Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Not offensive
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.
A bit repetitive, but calming. Good sound design for that year.
I just don't get it. I don't know what the occasion to listen to this is other than soundtracks for a movie or something. Will I listen to again: 0%
Just lovely.
Beautifully subtly coloured
An outstanding debut into the world of ambient techno. A surprise and a revelation.
Just amazing. 5. Can listen to it in so many ways. If seminal was an album.
I didn't expect to like this and I really didn't, but not as much as I'd thought. It was rather boring to me, but I suppose it wasn't bad background noise. 2/5
It was fun background music, I'd rate it 3.5
Great Ambient/Space Music….9/10
Classic
I'm allergic to electronica so this was an absolute nightmare but I'm sure he was a cool 13-14 year old.
I like his less ambient stuff. You know, the ones with the amazing and freaky Chris Cunningham videos but this does what it says on the tin I guess
Amazing electronic music that sounds so fresh. It has not aged a bit and is spot on all of the time.
This wasn’t terrible it’s just definitely not my thing
Thought aliens were gonna abduct me listening to this... Not my thing.
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.
Not really into ambient unless I am taking a nap.
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.
Com tempo e maturidade, fui capaz de ter inteligência par curtir a criatividade da construção sonora com as camadas eletrônicas. Assim, o disco se tornou um dos meus preferidos.
Nothing against electronic music but found this uninteresting.
This didn't age that well.
I'm not sure I listened to anything. Pure chewing gum for my brain. No nutritional value; simply occupied part of my grey matter. As an ambient album, I think this is what it was supposed to do. But it's not quite an ambient album. It sort of passed through me like a ghost.
It‘s great background music!
WAUW Wat een trip is dit album zeg, sowieso EINDELIJK een elektronisch album! En wat voor een is dit meteen zeg... Tuurlijk is dit een bekend album, maar ik heb het eerlijk gezegd nog nooit echt geluisterd en ik ben nu ontzettend blij dat ik dat heb gedaan. Het is een echte trip en hoewel niet elk nummer even goed werkt vind ik het wel echt een vernieuwend album. Ik heb het album geluisterd op mn speakers in de woonkamer en die hebben ook wel echt bijgedragen aan het luisterplezier. Elke toon komt zo mooi binnen en het is als een soort elektronisch jazz album bijna. Bedenk dat dit album uit 1992 kwam en dat sommige nummers als in 1985 gemaakt zijn!!!! Dit zou nu nog steeds een vernieuwend album zijn als het uitkwam. En hoewel ik zeg dat niet alles werkt vind ik het in zn geheel zo ontzettend vet en interessant dat dit voor mij gewoon 5 sterren is. Fantastisch en ik kijk nu al uit naar meer elektronische albums! FAVO: Xtal, Tha, Pulsewidth, Ageispolis, Heliosphan, We Are the music makers, Schottkey 7th path, Ptolemy, Delphium, Actium
Video game menu music would be nothing without this album. I can almost hear some really shitty southern rapper over Aegispolis. Green Calx is David S. Pumpkins-core.
Aphex Twin is growing on me, the music definitely gets more listenable each time I try. Still, it’s just kind of boring music that I feel like you need a specific headspace for. Maybe it’s my 21st century, constantly stimulated brain that can’t handle it, or maybe it’s meant to be enjoyed on a cocktail of rave drugs. It’s hard to argue with the influence that Aphex Twin had. I feel like, if modern music is a tree, aphex twin’s music is at the roots of the tree, foraging through the ground for vital rhythms and sounds that allow the greater musical industrial complex to thrive. I wonder if every other mid-20s white guy that wants to become a DJ knows that he’d probably be off doing something else like jogging or playing video games or developing a cocaine habit on Wall Street if not for Aphex’s influence. 3/5
i always listen to an aphex twin album on these music list. save a couple songs. then never revisit it again. and for that, this gets a 2
Love her
פצצתי
Decent driving and/or background music
I listened to this album around a year ago when doing a short-lived YouTube review show. I liked it at the time, but I feel like I enjoyed it much more this time around. It is that super mellow type of electronic music. IDM feels like such a pompous descriptor (intelligent dance music) but I guess this is was it probably comes under. The music is meditative and is that auditory Ritalin that I also found with Boards Of Canada. I definitely need to listen to this more often.
Pretty good background music if I'm working but nothing more then that
Mag ich nicht. Ist das Funk?
