Chosen Lords [Digipak] - AFX > Reviews > Putting the AFX back into Aphex Twin

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Not applicable
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Great skills from a master of the trade
Disadvantages:	difficult to pick up and listen to

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Now, lets not beat around the bush here. AFX is Aphex Twin under a different, yet not very secretive, name.

This means that this will be an Aphex Twin album underneath with all the strangeness that goes with an Aphex Twin album. From what I know AFX is a side project that has been going around for awhile and this album is a selection from the Analord EPs.

After drukqs was released and Aphex Twin was hounded for putting in a commercial effort, a real step up was needed to convince his fans that he was still about what all of us had come to love him for. A weird blend of his musisc that can only be defined by adding him to the very exclusive genre, Aphex Twin.

Coming in at 56:42, this album is a fairly decent length and is bound to set the ears bleeding at some point.

CASE:

The case on this is a very simple brown cardboard digipack style case. With the Aphex Twin logo on the front underneath a simple Chosen Lords title.

On the inside we have a various set of pictures set in circles. These pictures are some of the pics that appeared on the Analord EP's over the years.

The other side of the inside is plain again with a seethrough plastic CD holder so that you keep the affect of plain cardboard.

On the back a simple track list and the Analord EP that that track comes from.

No booklet with this album, which dissapoints a bit but with the simple feel the whole album case has got it is in a way kinda good because it gives it a non-messy feel.

TRACKS (10)

FENIX FUNK 5 (5:06)

The album starts in a way that will scare away anyone not into Aphex Twin. A typically fast mix of sounds that feel somewhat random solo'y but when mixxed together as they are here it somehow works. Very similar noises that the listen has become accustomed to. It keeps its feavored pace up with a great list of different drum sounds with a dance feel to it. The track gets easier as it goes in with more melody being brought into it and a more listenable feel to it. Listed on the back as one of the two Aphex Twin songs and not an AFX song, this one does feel a tad like a drukqs song but not too much.

REUINION 2 (5:15)

A quiet start that builds up into a single note upon note riff with a bass drum taking it in. Then things get difficult with the sounds being thrown around all over the speakers which is disorientating at best and sickening at worst. Thankfully a drum line comes in to try and get your ears to hold on to. Another layer of sound is introduced every half minute or so until there is so much going on in this track it becomes impossible to grasp onto on one listen. This is what it would be like playing 4 or 5 stereo's at once in your room. Yet somehow its rather good, thing is, you can listen to something else every time you pick this one up making it a joy and not a chore to listen to.

PITCARD (6:25)

This starts off like a weird early 90's trance tune. One of those ones that never made it in the club scene back then but somehow really should. Multiple layers again can be found but an overall feel of sci-fi for some reason. A lot of odd noises that feel like they have been lifted because each element seems to have been with you forever, you know this tune but havent heard it before. Its not too fast and not too catchy though which leads it to fall down a bit in my estimation. A hook that is introduced around half way through tries to keep your attention but unfortunately isnt strong enough to do so. Luckily it fades around a minute and a half later. A great one for those who love earlier stuff from the Electronic genre.

CRYING IN YOUR FACE (4:29)

The most melody filled opening so far and probably the easiest listen. A low pitched synth noise fills the room with a simple drum sequence running over it. With some good fading and rolling effects mixxed into this one, this is definately a great dance tune. In a move away from what was being thought of as commercial this tune defeats and redefines all in one. A tune that is as litenable as anything that AFX (Aphex Twin) has done, it is still not really commercial. I could never think of this being played in a club. However it should be, this would BE great commercial music if it was tried. With hints of Daft Punk being found all over this tune it could have been huge, it just never was. Great chill out stuff.

KLOPJOB (5:32)

Hollowed out drums, something I love about AFX, starts us off in this one with just a hint of a melody in the background which deceives you about even being there. When the melody finally does kick off its typical style AFX stuff, really nice understated, rolling off the speaker cones as if it was a lie. Beeps, Beats and something else that begins with B that makes me seem clever, thats what this tune has, oh does it have it. There seems to be a whole range of synth magic lacing this one with a subtle toe tapping grace that can only be found by people who are truly good at what they're doing. Through all the head bobbing and mini-dancing I am doing as I listen to this, I can't help but feel its all a bit too....similar....I've heard this done by Aphex Twin all the time.

