Syro // Aphex Twin
Thirteen years after his last album released under the sobriquet of Aphex Twin, Richard David James advertised this new album by flying a fluorescent green blimp over London. While it doesn’t introduce any groundbreaking detours in Aphex Twin’s sound, the album offers the best of the creativity of James’ s sound and remains hypnotic throughout.
Standout tracks include the 58 second long ‘fz pseudotimestretch+e+3’ and the closing song ‘aisatsana’, which changes the mood tremendously with the soft, moody piano timbre. Overall, the album is an infectious throwback to the golden age of EDM and a solid creation, reminding us of the depth that electronic music can have as it’s not all just about generic build ups and bass drops, but is about exploring the wealth of sounds the world has to offer.
Ironically, even though the album is too much of a deviation from what you’d expect from Aphex Twin, it stands alone from all the others in its clever, refreshing manner.
Words by Samm Anga