Nearly fell asleep listening to this album.
Pretty much OK - would have like it if it went more towards Eno, but nice background.
God, I fucking hate ambient music
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.
Eh
Chill music for department stores/spas. I don’t hate it but limited to moods/situations. 2.5/5
Background music to chill to. Interesting story about how it was all compiled from old cassette recordings. Seems to bridge the gap between the Kraftwerk era and what’s to come with modern techno bands. I can dig it here and there, but definitely situational sounds for situational moods.
I found this relaxing. Like I was in the lobby of a spa, or at Lululemon or something. I was feeling this and might revisit, but the fact that this is such a passive listening experience sort of limited the rating for me.
I really don’t understand why this album is on this list. Maybe I just don’t get electronic music. This is just background music. It’s not a one because it’s listenable. But very “meh”
First I make the computer go *beep*. And then I make the computer go *boop*. 2.5/5
Interesting but it was literally just sound so it didn’t click with me
I fuckin love this album
Great album. Very detailed if you choose to listen closely but also just has a great overall atmosphere. Could be played running, on a long drive or at a club. This album really is just weaves its way into a life soundtrack very easily. Equal parts club and ambient. Alien and analog. I don't know why I write reviews but highlights for me are: Pulsewidth, Xtal, Tha, I, Heliosphan, Hedphelym and Actium but it's a good overall album listening experience.
Algjörlega dásamlegt.
This was pretty good, but not good enough for 4 stars
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
It's ok. Just background noise. Original lo-fi? Would fit in a dark weird edgy bar with some dumb videos playing with no sound.
Just noises
Sjukt bra blippblopp-album. Han lyckas få till väldigt intressanta trummor, fina melodier och framförallt ett mycket unikt sound. Just denna platta tycker jag har ett speciellt sound som är svårt att beskriva. Omslaget passar iallafall känslan. Väldigt fint. Aphex Twin är en av de bästa inom elektronisk musik och det var kul att lyssna på denna skiva en gång till.
Belter of a record. Constant companion throughout the stoner years. Still listened to now. Proudest moment of fatherhood yet when daughter 1 returned home with a vinyl copy from Rough Trade. We raised her good.
First listened to and liked as a stoned teenager. Then probably didn’t listen to it for 20 years or so, and hasn’t really left my regular play list since. It’s hard to describe but I just find it kind of dreamlike, intensely relaxing, a bit like a warm hug really. Ageispolis in particular must be one of my favourite songs ever (that baseline!). My issue is that I’ve never found anything else like it to add to the playlist. Aphex Twin’s other work is obvs quite the opposite, maybe Boards of Canada’s frost album gets a bit close. All help welcome!
I don't remember when I heard this first but feels like it has always been around. Still chills me out after all these years, you can't ask for more than that. Ambient Techno doesn't quite do it justice, it's just the future. I like the idea he created a few songs to clear the raves he was DJing at but not sure that would work with this. Up there with Sabre as as a game changer for my listening tastes, genius.
Could listen to this all day, and feel good the whole time.
set the bar for electronic music
A good ambient electronic album, but essential? Not sure how some kid twiddling around with synths in his bedroom can be a pioneer of electronic music if he didn't release it right away. It's good, and I'd listen to it again, but I don't see how this particular album is a great example of pioneering ambient music. How about Cluster? They were making and releasing ambient electronic music 15-20 years earlier than this.
Selected Ambient Works 85-92 When I saw Aphex Twin come up I immediately thought of Dan’s wisdom tooth and how Windowlicker era Apex Twin would probably be the worst thing you could listen to with toothache. I was interested to hear this, I’m aware of bits and pieces of Aphex Twin but have never dived in. I wasn’t necessarily expecting some relatively straightforward ambient techno though, but I liked it. Some of the housey synths sound quite dated, which would make sense as its its 30-40 years old, but overall I liked the tempos and percussion and some of the more textural layered synths behind the bass and the odd hook. No one particular track stood out, apart perhaps from Ageispolis which had more than a hint of You’ll Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties, I just enjoyed it as one long piece of instrumental electronica. Obviously it wasn’t made as an album, but as music to work to or paint the shed to I found it very pleasant and relaxing. It doesn’t move me in the way some of Brian Enos albums do, but I found it a pleasant discovery that I will come back to, particularly for music to play while working or focusing. Solidly midway between 3 and 4, I’ll land on a 3 - it’s something I’ll listen to for specific situations rather than for pure pleasure. ⭐⭐⭐
My kinda music. Loved this. A very nice long bus journey to work. Perfect accompaniment for reading Flash comics. Really enjoyed.