BOXING DAY (6:50)

I must admit, I started listening to this track and it was a full 1:10 into it before I realised I was supposed to be saying something about it. It doesn't stick out at all unfortunately. Unfortunately because its really well made. I think Richard James (Aphex Twin) is a genious, I really do. There are things he can do with sound that should just not be possible. This is is techincally great and will be one that people who produce this kind of music themselves like, but for your casual listener its just not there. Too long, too samey, too.....just too.

BATINE ACID (5:34)

A slightly cartoon bouncy feel to this one as it uses a lot of full bodied "boawh" noices with a full selection of cheesey sounds to build up what is a nice little tune. Its fun. I like a lot of dark music but every once in awhile you need to come up for light and just be made to sort of smile and flow along with something. This tune does that. Again, for something released in 2005 it has a very early/mid 90's feel to it. This is the kind of thing that fills the back of your head and brings back memories of dodgy shareware games for the PC. A fruity loops classic.

CILONEN (5:42)

This starts off something in the last three tracks that I really wanted. Big tunes that you can get your teeth stuck into. A good tempo starts us off with a building drum line every 30 seconds or so and a gradually introduced melody of synth organs. The track folds layer upon layer onto of itself to make something that would fill a music hall with sounds that it needs. A fast drum line really kicks in at around 1:40 as the track tries, and manages, to add more to the listening exeperience than your average album can do. Its hard to describe what the melody does as it flies from one extreme to the next using mini-breaks and full on breaks to do its best to keep you guessing. Fast, Fun, and something else that this time begins with F. A great Electronic song that shouldn't go unheard.

PWSteal.Ldpinch.D (3:48)

I know I normally do titles in caps but this one has such a mix it stayed in its orig format. The shortest track on the album by almost a minute, it really has to stand up for itself in a world of AFX epics. Thankfully, it more than does. Everything you've come to know and love about Richard D James over the years is brought out in this track. A nice cymbol runs over the background of the tune for ahwile before being removed for a thumping bass line. Trademark noises make up the melody for what is a beautiful reminder of everything that he's done before. More chillout which is good on an album that can often be rather hectic. With a touch of darkness every now and again which is always going to win me over, it doesn't overpower the tune as higher pitched moments bring it up to light and fluffy. A great track.

XMD 5A (7:58)

Following the shortest track on the album is the longest and the second to be listed as an Aphex Twin song (after the first) and not an AFX song. Opening with distant bells (or hollow piano, I'm not sure) gives the track an ominous feel straight away. It doesn't get an less frightening from there. This is the horror tune of the album. Sounds fly in from no where, snapping at you before disapearing back into the shadows. Don't think this is a bad thing though, as once again this track is beautifully made up and each sound needs to be there. A short piano break in the middle of the track changes its direction somewhat though. With taking on a more futuristic feel than a horror feeling around the 4 minute mark. More melody is brought into it all with a ditry synth croaking through it all. It twists and turns and brings in sounds that are either from 50 years from now or, well, from the 80's pop scene. It has a feel to it that if you could touch music would be sludgey. Its all very good though. Its not difficult to listen to like a lot of his work. Its a nice end to the album and deserves the extra length that it has compared to the other tracks.

VERDICT

I worry sometimes that people will come across Aphex Twin through seeing Windowlicker on TV or maybe somehow catching the Come to Daddy video on some "most shocking videos" countdown, then only to go out and buy the albums and be disgusted and how difficult they are to listen to and how different everything sounds compared to what they've just heard.

Then I sit back and remember thats how I came into the Aphex Twin fan base. Trouble is, I loved everything else I was hearing. That goes for this album too. Its a nice step back from what drukqs was and considering I can't get my hands on the Analord EP's easily, its nice to hear a selection from them.

This album is never going to be pick up, put on, go out style music. It takes work. People may think that having to work on an album surely makes it bad. