to them, so I'm glad I did so. Listened to the album during my cardio workout and def made it more entertaining.
It’s obviously very good but after a while it just gets dull.
What a good background album. Great example of this style of music. Strong 3, weak 4.
It's fine. If this is what you are into, you certainly get your money's worth. A good example of a type of music.
Great grooves and rhythm section. When will the lead instruments be added to complete this project?
would be good as a backing track to a sunny SRL compilation
Experimental background electronica Pulsewidth
Really cool vibes, much more approachable than I thought it'd be. I'm never quite sure how to rate albums like this, so let's say 3.5!
Just techno
Good beat, easy to listen to. 2.5 stars
I started off quite enjoying this, but the longer it went on, the more I grew tired of the thumping beats and the unrelenting nature of the album. Electronic music of this style isn’t usually my thing, but this was definitely amongst the best I’ve heard.
Listened to this one twice. First time I did not like it… the second time I was more chill and really liked it. Prob go a 3 👏
I don't know how to rate an Ambient album on this list. I don't dislike the genre, but it tends to fade into the background for me. This was enjoyable, but not memorable. 6/10 Pretty Good
Cool background music, lives up to the name.
I like ambient and entered this one with high hopes. Unfortunately, I thought it kind of fell too far into the background.
Better than silence, best without vocals.
fellow coworkers enjoyed their music, but little to ambient for me
LoFi beats - decent background for work/focus
Honestly, thought I would hate this. Really good for focusing on work. Also each of the songs were distinct which I never feel with ambient music.
Aika täydellistä taustamusiikkia työnteolle, mutta eipä tätä vartavasten jaksaisi kuunnella.
Literally fades into the ambiance.. Tracks to Track: Xtal
Always heard about Aphex Twin, yet I never heard an album or even a song of his. This was an enjoyable enough album, unfortunately fitting in some of the most uninteresting genres to me. I don’t really care for ambient or a lot of softer types of Techno. Aphex Twin made some incredible pieces here, but the category they’re in just doesn’t let me reallt appreciate them to the fullest. Great effort by a good artist in a boring music type.
Weird but I do like.
Interesting. Innovative for the times.
It's ok. I'd heard this once or twice in the past and my feelings have not changed about it. There's nothing terribly annoying on it, but there's nothing that sticks in my head either. It's fine as background music. Apparently, it helped bring ambient music into the mainstream, but I'm not really sure how it did that. It's ok. Produced well enough and there are some interesting noises throughout. But like most electronica, it gets a bit repetitious. I'd call it a 3 and probably never hear it again,.
I was interested at first and appreciated the vibes of the music. This seems like it could’ve been in inspiration for the frutiger aero aesthetic. The longer the album went on, though, the more it seemed like more of the same.
Some chill, listenable electronic tunes. No particular track stood out but it was altogether good background music.
J'aime bien ce genre d'ambiance electro d'habitude mais là c'était un peu boring
Lovely work by Aphex Twin. I really respect their work but you have to be in the mood to listen to it. 3/5
Fine, was expecting something a little less vanilla. There’s only a couple other Aphex Twin I know and it’s more interesting than this.
It’s fine.
Pretty nice and chill ambience!
maybe richards weakest album
yes okay that was fine. but just fine.
actium up
Beep beep boop boop
A vibe, a nice vibe. Listen to it while a little high - made it far more enjoyable that when I attempted to listen on my car ride home from work.
Eno intrigues me. Music for airports is fab. Perhaps if I’d found this first, I would have been saying this about that album
Didn't enthrall me, but then again should ambient music?
Good ambience. Track after track was vibey and relaxing. This could be a soundtrack for sleeping, studying, working, driving. Yes from me.
Good ambient, and appreciate what it was for it's time. Glad I heard it. Still can't get myself over a 3, though.
Ambient album, it was fun to listen to. I saved it and will listen again in the future.
Good dance tracks
A worthy addition. Some great stuff here. 3.5 stars
Nice sounds, very pleasant but not something I would probably choose to listen to
just tooo long
Ok.
Solid. Dont really know what else to say. I’m not familiar with the genre so I’m not sure how early or revolutionary some of these sounds are but I know Aphex Twin has been sampled and interpolated many times since.
Ultra relaxing. Could be called boring, but great background music.
Pretty good as far as background music is concerned.
Inoffensive background sounds.
I enjoyed that, but a little long
The album is not particularly bad, I actually really enjoyed some of the tracks. But others were a little to buzzy, noisy and shrill for my liking.
Hard to evaluate techno but it’s pretty relaxed and has some solid beats
I liked some of it and some of it just sounds like video game music and gets old fast but some of it was almost psychedelic and I felt lost in the music which was pretty neat. Not bad at all maybe even a 4/5 but I'll stick with 3/5 because at times it was as faceless as any music that I have ever heard. Was that the point?
Ambient is right! Pleasant but strictly background music
honestly kinda slaps, probly wont be putting this in the playlists but it was a good listen
Seven years of surreal things.
Objectively the gold standard in ambient music
Pretty neat video game vibes, was good for work, nothing that pulls me in to stay. Nothing got my head boppin but almost entirely stuck it thru cuz it helped me focus at work. 2.7 stars
Enjoyable but not cohesive enough for a repeat
It’s techno but fairly ambient, with lots of spacey or ethereal sounds, which makes it easy listening as far as techno goes.
pretty nice
Cool, would listen during work
This was a great listen for someone recovering from the overstimulation of an international vacation and the Christmas holiday who didn’t really know what to listen to. A lot of it was pretty ambient, but it had enough intriguing sounds to keep it from falling into any kind of long lull. Ambient-ish electronic music is always a bit hit or miss on this project, but this was one of the better examples of it on here.