Ageispolis
Delightful ambient music.
Great for background / concentration but not something I'd come back to often.
Cool as a sound, not for top 1000 I guess
Blobby mourning electronica. I have no idea why this became so popular. For better see Underworld /Orbital / Chemical Bros. I like electronica but will not be revisiting. The best I can draw from this experience is to know to avoid Aphex Twin in the future.
At first I was really liking it, got far too beep boopy by the end though. BEEP BOOP BOOP BEEP BAP OONTZ
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
Quite frankly, this album and perhaps all of Aphex Twin are too smart for me. I don't pick up on the intricate time signatures, the mellowed out drum and bass backing to allow the sound to always have a thumping heartbeat, or even the general vibe brought to the table by its simplistic yet thoroughly crafted beats. However, I do at least respect it. It may sound like the soundtrack to a PlayStation racing game, but that can be a good thing! So, when I say it isn't my thing, I recognize completely that it is at the fault of my own patience and musical tolerance, rather than any outright flaw with the album. However, I do still think there are issues worth addressing, such as the length. The album suffers from 90s-itis, which means it must be double the length of a (now) standard album for the sake of filling out a CD, and while this does fit electronic music better than most genres, it can still feel like this collection of stoned club bangers are stretched to their limit for the sake of the ethereal ambiance, and it makes it so most tracks don't feel like they fit in a day-to-day lifestyle. Once again, an unfair critique, I realize, but I often think songs should be something I want to come back to, and I struggle to think of a reason on why I would return to Xtal over Pulsewidth, and even if I were to put on the whole album for one amazing session of "testing my new speakers," what effect does the album bring to the table that one singular track off this album doesn't pull off instead? There are differences between songs; tracks like Hedphelym offer an obviously more sinister tone than simple, floaty tracks like I, but I still think at the end of the day this album is something praised on influence and standards more than being something truly fantastic in it of itself. I'm obviously talking out of my ass, I know nothing about IDM, but when looking at its contemporaries from later in the decade, I see so much improvement and style injected into the genre that this comes off as hollow and aged. In my opinion, better than what others were doing in 1992, but save for a couple tracks and moments, this doesn't seem like an album worth returning to in full. So, what your main takeaway here should be is that I'm saying there is no reason to return to this album, yet this is my second time listening in full in the last year. Says something about the pull this album gives off, huh? Whatever, I'm an idiot, now bugger off. luv u
bangers. on bangers. on bangers. peak edm. love it.
Nowhere near as terrifying as some of his other work, this collection of ambient tracks are the perfect entry point for the genius that is Aphex Twin. The glitch is still here, it's just not a worm burrowing into your skull, it's a butterfly landing on your ear. Best Tracks: Xtal; Ageispolis; Ptolemy
cool beats. That’s all I get
Exactly what it says on the tin.
3.5
This is typical of the genre for me. Just not enough variety and too long.
Ambient techno.
This album is a gift to urban youth hostels everywhere. I can perhaps imagine listening to this if I wanted to relive waiting for friends in a lobby somewhere.
Pure garbage. Why would anyone listen to this on purpose?
Ambient Electronica…75 minutes of it. And it is everything I feared it would be. Completely unengaging, completely unremarkable, completely forgettable. Certainly NOT essential. Background music for those time when you want to know that the music won’t intrude on whatever it is you’re doing. Actually, it didn’t take long to get downright annoying. I started skipping songs part way through, and couldn’t last till the end. 1/5
Highlights: Xtal, Pulsewidth. In a nutshell: a new breed of dance music emerges. Trip-hop, acid house and downtempo were established genres in the early 90’s. There were countless dance musicians/DJ’s who experimented with fast backbeats but there were folks in the scene who asked themselves: “what if we slowed everything down? Make an ambient sound but different to Brian Eno?” Thus IDM - Intelligent Dance Music - was born. Listeners who say this album is boring are missing the point. In the artist’s words, Ambient Sounds “…were just tracks that my mates selected; ones that they like to chill out to.” Personally, this is not something I’d reach for, but I wouldn’t turn it down or leave the room if I heard a track from this album. Overall: 6/10
Jake Whiting must do this guy’s album art
That was Aphex Twin?? That was just a bunch of cheap walk cycles!!
