Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Noodly
we are the music makers. and we are the queefers of queefs.
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
Standout track- Xtal
It's fine, I'm not big on electronica.
3.5
oh yeah this is good
Decent. Have to be in the mood to listen to it. It's also too long but it does make for some good background music. Best played at night while walking around a cosmopolitan city at night.
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
I'm very much surprised. I know and like Aphex Twin from songs like Come To Daddy, or whatever his other good songs are named. But I've never heard of his ambient work and I wish it would remain this way forever. Is it revolutionary? Maybe at the time, I'm not historian to say that. But is it nice to listen to right now, in 21st century? Not even in the slightest. What I remember from this album is a constant stomach ache from those beautiful tracks. So just let me forget it and move one to next one.
Really enjoyed this album, added to my frequent rotation, especially for when I’m working, ideal background music.
92' electronic. okay. I know John super loves this band. I'm familiar with them but haven't ever really listened to them much. So far it's been nice background music. Track 4 just started. Ageispolis. It's the tune that Die Antwoord stole for their Ugly Boy song. Meh, it was okay. I'll give it a 3
Very repetitive, love this type of stuff but this just went on and on.
meh
Trance that is listenable and occasionally entertaining. You have to critique based on when this was created to fully appreciate Aphex Twin's groundbreaking role in techno.
¿?
Trippy
Some tracks are interesting, some are unbelievably boring, and it seems like they alternate the whole album, making it not find its rhythm. 2.5/5 Won’t listen again.
Loved this album. Perfect to play at a party in the background or just to study with.
I love this thing. First listened to it a while back and it has stuck with me since, and I’m glad I revisited it here! Not a single bad track on here for me. A classic for the ages!
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.
Not my favorite ambient music. Most of it sounded like they didn't know how to end the song. Aphex twins are better with there heavier sound.
I did not enjoy this, but I could have enjoyed it less
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
Every so often I discover an album that changes my perception of what music could be. This was one of those, a techno record that aims on being hazy, nostalgic, and calming. Yes, there's energy and excitement, which is what sets it apart from other ambient or New Age records, but the sci-fi elements give it a very alien feel, as if this music didn't come from Earth. It's unique and offers plenty of memorable tracks that take their time and never feel rushed. By far, the highlight though is the incredible production. I'm not sure how to describe it, but there are so many layers to the songs that it feels like they occupy a three-dimensional space. As in, some effects are subtle, quiet, and barely noticeable, others are a constant, clear prescence, and others just randomly come out of nowhere, like the bass in "Ageispolis" blowing up my subwoofer. Meanwhile, you have "Green Calx" with beautiful tones in the background but all these hard goopey noises and cartoon effects that come out of nowhere, forming this strange but welcoming dynamic. Or "Schottkey 7th Path" that sounds like some massive chasm. There's the fear-inducing "Hedphelym" that sounds it was recorded in the creepy basement undearneath a club. Every track is memorable and I wouldn't cut anything. This is one of those safe albums I return to when I'm looking to chill and vibe. And when I'm in that state of mind and mood, let the sounds fill my imagination.
JEES tällästä paskaa LISÄÄ.. hallinnoitsijat kuulolle.. mahtavaa elektroniikka pliip ploop ei osata edes instrumentteja soittaaesque musiikkia.. maltilla odotan osia 1-84 sekä 93+.... rohkeasti vaan näitä lisää liukuhihnalle. made in 1992 and it still sounds like its from the 70's...incredible...the human mind is incredible... we are the music makers
Human music! I like it
This was just ok barely. Later works by this artist spark more interest
I feel a certain level of detachment to this album. No matter how many times I listen to it, and I’ve listened to it many times over the years, it always feels distant and leaves me cold. There’s an overriding sense that I’m missing something, that I should like this more than I actually do.
I heard someone say it's something you'd listen to if you didn't want music and didn't want silence and that does a good job summing it up. A publication said this was the BEST album of the 90s and that is so far from the truth.
If you didn’t like this one, don’t give up on Aphex Twin, he actually has better stuff. I don’t like this album particularly much myself
finally a good electronica album... omfg it's soooo good
I am familiar with Aphex Twin and have listened to their music before, but I don't remember much about them. This sounds like songs that would be ambient music in the Matrix trilogy. They aren't bad because of that. They are actually quite good, but there isn't anything that is sticking for me. This is like the music from SpongeBob that Mr. Krabbs was trying to request on the radio. A strong 3/5
Boring
I know it’s considered amazing and classic and groundbreaking but it’s just dull to my ears. Ambient techno does NOTHING for me or too me. Maybe if I was a robot in 1993 I’d find this amazing, but even the robots now would likely find this too simplistic. Sorry not sorry.
