Track Listing

1. Flaphead
2. Phloam
3. Isopropanol
4. Polynomial-C
5. Tamphex
6. Phlange Phace
7. Dodeccaheedron
8. Analogue Bubblebath
9. Metapharstic
10. We Have Arrived
11. We Have Arrived
12. Digeridoo

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19569 in Music
• Released on: 2008-06-02
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

CD Description
Richard D. James is that rarest of artists, untouched and unaffected by trends or popular currents yet inspiring millions of imitators with every move. The reputedly self-taught James is always moving forward, not one to rest on laurels ordwell on past triumphs, expressing his genius with an almost infuriating offhandedness. Since an adolescence spent assembling and disassembling electronic gadgets, the "bad boy" of electronic music has already advanced his genre beyond many other popular forms. Even the tastes of the 30th Century may fall short of catching up with him.
CLASSICS represents the flip side of the SELECTED AMBIENT WORKS albums, collecting several of James' early singles for Belgium's R&S Records. This is some of the Aphex Twin's more grueling, monochromatic material ("Phloam", "Tamphex (Hedphuq Mix)", "Metapharstic"). But James' rarefied cerebral melodies soar above therhythmic grind, particularly on "Polynomial-C" and "Dodeccaheedron". Also included are "Analogue Bubblebath I" and "Digeridoo", still brilliant tracks that brought James instant--and, one would imagine, unwelcome--fame. The latter approximates aboriginal drone with homemade devices, while the former's pristine Detroit-styled melodic percolations, crafted with (original Aphex "Twin") Tom Middleton, are the Aphex Twin's extraordinary beginnings.

Customer Reviews

Extraordinary
Bizarre. Almost inaccessible. Great.

The first time I listened to this was through headphones in the street. The most remarkable booming moved in over the top of Isopropanol and I thought "Blimey these headphones are good."

It was a train going past... Only with Aphex Twin can you mistake a train three feet away for music.

Unique.

Nasty,Abrasive,Amyl-Nitrate,Fast Flashing Lights & Beautiful
If you love your HARD techno then get this.This can be very 'GRITTING TEETH' stuff but i really was blown away.If like me you love you music any style then you will want this.I've read some of the reviews here where some people say it may be hard listening.So when i was thinking of buying this i was a bit wary (i knew what to expect but was still a bit unsure),but i thought what the heck go for it.I'm glad i did i absolutely love this now.You can imagine this going down a storm in the techno clubs.This guy,at the time of these recording was(and still is!)ahead of his time.This is a real breath of fresh air,what with all the 'Pumping Trance/Hard House'getting very very boring at the moment.Oh and by the way,it sounds great in the car as well.JUST BUY IT!!

Early Aphex that you should own
With the 'Singles Collection', which I also reviewed, this is a must for all Richard D James fans.

'Digeridoo' is included in its original and live versions and is an early example of his astounding synthesizer talent as is 'Polynomial-C'.

Some of the track listing of this album reads like a medicine cabinet and that may or may not be a reference to James' health problems as a child.

Also included is 'Tamphex' which contains a looping sample of a British 80s Tampax commercial "Are you one of those girls for whom time stands still once a month?"

Any owners of releases by other RDJ projects, especially 'Caustic Window', will notice some major correlations. There's at least three tracks on this album that sound like prototype tracks for much of his other works. There's even one that has the cut-and-paste beat & synth squeals of the 'Window Licker' intro. Many tracks here use a lot more conventional 90s rave beats and synths than much of the other Aphex back-catalogue so, a combination of all these elements, make this album an essential for fans. It's recognisably him but in an almost 90s zeitgeist infancy.

All the tracks on the album were recorded by James while still signed to R&S records so that makes the album quite a rarity.

I found my copy completely by accident about 8 years ago. Up to that point I thought I had most of his readily available works so this was a fantastic treat.