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.
I found album a bit boring. Was making me sleepy.
I don't know what to do with Ambient music. I suppose I am not supposed to be actively listening to it, but have it in the background to provide a mood. Like the Muzak in an elevator. Unlike some music, there is nothing that bothers me, there just isn't anything to get into. Ambient music being it's goal, I have to give it credit for hitting that.
I enjoyed parts of this album way more than others. Some songs were not for me but my favorites were Hedphelym, Delphium & Actium.
Really great background music while doing something else like working or choking.
very vibey if i wanted chill study music this would be a go to although i probably wouldn’t remember it enough to go back and listen
Great background music
The sounds are quite nice and there's some variety here, but this doesn't feel world changing. And, obviously, it's too long. Pleasant enough, but I won't listen to it again.
Nice. To think a lot of this album was originally made at home
I'm mostly familiar with Drukqs and a few other Aphex Twin singles, so I was kind of surprised by how relatively tame this early album sounded by comparison. It was good though; not sure how often I would come back to it.
Didn't do anything for me, unfortunately 2/5
Meh, I’ll never get this. D+?
Another fascinating ambient album. I know it's UK but I don't discriminate when it comes to electronic music. It's either bad or it's good and this one is good. I think we have had a few better, but these beats were fun to carry me through work.
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
It's ok, nothing too crazy. I wouldn't listen to it ever again though.
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
2.5, enjoyed a few others a bit much
great background noise. But beyond that is not awesome
Trance
Trance, low-key
Surprised how much I like this, though the later works do have a sort of low, tension inducing noise that I don't really appreciate.
Don't think I need to listen to ambient music in any way before I die. I think my life is perfectly fine without it.
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
Classic album. While I am a bigger fan of Selected Works II, this one is still a great listen from time to time. 4.5/5
Pleasant if in the mood for it.
This is pretty good. I enjoyed this much more than I expected / remembered.
Genius. Reliable sends me elsewhere
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.
"Selected Ambient Works 85-92" is the worst album I've rated (so far) on this list... but, after over 300 reviews, it's the second worst album. A nightmare of baby powder, fluffy clouds, used diapers, and wretched hot boxing.
If these were the ones they selected, what are the works they didn't select? Anyway, the problem with electronica is that you hear enough of it, and it starts to sound a) the same and b) like anyone can do it. There's doesn't feel like there's any thing in it, and it got boring very quickly. Next.
Mostly I put this on in the background and let it run, which is really what ambient music is good for right? I didn't hate it, but wasn't fired up about it either. I really only pricked my ears up at Green Calx, which had some cool NiN kind of industrial sounds. Schottkey 7th Path and Delphium were kind of groovy too.
These tracks were recorded be Richard D James when he was between the ages of 14 and 21. A lot of it on homemade equipment. It's a new take on the ambient idea that features a beat instead of just a background soundscape. This is also one of the pivitol albums of electronic music. Each track has an organic feel to it and it feels almost otherworldly, paying homage to the electronic pioneers that came before but taking it to a whole new place. My favorite track is Ageispolis. I love the bass melody and the trick beat that almost makes it sound like the track is slowing down when the tone drops. That being said, the whole album is a masterpiece to me without a weak moment on it. Each track is unique enough to keep the interest going and once I start with the opening notes to Xtal, I have to play the whole thing.
Pretty cool
Decent for getting work done to
This was SO LONG and it was not pleasant. One song actually hurt my ears with the repeated notes.
Liked it and would listen to it again to work too. Added Delphium to my playlist. 7/10
This sounds like the music in the lobby of an Embassy Suites. It’s pretty good at drowning out your loud coworkers while you’re trying to get something done but not much else.
Favorite Tracks: Ageispolis We Are the Music Makers
I don’t know music all that well, and certainly not ambient. To rate this, how do you tell where this ends and other ambient starts playing on an infinite list of similar music? Maybe this is one of the best 1000 albums because it innovated or otherwise opened the genre. But without researching it, why is it special?
A really solid album I could probably get heavily invested in at another time. While I'm sure it's incredible for its genre, it's not quite my thing, the tracks are nice but a little slow and samey for my own tastes.
Maybe one or two songs. But a whole album of this! No.
Ambient electronic. No thanks.
Wow. When they say Ambient they aren’t kidding. Not my thing but actually kind of cool. Not a surprise If I say I won’t remember a second of this.