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?
This album screams Call Me By Your Name. It blends in with whatever you're doing, you lose track of time (in a bad way), and is genuinely forgettable. Good studying music though, I gotta give it that.
I listened to this while driving home at night in cool summer air and while high and those were probably the two best ways to enjoy this album. I’ve been looking forward to this one because it’s widely regarded as the best ambient album and it’s a genre I was never that into. Fortunately, It was by far the best non-jazz ambient album I’ve ever heard. The tracks kept me engaged for the whole length and I didn’t get tired of them by the end, which is exceedingly rare for me in this genre. I needed up listening to this most of the day and I realized that it’s not an album to listen to for 70 minutes straight; it’s something you reliably use whenever you need it for as long as you need it and it’s perfect for any situation from walks to sleeping to driving to doing drugs.
Background music, nothing grabbed my attention. Nothing wrong with it, simply didn't connect.
sounds like bad club music
I put this one off for 100 albums because I already knew it. It is important for the shifting of the ambient genre beyond Brian Eno into a more electronic space. It's not bad, but it can be hard to work through on its' own. It's really excellent background music, and allows some of its' better moments to catch you off guard and shine
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.
Half hold music, and half the background music after you finish a race in F Zero and you're looking at the results. Didn't get anything out of this, but to be fair I'm listening in a context that doesn't suit it (eagerly awaiting a new Greatest Album every day). Dunno why it's on the list though. On the bright side it didn't distract me from my admin!
I’ve had a really mixed reaction to the ambient stuff on here I’ve found myself enjoying the work of Eno enormously but not being able to abide the bleepy bloops of Orbital This falls somewhere in the middle but on the lower end of it It’s not without its charm but there’s not a lot that I would want to revisit I probably end up as a high 2 but it could be a low 3
GRAAAAH I LOVE RICHARD D JAMES Favorite Tracks: Xtal, Pulsewidth, We Are the Music Makers, Ptolemy 5/5
Xtal- 4/5 Tha-3.5/5 Pulsewidth- 4.1/5 Ageispolis- 3.3/5 i- 4.5/5 Green Calx- 4.3/5 Heliosphan- 2.8/5 We Are the Music Makers- 3.3/5 Schottkey 7th Path- 3.6/5 Ptolemy- 3.9/5 Hedphelym- 3.4/5 Delphium- 3.9/5 Actium- 3.1/5 Total- 3.7/5
This is great to chill out to. At times reminds me of Stranger things. But also sometimes a tough listen on its own.
Yep I can vibe with it
A 3 rating has a very broad definition for me.
Um.
Quite nice in the background or for just spacing out.
without knowing the chronology, the earliest-sounding (or at least the most 80ish) track is "Delphium" Sometimes pretty, sometimes spooky (Hedphelym), as it stands I think I appreciate it more than the Moby album from this list but less than the Boards of Canada one. Definitely won't try listening to this on the bus again, but I think it might be valuable for writing/studying to in the future. HL: “Xtal”, “Heliosphan”, “Hedphelym”, “Ageispolis” July 4, 2023
Every person I know who loves Aphex Twin suffers from crippling migraines. These two things may not be unrelated.
Meh! Fine as elevator music but I'm not sure why I would choose to listen to this, it's just background sound.
🛌
Ambient is ok. Doesn’t bother me but doesn’t really make much of an impact either. This was good as far as ambient goes. 3 stars.
Once again, this project serves up an album that I almost undoubtedly would not hear elsewhere, and for that, I am deeply grateful. This album's style of music is one that I so rarely encounter, and it's fantastic. I know so little about how this kind of music is made, but next week I'm starting a course in recording technology (I'm in Berklee Online's undergrad program, just taking a course or two per session, and I absolutely love it) and I have a feeling I'll begin to gain at least an entry-level understanding. As a listening experience, I think this album is excellent.
aem... okay(?)
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.
Cool
Acid come down memories. 30 years on I still love this glitchy masterpiece and the fact that listening to it came still relax me or put me on edge. A work of genius
I wonder if any songs didn’t make the cut because they were too engaging? I’ve never been a huge fan of Aphex Twin, although a lot of my “smart” friends seem to love him. Either boring or unpleasantly aggressive. I officially don’t get it.
a somewhat austere ambient edm-style album for your inner hipster. music for doing chores and calculus homework. 3.75/5
It's alright. A bit boring at points, but enjoyable as well. It was probably impressive at the time, and it still sounds pretty clean now. It's longer than I'd like it to be, but oh well. My favourite song was probably Pulsewidth, if I remember correctly.
