Richard D. James, more commonly known as Aphex Twin or AFX, has been a leading figure in experimental electronica for nearly two decades, dabbling in everything from ambient and techno, to jungle and drill'n'bass. Born in Ireland in 1971, James moved to Cornwall, England as a child, and was soon experimenting with synthesizers and drum machines while his classmates were still experimenting with fractions and joined-up handwriting. His first public exposure came when London radio station Kiss FM championed 1991 single "Didgeridoo", but it was 1992's seminal album Selected Ambient Works 85-92 that established Aphex as a key innovative force in electronic music. It revived the ambient atmospherics first explored by Brian Eno in the 70s and 80s but left largely undeveloped; by adding sparse percussion, the teenage Aphex invented ambient techno and opened up a whole new area for exploration. Now signed to Warp, the sequel to that classic debut wasn't quite so successful - at over two-and-a-half hours of drifting, dream-like textures, Selected Ambient Works Vol. II was a difficult record to engage with.
Collaborating with modern composer Phillip Glass for his next album I Care Because You Do, Aphex retained ambient atmospheres while adding complex jungle rhythms. The Richard D. James album, released in 1996, continued in this direction and was dubbed "drill'n'bass" by fans - it remains the greatest example of the genre. A double-CD album followed in 2001, entitled drukqs, which included songs in all the styles he had already mastered, plus a handful of gentle piano pieces. Since then, Aphex Twin has concentrated on the Analord series of EPs - numbered from 01 to 11, all made on analogue equipment and released only on vinyl. The best of these recordings were then chosen for the 2006 compilation Chosen Lords.
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Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival 2008 - Day 1
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| Anish | 1 |
| Joe 90 | 1 |
| Poppy Cocteau | 1 |
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