I like my ambient so much better without a beat.
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
Nope
Super cool and a lot of fun to listen through
So much noise
There is not a soul in the world, including Brian Eno himself, that could convince me that electronic music as a genre is the least interesting thing to happen to music. I don't care about influence or technical prowess if the whole album is a bag of shit that a braindead coma patient could out perform. Whoever added this album on the list was trying to upset me and it worked. I'm on vacation. Give me something good. 1/5
This is inventive and good music to work to - which I mean as a compliment.
I've been listening to this album for a while, but I watched a YouTube doc on Aphex Twin in the last year that did a lot to help me understand the significance of this album. It really is one of those foundational works that helps change the direction of a genre. I don't like the label Intelligent Dance Music, but I do like a lot of the music that has been released under that moniker. This album is the genesis of that movement, and an excellent work in its own right 5/5
My love. Favourite
Pretty good! I've been hearing about this "genius" my whole life. I think we should retire that word. It's good!
Ambient music had its time. This reminded me why we're using the past tense here. Also, it's way too long.
Not ambient enough to be enjoyable
Great classic electronic music.
Never heard of this guy or his album... but I'll give it a whirl. Did a bit of background searching on the album, found there's a lot of people got a full hard-on for this stuff, disecting it and the brilliance of it all. Personally, it opens well, so ok, it's ambient music, ok I get that, but more than half way through the album you realise it's the same baseline and haunting synth strap. So in summary, grand if you've dropped a tab and off tripping, off in a wee colourful spaced out wonderland with this album randomly reminding you of your heartbeat with the baseline drum beat... other than that, I can think of no occasion I'd ever want to listen to this, or to go tripping out of my head either... I prefer music played by musicians on actual instruments, not something created on a laptop by a computer programmer.
"Selected Ambient Works 85-92" by Aphex Twin is a seminal album in the electronic music genre, known for its influential and groundbreaking sound. Released in 1992, it showcases Richard D. James's early experiments with ambient music and techno, setting the stage for his future innovative work. While the album is praised for its innovative use of textures and atmospheres, some listeners may find it challenging to connect with. The tracks can be repetitive and abstract, lacking the melodic hooks or traditional song structures found in more accessible electronic music. Overall, "Selected Ambient Works 85-92" is a significant album in Aphex Twin's discography and electronic music history, but its avant-garde nature may not appeal to all listeners.
Amazing 4.5, crazy for '85
Vuonna 92 julkaistuksi teokseksi... hehh.... aika paljon edellä aikaansa.. ehkä 3v... EI VOI LLA ALBUMI YHTÄ KYMMENKUNTA VUOTTA EDELLÄ::: muistakaa..... Does not sound like the best of 2000s.. Everyone catched up..
Maybe it's groundbreaking but it's also mind-numbingly boring.
As far as electronic music goes, this ambient, low-key style is my favourite. 3/5
I've always enjoyed how unique this album sounds and feels. Varied and uncomfortable. The dissonance on Hedphelym is truly unsettling.
75 minutes of decent background music. Little else.
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.
Probably one of the most influential best records my earholes have ever been fortunate enough to receive sonically.
Easy listening electronic ambient album. Aphex Twin is a true trailblazer. Not exactly my cup of tea, but I enjoyed and appreciate it.
Not my style
I'm not that big on techno and mixed on ambient music. So most likely I'm not the right audience for this. Nonetheless, it was certainly not a bad experience. I think the specific combination of styles is a hard line to toe and it worked well on some tracks, but not so much on others. For example Tha was extremely boring, and a few tracks weren't as much a mix as either pure ambiance (I, which I quite enjoyed) or mostly techno (like Green Calx, just after I, which I enjoyed much less). Mostly this is pretty nice record for relaxing background music though and I can easily see it as being quite interesting to people who're more into techno than I am. 3.5 rounded down (but I do respect the effort and am glad it's included in the book).
Not to many exciting notes. “Ageispolis” is pretty good. “Green Calx” really changes the album’s direction in a different and interesting way.
I love the guy. Very interesting album he has better songs but this is one of his best “albums”
not bad at all but really idk how ambient this was????? i was expecting some brian eno shit
Huh.
D Xtal 2 Tha 1 Pulsewidth 2 Ageispolis 2 I 1 Green Calx 1 Heliosphan 2 We Are The Music Makers 2 Schottkey 7th Path 1 Ptolemy 2 Hedphelym 1 Delphium 1 Actium 1 Utter garbage.
