Search - Aphex Twin :: I Care Because You Do

Really 4 1/2 stars

Murveman | Minnesota, USA | 07/10/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This was one of my first albums. I like this one a lot, but most of the album is pretty repetitive, but not as much as Surfing on Sine Waves or Chosen Lords. My favorite part is the last 4 songs on the album and "Start as you mean to go on"



I'd Reccomend buying this album, if your new to aphex twin or already a fan"

Essential Twin

Subterranean | Kenmore, WA | 11/15/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This may not be Aphex Twin's best album, but it is probably his most complete, incorporating virtually every facet of Richard D. James' musical personality. This is guaranteed to be some of the most unique, haunting and intriguing work you will ever hear.



It begins with Acrid Avid Jam Shred, probably the most straightforward piece on the album, beginning with halting percussion and slowly building into a strangely majestic yet playful jam, only to fall back onto the driving percussion and U-turn in a completely different direction. Then the listener is dropped into the squelchy, rubbery bass of The Waxen Pith, which sounds like the inside of a honeycomb or a plant's stem. It's a tad tedious, but certainly has an interesting blend of instruments. Wax The Nip feels like a precursor to some of Aphex's harder IDM to come, with rushing drums underscoring childlike wonderment embodied in joyous, choral synths. It sounds like skydiving over waterfalls, then landing on your feet and running through green fields.



Icct Hedral (Edit) is a journey into the heart of an ancient temple housing some item of unspeakable evil, while all the while something is clawing further and further into your brain. Headphones are a must. Ventolin is near impossible to listen to, it's so painful - you get the feeling that Aphex is having a bit of a larf at our expense, since the song behind the shrill, obnoxious high frequencies is really cool. Come on you Slags! is no balm on the ears either, with chaotic screechy synths blaring over an obnoxious valley girl conversation which fades in and out of coherence. Yet no matter how difficult these three are to listen to, their genius is undeniable.



Start As You Mean To Go On is one of the more calming tracks on the album, despite the persistent, pounding, constantly morphing beat. It sounds like high-speed nostalgia. Wet Tip Hen Ax is pure weirdness, and reminds me simultaneously of eagles soaring over cliffs and alien invasions. Mookid is one of the most soothing Aphex songs, and reminds me of the quieter moments of childhood, with that signature hint of weirdness RDJ always brings to the table. Alberto Balsalm is a walk down the block, accented by a sound like someone rattling a stick against the iron bars of a fence. Ambient synths and calm melodies begin to fill the atmosphere. Then the track abruptly drops down a well to land in a basement full of clanging percussion, only to climb back out and reemerge in daylight.



Cow Cud is a Twin begins with a very distracting sample of a door slamming and background yelling which is calculated to throw the listener off guard. The rest of the track is a slow-paced jam with a hooky bassline and intriguing sound effects. Finally, there's Next Heap With, a fully-orchestral piece that combines the feelings you could get from several tracks on the album, including but not limited to Icct Hedral, Wet Tip Hen Ax and Acrid Avid Jam Shred. A fitting summation of the musical ideas RDJ has been exploring throughout.



It says a lot that the only way to communicate my feelings about this album is to explore it track by track. Richard D. James is truly special, in that he makes music that is indescribable, yet completely emotionally resonant. An artist you must hear before you die."

Great music

Brian Lopez | Bayonne, NJ USA | 07/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Richard James is a musical genius. While some of his work is unlistenable, the ones that are are true works of art. Clearly, the best of its kind.

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