I know a guy who has this tattooed on him...
well it is what it says on the tin - ambient music. which is fine but not what i'm here for.
It has its niche uses, like background music for working, but not much outside of that
I still hear SAW85-92 everywhere today. And even still, this source material to that influence sounds every bit as original 30 years later. The fact that Richard James put together some of these songs as early as 1985, when he was just 14 years old with homemade instruments and while holed up in the Irish countryside, is astounding. It inflates the mythos around this artist and this album to make it the pioneering work in electronic music that it has become. 5 stars.
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
best album of all time
Is this like the background music for The Sims or something? I'm going to get medieval on someone if this fucks up my Spotify algorithm.
This was an alright album. I didn't dislike anything on it but I like other Aphex Twin music more. I just found it kind of boring and more of background music than anything, so not a lot stood out to me. Not bad at all, just not great either. Standout Tracks: Xtal, Pulsewidth, Heliosphan
What just happened?
Yes aphex twin
Eerste studioalbum van de Britse house / dance DJ Aphex Twin, opgenomen over een periode van 1985 tot 1992. Tracklist bestaat uit instrumentale ambient muziek met af en toe een sample. Misschien leuk op raves, maar niet interessant verder. leukste nummer: I Richard James (de echte naam van Aphex Twin) was 14 toen hij begon met de opnames. Het verhaal gaat dat deel van de muziek is opgenomen op een simpele cassette beschadigd door zijn kat.
This caught me on the right day. I could see this getting a bit irksome but I was in need of some mindless background ambience. Still too long.
Just ambient music and background noise. I usually like Aphex Twin but this was a dud for me.
I've been a big fan of Aphex Twin for a long time. This album was good to listen to in full. I found it hard to pinpoint a particular track that I liked since I enjoyed the whole lot.
Outrageous that this is on the list rather than SAW II - I shall correct that by talking about SAW II instead. In my early teens, at the start of properly getting into music, and deep in the grip of "only metal" puritanism, I encountered a copy of SAW II at a friend's house - it belonged to his elder brother who wasn't around that day, so it existed as an artifact apparently portalled in from an alternate dimension. No explanatory text anywhere, no track listing - unless the weird symbols on the disks corresponded to the extremely abstract textural photographs on the inlay booklet? I was entranced! Never seen something so alien! SAW II is to albums as the Codex Seraphinianus is to books! Anyway, SAW 85-92 is probably only a 4 star album, but I'm giving it a bump in honor of SAW II, and ambient electronica in general. Fave track - I liked the pounding "Schottkey 7th Path" this time around. DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF
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.
For both how much I enjoyed it and how much I think this impacted other artists and genres I enjoy
This is a near perfect electronic album to me. Really great for music in the background while working.
I’m really not into electronic music. That said I am not the best person to speak on the merits of this album. That said this is a weird but unique listening experience even if I didn’t particularly care for it.
2.5
Background noise.
I was a little leery of the description but this was nice to just chill to in the background
I guess this could work as background music.
Enjoyable music for working
Not much to this. No idea why it is important.
don't love it. could be cool for background music but would not just listen to it casually
I mean, it’s fine.
Yawn
Brilliant. One of the first touchstones in electronica. Still sounds as amazing today as it must have in 92 (this was hard to get back in the day). Ambient music was not just sleepy chill at home music at the time, but could easily be played at the Rave. This album shows that. Brilliant stuff, hard to believe it came out in 92 and that some of it was recorded as early as 85 and all in his bedroom long before computers made it really easy. A revolutionary album on many fronts.
5 stars, amazing record.
Holds up pretty well as an ambient album
C'est long. Pour le coup, c'est vraiment de l'ambiant. Heliosphan est pas mal mais sinon c'est plutôt un bruit de fond.
👍👍
⭐️ 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:
I mean, it's what it says on the tin: ambient. There are some grooves on here, but I assume the author had heard Aphex Twin was an important figure and went with this record. It's not nearly as challenging as some of his later stuff, as someone who only knows him in passing, but it's pleasant enough when it's on. Spots sound a little dated, while other spots still sound fresh. Favorite tracks: "Tha", "Xtal"
Decent background music for getting work done. Much better than some of the other electronic albums on the list.
i keep returning to this album thinking there’s got to be more in it but maybe it’s just mildly diverting background music
- Good ambient background music - Easy to get lost in
- there’s probably a time for this vibe, like being zooted and dancing - there were a few moments I enjoyed
Creative an varied, spacious, innovative auditory landscapes. A real mood setter and masterpiece
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.