Selected Ambient Works indeed. It does its job as advertised.
Ethereal background music
Aphex twin es un DJ y compositor de música electrónica muy conocido, lo suficiente como para que le conozca cuando no me agrada nada este género. Dicho esto, el disco ni me da ni me quita. Aún así concuerdo que es un disco imprescindible en esta lista.
Great work!
More ambient BS 🥱😴
the only album my da ever forbade me from playing on the stereo because 'it's not real music, it's just noise, it's doing me head in, would you not just put on some of them radiohead lads again, at least there's a bit of a melody in their stuff' Love you da but there’s more to music than the Fureys
Finally an electronic music album that explores tempo and texture. Each song tells a sonic story rather than pummeling you with repetative rythyms.
aciiieeeeeddd
Much of it sounds like background music for the Discovery Channel show How Its Made.
Not my shit.
Sure
Really enjoyed this one.
Just ok cuber cafe music.
This is some pretty good lofi music
Great sounds. Standouts: Tha, Heliosphan, Ageispolis, Pulsewidth 4/5
AWESOME!!!!!!
This is just ambient music, so if you’re into that this is great
Maybe this stuff was interesting or innovative in the cultural and artistic hellscape that was the 90s. Here in 2024, it’s just boring noises.
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. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Don't know who they are and I don't care. I will not be listening to them ever again. This was a truly ghastly record and should have never been allowed to see the light of day. Was a waste of my time
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.
Thought I wouldn’t like this much but I did. Not sure what they mean by ‘ambient’ because some songs definitely bring your attention. Brand new artist, never heard the name. I could see listening again, at least in the background. Favorites: Xtal, Ageispolis, Delphium Least favorite: Green calx
Nice to come back and meet this. I'd give this six out of five stars every day of the week. By coincidence, I've been listening to an IDM essentials playlist on Spotify, and was idly musing to myself yesterday that one out of every four songs seems to be courtesy of Apex or derivatives therein (Polygon Window, for example.) Let's ignore the presumptions, both loaded and imagined, behind the name, and acknowledge a basic fact: whatever the IDM label represents, it exists (not "it was created") thanks to this album. Up there with In A Silent Way, the Breaking and Entering OST, Music Has The Right To Children, and 76:14 as the albums I'd give my first born away in order to keep. (My first born is 17. If you knew him, you'll understand that this isn't quite as drastic as it sounds :)
Ich wußte garnicht wie geile smoothe Ambient Sachen er gemacht hat
Yes. I will be buying this album next trip to the record store.
I have listened to aphex twin before, by favourite song being prob QKThr and some other songs here and there, otherwise this specific album wasn’t something i would listen to really, but it was cool otherwise. I have listened to a lot of the song in the album before and even recommended this to my Pa.
Some interesting sounds but didn't get hooked
Welcome to the JetBlue lounge
Loved it. Girlfriend also enjoyed it a lot. Really forward sounding considering these were produced and recorded from 1985-92 (if it were to be believed — a question we must ask ourselves when it comes to Aphex Twin). The combination of the melodies and the ambient sounds gave it a really futuristic feel, sort of something one would find during the early to mid 00's. (I'm most reminded of cellphone ringtones). Fun, great, unique, varied, forward-thinking.
It looks like this was quite a divisive one, but I really enjoy this album and put it on regularly. It might be one for Aphex Twin fans as it’s so interesting to hear the origins of his style. Richard James was born in 71 so he must’ve made some of these tracks when he was 14, which to me shows how he has a unique talent in making music.
2. Not for me, it just blended into the background and I almost forgot it was playing.
classic
Uih - Industrial… -> please give me other stuff. Thanx :-)
Do not like
(Mai ascoltato prima) Super figo, mind blowing, sound super interessanti che mi fanno venire voglia di creare qualcosa.
Good!
top
5/10
Not my music
Wasn't that crazy about this one. Music a little too aggressive for passive listening but too boring for active listening. 7-9 minute runtimes on songs that said all they're going to say in the first minute. Maybe this was popularized at dance clubs or something.
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.
It's actually a decent record for background and dance vibes of some sort
4.25
Noooi
the foundation for an excellent electronic album is here, but then absolutely nothing is done with it. it is truly designed to be ambient music, so there is nothing notable about it. this album is designed to be nothing, so my rating will give it the same
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
Modernist background music. Nothing to hook and bring you back.