Overall: 6/10 This is pretty engaging stuff for just being background music. I've decided I don't like too much ambient music but there's enough going on to keep this interesting. I certainly wasn't bored listening to it. Fav Song: Xtal
Good for a run through the woods.
This didn't do a lot for me. I couldn't really capture the vibe.
No insight evaluating electronica. Nice to have this on while I do other stuff.
3.Ireallydontlikeambientmusic
- Ambient Works is one of the most accurately chosen album titles of all time. - It was nice to put on and chill. - Basically dance music but without much euphoria, which for me is a big miss. It's still pleasant enough but doesn't really reach out and grab me.
Even more than other electronica albums on the list, this felt like background music. Not unpleasant, but not exactly revolutionary, you know?
Pleasant background listening. I generally prefer chilled ambient music to much louder electronic.
A hugely influential album that shaped the future of electronic music. I get why it matters, but it doesn’t fully work for me. It's great as solid background sound, but I can’t stay locked in for more than an hour. The legacy is undeniable, but I’m rating it on my own taste, not on its historical weight. Strong record, just not one I love. 7.5/10.
Well, it's properly titled. I'll give it that. I really don't know how to rate ambient works. Like, yes that was extremely ambient. Well done.
It’s definitely good for what it is, but what it is isn’t very compelling to me.
Ambient electronic music, the album starts out great the middle is a bit boring and the end picks back up. I think if he had removed about 4 songs this could have been a great album, it got a bit monotonous to me. At one point my wife asked "why are you listening to X-files music", I laughed.
finding this hard to get into, but it IS good. just not good as anything but background music, ya feel me?
Standouts Ageispolis Actium
Why should I hear background music before I die, Robert Dimery? Why? It’s more interesting than Eno, but it’s also very annoying.
7/10
Guessing this is an important piece, they always seem to come up in discussion regarding electronic music. It’s quite nice when it’s on, but it sure is its title ambient, it’s just kind of around you but never penetrating my consciousness. Don’t dislike it, happy enough to have on. 3 Star
Tricky one to rate. On one hand, I listened to it while working and enjoyed it. It reminded me of Video Game music. On the other hand, I recall none of it and if I had decided to sit down and actively listen, I doubt I would have liked it as much. Overall, I'm confused about the inclusion of this album on this list.
Before finding electronics Aphex Twin was actually a folk singer and morris dancer. He turned to electronics after meeting Ken Chutney at a beer festival. 3.0 10/13 Ptolemy
Mellow 3.5/5
This really was ambient works from 1985-1992
Jättebra men också lite så jaha
Decent. Latter half feels too samey
Peaceful and enjoyable as background music but felt a little bland at times
For this type of modern DJ thing this was very good. For me could be cool background music but nothing I would ever obsess over.
Fajny album. Dobry materiał, jak sama nazwa wskazuje do słuchania w tle i/lub chillowania. Jest to też niestety drobna wada albumu, bo rzeczy nie zapadają w pamięć. Moją uwagę zwróciło "Ageispolis", bo zostało zsamplowane przez Die Antwoord do ich utworu "Ugly Boy". Miałem niezłego mindfucka, bo to kompletnie różne nurty muzyczne. Myślę, że krążek trafił na listę głównie przez to, jak przełomowy był w tamtym czasie. W dzisiejszych czasach brzmi już dosyć prosto, ale to też świadczy o jego wpływie na muzykę - uczniowie przerośli mistrza. 3,5/5, chciałem podciągnąć do 4, ale nie wiem jednak, czy będę wracał, trochę za mało charakteru to miało dla mnie.
6/10 - electronic music for background activities, would also be a good gaming soundtrack
It's a 2.5/5 Incredibly ambient, incredibly boring and incredibly long. Still, some tracks have fun moments, so it's not a complete dud.
I got to Schottkey and felt like I’ve been listening to this album for 2 hours. It’s miles better than most electronic/ambient stuff I’ve listened to. I don’t hate it, it’s fine for what it is. But the genre as a whole feels like it goes on for a long time.
Listenable.
Not music for listening, musing for having on.
Great soundtrack for if I was in a first player RPG. Unable to distinguish XTAL from AGEISPOLIS from SCHOTTKEY 7TH PATH, but tis not a foible of Aphex Twin. The sounds were smooth and rad,... just one long, continuous sound of radness.
Great to work to and has made my instrumental electronic playlist but hard to give it any more than a 3 on its own
Excellent work music, otherwise I don't think that I would listen to it
I think this is the first ambient album that didn't put me to sleep. The beats were chill but kept my mind active just enough. Still far from something I'd normally listen to but it works for what it is
Chill music
This was ok ambient soundscape-y stuff. I liked this more than I was expecting, but will not revisit in the future. It’s moderately interesting
I went from vibing to bored to vibing and before I knew it the album looped and I had killed my afternoon. The less I paid attention to it the better it got. I don’t even mean that insultingly, I think I was over listening at first and when I just let it be chill ambience music it started to click. I’m intrigued by the experience.
not a bad track to have on in the background during a work day. reminds me of my time studying to lo-fi mixes in college. it was fine, but i wouldn't give it much more than that.
WERE IN MY TOWN NOW eek
I'm not huge on Ambient Music, but this had some tracks that I liked. I think it's possible I'm just not used to this genre yet, and that it'll grow on me.
The most background of music
Good
Hihat after hihat after hihat.
3/5
The kind of music I don't love but I do like, the album is a nice background listen.
Talented producer. This album is long and has some pimples. Pretty decent
I thought this was kinda random then laughed when I realized I have this artist in my library. I loved some of these songs for a specific vibe but a lot of these were odd. This was also veryyy long. Fav- Rhubarb Orc. 19.53 Rev