This album introduced me to ambient music.
hallucinations from a warm grotto 2.8
Just listen to it. A classic
It's ambient
This was fine, I suppose. I had a moment of amusement when I recognized "Ageispolis," which was sampled by Die Antwoord on "Ugly Boy," but I found this album a little puzzling. I felt like it was too ambient to command my attention, yet had too much of a beat to be truly ambient. I guess I'm rounding up from 2.5 stars.
Fits in nicely with what I've been listening to lately.
really ambient but really really repetitive. maybe good focusing music but at the moment kinda makes me uneasy.
Oh no, not some more fucking electronica. Have I not suffered enough listening to this garbage already? With an album title like that, I am not optimistic of the contents of this record. Apparently everyone sweats Richard D. James (and this record in particular) because, as the name suggests, this is a subset of music he wrote between 1985 and 1992, meaning the earlier songs would have been written when he was 14 years old. Ok, that's cool, but it's not like he wrote a fucking symphony at that age. He pushed some buttons and spliced soundbytes together. Anyways, on to the record. As I thought, this is the dullest, most bland elevator music imaginable overlaid with a strong drum beat. I will give Aphex Twin props, at least it has a beat, unlike some other electronica I've listened to on this generator. So, one can infer that, at 14 Richard was smarter than some of these "artists" in this genre, so good for him!! The spacey sounds that most of these strung out bastards seem to enjoy are alive and well on this record. Green Calx sounds like aliens who are involved in a gun fight with all the laser noises and boops and beeps. This shit lulls you into a trance. As background music it gets a pass, but to sit and focus on this would be almost impossible. 9 minute songs where they establish a beat, then nothing else happens, just repeat the same beat loop 500 times and call that a song. Awful. I wish I knew why electronica artists as a group decided to make their shitty records over an hour long. I don't want to listen to this shit for 10 minutes, let alone an hour. Listening to gorilla's bang would be audibly better than this album. Favourite songs: Pulsewidth Least favourite songs: Hedphelym.... Probably others as well, but it all ran together into a boring mess that I've already forgotten about. 1/5
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.
The ‘Ambient Works’ title was accurate. I’m not huge on electronic tunes but this sound fit my vibe well - great as background noise while working. It would probably be good in a cocktail bar or when you’re on hold too. I don’t know if that is a compliment, but I don’t necessarily mean it in a bad way. 😂 I just don’t think I’d like it if I was solely focused on what was playing through my headphones. It feels like it’s meant to play alongside your life, rather than define it, if that makes sense.
Bits of the album probably bring it down to more of a 4.5/5 but the DNA of this album has had a massive impact on my tastes, and my life really (I work with synths all day). Always good to revisit.
ok. too much beat but good sounds
this was OK as background music, but not really my thing. i did find my head nodding a long now and then
I feel like this what super Hans from peep show would listen to with Jeremy
Excellent classic electronica. Wide variety of beats and moods. Fun to hear some stuff that ends up getting sampled by others later. Also makes me want to listen to some Orbital...
perfekt att plugga till
I’ve always heard good things about Aphex Twin but I found myself a bit underwhelmed by this record. Overrated or is the later stuff better?
So how do I judge this music? It does what it sets out to do... be ambient music you can put on in the background and forget about. Does that make it good? I enjoyed it a lot since it faded in the background as I worked, but that's not really but I'm looking for in most of my music listening. So it suffers from that. It's also quite boring musically which is the point.
I really like this album. Classic IDM/ambient house and techno. Standout tracks are Xtal, Tha, Pulsewidth, Ageispolis, Heliospan, We Are the Music Makers, Schottkey 7th Path, Ptolemy, Hedphelym, Delphium & Actium
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 only things I knew about Aphex Twin going into this: - the album cover where the guy makes that creepy face - they have a song where the only lyrics are "I want to steal your soul, I want to eat your soul, come to daddy" But this was, as title tried to warn me, just ambient music. It's fine. I have no desire to listen to it ever again. I would give it a courtesy 3/5 because it's just not my genre and it's clearly well made, but I need to knock off a point for the disappointment of it not being quirky weirdo music for quirky weirdos.
4.7/5
Obviously 5 stars for one of the best electronic albums ever made (but note that the 1001 list has an extremely narrow range when it comes to electronic music).
Great album. Very chill and relaxing, but also has the grooves to keep it interesting.
The sort of electronic music that I can appreciate.