Rhythm and robots Strobe light pool party all night Set program to dance
1. ztal - 1.5 2. tha - 1 3. pulzeuuidth - 0 4. ageizpoliz - 0 5. I - 1 6. green calz - 1 7. heliozphan - 1 8. uue are the muzic - 0 9. 7th path - 0 10. ptolemy - 1 11. hedphelym - 1 12. delphium - 0 13. actium - 0
# 150 : Can't Listen - don't like it - Just the name of it sounds bad…. Another long and drawn out piece of BORING elevator music.
Aphex Twin's influence on electronic music is such that anyone just picking up this record today in 2023 might not realize how special this album really was in 1992, because everything today sounds like this album. But it sounds that way because Aphex Twin showed the way to getting to this sound. It is not an exaggeration to say that after Kraftwerk, that one of the next huge leaps forward was Aphex Twin.
Noise
One of the albums that got me "out" of EDM. 4 stars
Art Of Noise was good. This was just annoying to me.
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.
I am a fan of ambient, chill electronic music and rhis hits the spot. I know there are many who dislike this album but, if you share an interest with what I descrribed, I recommend at least a listen! I liked almost every track! Favorite Song(s): "Pulsewidth", "Green Calx", "Xtal"
Not music; ambient sound
It was nice to have it on in the background while working and I definitely remember hearing some nice sounds here and there, but overall not particularly memorable for me.
Meh. Not my fave.
Great songs to work to. Writing an essay, doing assignments, taking a quiz…I really enjoyed this.
I like ambient electronic but some of the earlier tracks just bored me. I liked Green Calx though
This is what happens when a Salvador Dali painting makes sound.
Looking through the reviews on this website, it seems people are broadly split into two camps on this album, one of the more controversial that I've received so far in this experiment. On the one hand, you have the people gob smacked that an album of "elevator music," boring beats, ambient noises, somehow made the list of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Leave This Plane Of Being. On the other hand, you have people who are enraptured by the beauty of these floating synth melodies; these sparse, driving beats; the ethereal samples that come in like they were beamed from another planet. You have the people who recognize that this is one of the most monumental albums of the 90s, nay, 20th century music. You might be able to guess that I am in the latter camp. And we are the dreamers of dreams.
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.
Perfekt
This was actually really cool to discover.
didn't finish all but like it so far
Seiner Zeit vorraus
Didn't like
Yeah, no
I'd need to listen to this album a few times to properly rate it. I liked 'Tha' and Heliosphan but not into tracks like Pulsewidth or Greencalx. A 3 for the moment, but potential for a 4
This is the first techno album I've heard and actually liked. Not great, but nice and somewhat fascinating.
It was chill
Thank you, inventor of music
Not always a fan of ambient music but this hits
Really tried to like this album - also back in 1993 … but I don’t know what it is .. I just think this is lounge music…
Dieses Album führt den Hörer in ein spannendes Ambiente aus Trance, Techno und Synthy. Es ist ein ausgewogenes Werk aus verschieden Facetten, die jedoch leider manchmal ins Schrille abschweifen. Eine Wiedererkennung einzelner Songs drängt sich nicht auf. Gib mir Sonne, einen Strand und einen Cocktail.. dann ist dies ein passendes Werk.
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.
Easily a great as far as 90s electronic music goes, and I feel like it still holds up remarkably well 30 years on. Some of it more than others perhaps, I still feel it deserves a 5 though. Xtal is a truly beautiful song, and there's definitely more here to love.
They're nice, but I don't think I'd ever feel like putting this on
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.
1+
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.
Going in nervous. I appreciate this band, but they can be a little intense. Ok, I take it back. This has been great. Might be their most listenable album. Ambient is the correct descriptor. It’s upbeat, easy to keep in the background, easy to work to. Honestly, I am really enjoying this album. Another nice surprise off this list. Me likey.
different
Lovely electronic tunes
I found it a bit boring, I know that's probably an ignorant thing to say but it didn't do it for me
Мне понравилось. Очень хороший вариант для фоновой музыки во время учебы.
cool music. bad trip.
Putting aside the fact that I’m not really sure a lot of this classifies as “ambient” music - some of it is very busy and attention grabbing rather than something that hangs in the ethereal back drop - I like this record, always have, especially the tracks that are on the more ambient side.
