The four tracks on the GAK EP are reportedly demos that Richard D James had sent to Warp Records before he was signed; which were then put out as an EP following the release of his second album on the label.
Listening to these tracks, which I may have heard only once before, I can well believe that. They kinda remind me of some early Moby, the sound of someone trying to replicate techno who doesn’t quite know how, or have the right equipment to do so.
It does throw a bit of doubt on whether some of the material on Selected Ambient Works 85-92 was actually created as early as that. If Aphex was sitting on such gold why on earth would he send the GAK tracks to Warp? Cos let’s be honest, they’re pretty weak in comparison and it’s no surprise they weren’t put out under the Aphex Twin name.
GAKs 1 to 3 are all fairly laboured efforts at techno or acid techno that lack any real flow, funk or energy. GAK 4 at least has an interesting melody that hints at the nascent musical genius, but it never really comes to the fore. I think I remember a fan remix of this one back in the mists of early 2000s internet message-board days that was an improvement on the original.
Sure some of these could work in very specific circumstances, maybe many hours (or days) deep into some illicit warehouse rave. But overall, GAK is more of historical curiosity than an undiscovered gem.
George's Music Blog 