The Smile succeed on their own terms, pushing a hybrid mix of styles that could only make sense in the 2020s.
Author: George's Music Blog
I write about the music I like; anything from 90s indie, electronic, techno, psychedelic, whatever
Best Albums of 2023
Somehow I managed to find 50 records to love in 2023. There were some personal favourites returning with new material like, Blur, Aphex Twin, The Chemical Brothers, DJ Shadow, Steve Mason. And so many of the returning cast of 2021 dropping new material, Nation of Language, Tirzah, Vanishing Twin, Loraine James, Gazelle Twin. Not to mention fresh new sounds from the cutting edge to the next big thing, such as Bar Italia, Lee Gamble, Sofia Kourtesis.
Aphex Twin – On EP
The On EP sees Aphex Twin go beyond the confines of something resembling dance music and into a realm that exists on his own terms.
AFX – Analogue Bubblebath 3
The first release under the AFX moniker, Analogue Bubblebath 3 has the run time of an album, which would make it James' only LP on his own Rephlex Records.
Polygon Window – Surfing on Sine Waves
The advent of '93 sees Richard D James entering a particularly fruitful patch of creativity, which he'd ride with a slew of albums and EPs for pretty much the rest of the decade.
Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85 – 92
Richard D James' full-length debut - a classic of electronic music, whose influence is still felt to this day.
Caustic Window – Joyrex J9 EP
Joyrex J9 is probably the weakest of the Caustic Window trio, lacking does a Cordialatron or On the Romance Tip. Not that there isn't some industrial-strength acid rave gold here.
Caustic Window – Joyrex J5 EP
Hot on the heels of the first Caustic Window EP, Joyrex J5 offers more of the same manic acid techno and blissed out rave lushness.
Caustic Window – Joyrex J4 EP
The first Joyrex EP was an anonymous looking slab of wax, attributed to 'Caustic Window'; the first Richard D James release to appear on the label he set up with Grant Wilson-Claridge, Rephlex Records.
Aphex Twin – Xylem Tube EP
Xylem Tube contains one of Aphex Twin's most well-loved tracks and probably the most artfully crafted of his discography to date; the kind of tune that could bring hush to a crowded room, or convert diehard rock fans to electronic music.
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