Genius. Beautiful
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 feel I’m wasting hours of my life listening to god awful albums like this one. NEXT!
its good. maybe I was not totally on the mood for something like this but I can say I enjoyed it
Not a fan. Industrial Anya with no cohesion.
Not my jam. Could hear how it's influenced modern electronic but the songs never seemed to hit the part I would like.
How can you be offended by ambient? Good background music. I folded laundry.
Not mine
Intressant. Inte likt något jag lyssnat på förut. Skön bakgrunds musik.
What’s the deal with twins making music I don’t like? (Cocteau Twins comes to mind) It doesn’t help that this album shortly followed Fatboy Slim, so my tolerance for 90s electronic music was already low. I found this to be another slog of beeps and boops that went on for far too long. It’s very forgettable ambient music, I don’t even understand how people could dance to it in da clurb. The only track I found myself enjoying was “Ptolemy” cause it had a nice beat to it, the rest really all just blurred together. I just don’t think this kind of music is my cup of tea. I also have an irrational dislike of Aphex Twin because of the spooky smiling guy on most of the album covers. It was an uphill battle to win me over, and this did not.
Stone classic. Infinitely re-listenable. Groundbreaking.
Background music? 1.77.
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
Hedphelym too scary
really boring :(
Next 5 songs played by my Spotify Algorithm: Tim Hecker - Next Flight to Your Heart Pt. 2 Boards of Canada - Kaini Industries Nathan Fake - Bawsey Casino Versus Japan - Trad Valecido Floating Points - Falaise
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
This album brings to mind a question I have thought about but never posed. Does every genre require representation in this book? Maybe there is just not an electronica or ambient album that must be heard before I die. It doesn't mean electronica is a sub-par genre, but there are just no albums you have to hear before you die. Harry Belafonte isn't in this book and many of my favorite artists aren't in this book. Does that mean they stink? No, it just means there is not an album of material by that artist which should be heard. The same could go for a genre. Ambient electronica may just not have an album of material that must be heard. I miss shopping at American Eagle too, but that doesn't mean the music should be in this book. I give it two stars because it's not bad, but not my thing.
I liked it! Very cool sounds!
I will freely admit that I got into the electronic music craze that hit in the mid to late 90s. I may have gone to clubs that were playing songs by The Chemical Brothers and The Crystal Method. I may have owned some Prodigy albums and a visor. I may have surfed through CD bins for compilations of electronic music that featured Aphex Twin. At the time I got into electronica, it was clear that Richard James had established himself as an important figure on the club circuit, but I had no idea that his footprint went back this far in time. I think some people could listen to this album and argue that there is no variety to electronic music. But I am more impressed at how influential this guy had been for so long. Now electronic music’s DNA is in everything from Taylor Swift to LCD Soundsystem. Despite the terrifying album covers, the rest of the catalog is also worth a listen. This was enjoyable, but I prefer grown up Aphex Twin. Still - pretty cool to see the blueprints here.
So tired of electronic music selections.
The best. Just the absolute best.
I thought this felt aimless and too dull. I can’t see how it would be 1 of the 1001 albums to listen to before you die.
Don’t see the appeal whatsoever except as a movie soundtrack. Doesn’t stand on its own one bit in my opinion.
uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha uncha one star.
Interesting background music but I don't think I would ever choose to spin this
Not perfect but feels wrong not to give it a 5. Changed my brain when I first heard it
I liked it.
What more can I say?
Grooves.
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.
mild anxiety inducer - should be played at a modern art gallery
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.
Thought I would like it. But it didn’t do much for me.
Uhhhhhh, it’s just computer music.
This was Ambient and I did listen to it at work?
Bops on top of bops, blips, bleeps, and boops. How does one rate something like this? I do not know enough about the genre to appreciate the craft to the level that I feel confident appraising this thing fully. I liked it!
I'm sure this album pushed many boundaries when it came out, for electronic music and music as a whole. It's just not for me.
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.
Интересно, как я пришла к электронной музыке и эмбиенту в частности. Я все еще не понимаю, как рейвить под эмбиент, но пространно чиллить дома, на пляже или в другом приятном месте - супер. После школы маскелиаде, естественно, узнала про aphex twin и каково было их значение в электронной музыке. Но никогда не слушала альбом. Однозначный лайк, три или четыре трека теперь в избранном.
chill background music fav: pulsewidth
I like it but I don't love it.
Música ambiental electrónica. Agradable, pero ni fu ni fa.
Ambient techno.