Meh, didn't mind 1 song of it but the whole album was a little much for me
Great atmosphere to these, had a good time with it
Big beats are the best. But these are sort of small beats and are okay. Very chill. Fades into the background but is called selected ambient works so is that good?
3.5 stars. Electronica that is really solid ambient music. No lyrics but ethereal sound draws you in.
Elsker, som den mandemanipulator jeg er :))))
Electronic and ambient to be sure. Not really for me but can understand why it is highly regarded.
It's ambient music. I'm not sure what made these works worthy of selection over others. Set a nice, if not bland ambience. 2 beeps out of 5 boops 〰️〰️
I can recognize that there is some incredible craftsmanship in the songs on this album. Xtal didn't really do it for me, but "Tha" is incredible. I think the songs that do more with less work best for my own sensibilities in this particular genre. The beats are incredible though, very good. Pulsewidth has incredible moments, but some lulls stop it from being great. Heliospan has some incredible sections, but also doesn't really manage to stick the landing for me. Overall, good stuff, but not for me.
Slightly better than ambient works 1/music for elevators.
Loistavaa tunnelmallista elektronista musiikkia. Vähän ambientmaista mutta kuitenkin enemmän rytmistä
From a fourteen year old prodigy to a twenty-one year old genius, these selected ambient works were, and remains, the perfect distillation of the essence of this multi-pseudonym phenom of electronic music. One of the many building blocks that holds together the current robust state and legacy of the genre that has informed and influenced many that has come its way, it is hard to imagine what the DNA would be like had this album not been compiled and sent out to the world. Good thing we've been hanging on tight in this wild rollercoaster ride for these last thirty years. We've all come to Daddy.
Background tunes
already heard but i was distracted. it was alright
An exhausted looking group of people sits around a large conference room table. Cheesburger wrappers, paper coffee cups, and stack after stack of glossy album art cover every inch. A balding man wearily pushes his chair away and stands. Rubbing his temples, he bellows, "Goddammit, one more! One fucking more and we can all go home!" He slumps back into his chair, hands covering his face, and pleads, "Please tell me somebody's got something." He looks into the eyes of the others around the table. From each, his gaze is returned with the thousand yard stare of someone that has endured an experience so horrific that it can never be spoken of again. But the death march is not over and no one offers to take the final step. His forehead hits the table with a limp thunk. The conference room door opens and the intern enters with more bad coffee. "Who needs cream and sugar?" A resonant 'bing' signals the arrival of the elevator. The doors slide open and the cleaning crew piles out to begin their nightly chores. The manager's ears prick up a hunting dog that's heard the rustling of game in the underbrush. He points excitedly in the direction of the people exiting the elevator. "That's it! We're saved! That's 1001!" And that's how this album of elevator music got included on this list.
Beep boop bop
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.
Mun nuoruudessa vain coolit animaatio-opiskelijat kuunteli Aphex Twiniä (ja mä en ollut animaatio-opiskelija enkä varmaan kovin coolikaan), mutta onhan tämä kaunista.
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.
Tätä on vaikea kuvailla sanoin. Kuin jokin puuttuva palanen mielen syövereistä. Kuuntelemalla kaikki loksahtaa kohdalleen.
Ah mikä nautinto! Suorastaan upottavaa konemusaa genrensä mestarilta. 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!
Good
Did not expect this genre of music to be on the list. Quite enjoyed 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
This is noise.
Nicht mehr als „nett“.
I actually really like this one, 4.5
I respect it for the impact it has had
hardly 'ambient' in the sense i expected. too much going on without there being anything to really grab you and take you deeper
A good one to apply me newly developed ambient/psy/experimental electronica rating check which I formally dubbed the Doof Decision; that is, would I stop if I were to walk past this going off in the psy trance tent. Answer - yes. Result - 5 stars.
Not my thing, a bit too trancey for my taste.
Selected Ambient Works 85–92 is the debut album by Aphex Twin, the pseudonym of British electronic musician Richard D. James. This ambient techno album contains psychedelic, experimental electronic musical work from 1985-1992. At release, this album received critical acclaim and earned an underground reputation. It is described as an electronica classic, for bringing techno to the mainstream through its beautiful, ambient soundscapes. I really loved this album and will be trying to listen to more from the artist.
3.7 - I can see why this album was a sensation in 1992. I appreciate the ambient elements and some impressive layering of sound, but I suspect this is another "you had to be there" record.
trippy, clearly ahead of its time, kid a vibes. some cool moments, but not into techno. 2/5
Good but ultimately boring.
Definitely not for me. The only ambient I want is from its originators.
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
Niet verkeerd, maar te langdradig
Wtf is this shit
Interesting without being amazing
A classic album of electronica. It still sounds as fresh and as futuristic as it was in 1992. Amazing.
Didn't really enjoy this. Really fades to the background due to the repetition of all elements. Doesn't really stand out.
Nice ambient techno. Has a bit of a lull halfway through but it picks up steam again toward the end. I probably won’t do the entire album from A to Z again, but I can definitely see myself putting on the final five or so tracks and letting the algorithm take it from there.
Cool for like 5 songs, after that it becomes pretty boring background music
I could listen to this all day, very chill
Has some cool elements but as an entire album it felt like a bit of a chore.
The 1001 albums app made a mistake: the album's title should here read: "Selected Ambient Works *Volume II*". That's the one that's a keeper, even if the first volume is quite an interesting release in itself for all fans of EDM/IDM (especially because of its three highlights "Xtal", "Tha" and "Heliosphan"). So, yes, *85-92* is fine. But out of the two volumes, the second one fares better as an integral and complete artistic statement. In fact, its dark and mesmerizing experimental sounds haven't aged a day. That's where you recognize a true masterpiece in the electronic genre. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selected_Ambient_Works_Volume_II Number of albums left to review: 670 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 161 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 76 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 93
Good background music when working but would not go out of my way to listen to again
Didn’t hate it, didn’t like it. Never been into Aphex Twin or most electronica, and this one didn’t change my mind.
Tja, je koopt een computer en je moet er wat mee. De een gaat een Hartenjagen-spel programmeren, een ander zet z'n postzegelverzameling erin, en een derde gaat heel langdradig uitgesponnen ambient-hotseflots-techno maken. Leuk hoor, maar boeiend is anders. Men had bij de selectie 85-92 toch wat strenger moeten zijn. (Luistertip: speel deze plaat af en zet tegelijk een oude cabaretplaat op, van Wim Kan of zo. Gaat prima samen en verhoogt het luisterplezier van beide aanzienlijk!)
Ik ben fan van elektronische muziek, maar dan wel het minste van ambient. Je kan er niet zoveel goed of slecht mee doen. Het is vaak prima op de achtergrond en verder springt er weinig uit. Dat geldt ook zeker voor deze variant. En dan geldt voor mij de standaard bij platen met een continue kwaliteit, maar weinig extra's: 3 sterren. Los van de waardering van de plaat, veel kudos voor de inspiratie die AT anderen heeft geleverd, met deze plaat, maar ook met later werk.
Wel interessant om dit te luisteren. Je hoort nog de jaren 70 en 80 synthesizer invloeden van de Mike Oldfield en Jean Michel Jarre, maar ook de house van de jaren 90 die hier op voortborduurt. Het is niet iets wat ik veel vaker op zou zetten, maar het stoort me totaal niet terwijl ik aan het werk ben. Prima achtergrondmuziek.
Electronica is not my forte. I liked what I heard, but at the same time, nothing really stuck out to me. Would be great for background music though. That being said, not something I would actively seek out.
Hmmm. Doesn’t hold up well in 2023 when finding atmospheric/ambient works is easy-peasy. But I imagine this would have stood out in the late 80s.
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)
I don't know the genre enough to know if this is groundbreaking, but it's not terrible. Perhaps I am jaded of its imitators?
I don't know. It's obviously influential and creative, but I just can't get into it.
Solid album and one I had never heard before.
First time I have listened to Aphex Twin - I really enjoyed this album.
Not my genre really
This is not worse than the other electronica albums I've heard on this list so far, but it's still a whole bunch of nothing, really. I spent over an hour listening to it but absolutely nothing stuck out about it. It's like listening to a microwave humming for 74 minutes - after a while the sound just gets drowned out and forgotten.
I think maybe I get electronic music now? This thing is alive. Morphing, molting, evolving before your very eyes/ears. A massive collection of music that never once drags. A gargantuan feat.
Ambient perfection
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
It’s not bad- it is as described: ambient background noise. Gave me an unreal feeling of being a sims character whilst listening and going about my day
The album was as titled, ambient. It was definitely a good vibe to have on in the background while working.
You know what ambient music doesn’t need? A lot of bass.
Nice reminder that I have like this group in the past.
Ok
Richard D James wants you to listen again
Je peux apprécier les ambiances et les textures, mais ce n'est pas un genre de musique que j'affectionne particulièrement. Je suis contente d'avoir découvert autre chose, sans plus.
Great ambient tracks to work to
It was fine to work with in the background, I guess, but it still felt extremely boring to me
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.
Revolutionary for its time, but it's rather generic and boring when viewed from today's perspective. Excellent as ambient music but not so much when listened carefully.
.....
Als achtergrondmuziek is dit best oké
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
entretenido, de fondo también lo llevé, estuvo bien
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?
👎
This was a better listen than I expected. I remember Aphex Twin being huge with my druggier, less boozy friends back in the day. Turns out they were on to something.
Issa vibe, mang.
An hour and thirteen minutes of background music. Why are there so many electronica albums in this experiment
Loved this album from start to finish. Ambient well done is mesmerising !
It's inoffensive, but it's not really interesting. It sounds like the soundtrack to a movie shot in 1985 set "far in the future" year of 2005. This is what a Hollywood music supervisor from the early 80s thinks society will be listening to while in their flying cars. The Willy Wonka sample on "We Are the Musicmakers" is obnoxious, as is the title.
I wanted to like this. I've seen numerous non-electric music artists that I like cite Aphex Twin as being amazing. Ex: Dillinger Escape Plan covering Come To Daddy I didn't exactly hate it, but I thought it would be darker, heavier. I'm going to have to concede that this is probably an artist better suited to fans of the genre and musicians.
Good background music, played through it while working. Some interesting experiments with sound.
The grandfather of EDM. Clearly experimental, but interesting and ended up being good background music. Honestly, as an album, it became a lot by the end and I needed a break from sound. Which is not necessarily a bad thing.
I really enjoyed this, I've heard of them but never listened. I recognized one of their songs from Die Antwoord (Ugly Boy)
p679. 1992. 1.5 stars Background synth music. Well done but instantly forgettable, and it really outstays its welcome. Someone whistle me a tune from any of the 74 tedious minutes. Anyone? No, thought not.
Nice ambient/atmospheric stuff, but not sure I'd revist often
YESSSS
slay
3.5
Qu'est-ce que tu nous as encore préparé, Robert... Cet album est tellement dépourvu d'intérêt qu'il doit se sentir comme un poisson dans l'eau dans cet incompréhensible générateur d'idioties. Robert, sache que je vais faire de la place dans mon emploi du temps pour surveiller tes moindres faits et gestes pendant les prochaines semaines…
Je suis absolument débordé dans mes diverses activités, je passe donc mon tour pour ce review d'énième album étrange.
I don't understand ambient music, or why it needs to exist
Atmospheric
Very interesting, great to have on in the background for studying
Pas de doute que c’est ambient. C’est cool, mais ce n’est pas un album.
Not for me
fucking vibe.
More melodic than I expected, but the industrial noises did get annoying in places. If ambient means inoffensive background music then this mostly does the trick. This would be a good soundtrack for a video you’re trying to make look cooler than the subject matter really is. Like a retrospective of a late-90s visit to E3.
hyvää. klassikoita. mukaansatempaavaa (jumitukseen ja miksei tanssiin)
Kuulostaa ihan kivalta, mutta musiikin kuuntelulle varattu aika on rajallista, enkä ole valmis käyttämään sitä "rentoutumiseen". Toki jos nyt joskus sattuisi tilanne, jossa sosiaalisen paineen vuoksi minun pitäisi laittaa soimaan jotain tällaista, niin tämä levy voisi olla sopiva vaihtoehto.
goede vibe
OOOH heel toffe geluiden
This is always a go to for me, superb ambient joy
Boop. But also, and I am quite serious in this: Beep.
I didn't have enough drugs to listen to this and chill
good ambiance music I guess
I owned a different Aphex Twin album back in the day which I rarely played. I appreciated that it was good but it's not really for me. Same with this one, its definitely a good record and was pleasant to listen to whilst working or drifting off to sleep but is not for me, Clive. Best song Xtal.
I must say I prefer the complete objects of good ambient or adequate techno to this, but it's the canvas ambient techno alright. Aphex Twin falls for the throw-it-all-in-a-bucket trap, but most of the tracklisting has something to say in its five-minute chunks.
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”
Early on in music school I learned that if you want to sound like your influences, then you should listen to your influences influences. This wasn't tied to classical music or anything actually, as this tidbit came from my friend when I told him I want to sing like Eddie Vedder and he said "you should then try to sing like who Eddie Vedder wanted to sing like". It was really interesting to me. This group and album was one of the biggest influences on one of my biggest influences in music school, a guy named Payton MacDonald (and his music group called Alarm Will Sound). The group even has a full album of Aphex Twin covers and I think at some point they worked with Payton and/or he commissioned them to write music for him to perform. Because of that I feel like a sort of connected lineage to the group in inspiration. I love the album, I love their sound, and I'm just into it. The first track, "Xtal" carries so much emotion. Sometimes I think about how limited synths are and digital sounds altogether. They are innately robotic, innately inhuman. I know I'm wrong when I think that, but it pops up in my head sometimes. I think that the next time it does however I'll throw on "Xtal" and prove myself wrong. For videogame soundtracks I tend to write a lot of atmospheric synth music for in between scenes, and I think they capture the mood of "melancholic" really as good as you can do it. Overall, easy 5/5 for me. It's so much more than just an electronic music album.
Another of my all time favourite albums - end to end perfection - it sounds timeless despite the calendar range in the title, surprisingly chock full of hooks and soul for an ambient album - and perfectly paced and an absolute immaculate flow. This is definitely the album that I’d put on to fight a ‘meh’ - in productivity, focus or motivating - it’s just pumping enough to get me going and gentle enough to ease me into a good mood.
It’s ambient music so it’s supposed to be boring and uninteresting….. but it isn’t, some catchy loops.
C'est pas mauvais, mais c'est un peu long, j'ai de la difficulté à voir l'attrait si grand envers lui. Je comprends par contre l'impact qu'il a du avoir
More insufferable electronica trash
Wow very cool, saved!! Deffo gonna play this when trying to focus, I loved loads of tracks from this: Xtal, Tha, I, Ptolemy, Actium
Beep boop
It sounds like the kind of music that would be playing in the background of an infomercial for extended warranty on my spaceship. Do I like it? I don't know, I can't pay attention long enough to tell.
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.
Pretty ominous electronic ambient music. Every track seemed so similar. The eeriness of it was just too much, closed out with a couple tracks left. 2.5
Would listen to in the background while working, but that's it
It's been a long time I was this impressed with an album on first listen. I have always been aware of Aphex Twin, but never really listened to him. Until now. And it has opened up a whole new world of music. Maybe not all songs are of the same quality of Heliospan, Schottkey 7th Path or Ptolemy, but reading up I certainly see even more how genre defining this work is and where later Radiohead during their Kid A era got their inspiration. This is going to be played a lot more in the coming months and years.
Ugh. I was hoping for better for my 365th album - one full year of doing this project now! It's fun and I like doing it, but I will say there has been WAY more crappy music than I've ever expected. When I signed up I was thinking it'd be all hits all the time. But it's more like some hits, sometimes.
Iconic album. Aged rather well too, which can't be said for most of electronic music of that period. It is not flashy, but it is really well made. Works great as a background music, but has enough details to be interesting if you are paying attention too. And it's influence is undeniable.
Terrible music, I don’t like it. Makes me unrestless…
Brilliant stuff.
Not my cup of tea
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.
Lots of noises for sure
Forse ho un piano per il futuro grazie a Tha. Grazie.
Nope
Som ambiente e pa
Superb ambient music!
Grappig
it was early to work with and along side but it just isn’t something i would voluntarily listen to. it isn’t bad, no complaints other than it’s just not fun?
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.
Really funky, just noise and stuff
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.
Wanted to like it more
Zou ik nog eens luisteren
For the most part this was a good album to listen to at work, although not all tracks were instrumental, but enough were that it helped with focus. The only song I had to skip was green calx - not sure what it was but the sounds just sounded like a wet mouth and it freaked me out. I feel like the more we go through this process, the more I say “I’m not the target audience for this but….”
You really need to be in the right mindset to enjoy an Aphex Twin album, but thankfully I was! Started strong with "Xtal" and I was vibing to the rest of the album. Was very surprised when "Ageispolis" came on. I knew he was involved in the creation of "Ugly Boy" by Die Antwoord but I didn't realize it was just a straight up sample of his song!
Very ambient?
I listened to the first half while studying, and it was just great. But I listened to the rest while driving and actively listening, and I gotta say I got pretty bored. It's hard to compare music I like as background to music I like for purposeful listening. Here's the thing; I do actually respect this genre; I know its purpose is not the same as traditional music. But I just don't value it as much as music that I can listen to actively and enjoy it still.
Wow I loved this. I’ve never been so happy to just close my eyes and have an album wash over me. Every song has its own bits of catchy rhythms or basslines that just keep them going, and somehow after ~80 minutes it doesn’t get old. 10/10
Classic but a little boring. Not as dynamic production as some other Aphex
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.
Better than the average 2 star but not by enough to earn a 3. It felt like every song was pretty well done doing anything new in the first 30 seconds.
Ambient electronic music. It's alright as background music for studying or work.
3/5
Very chill, very ambient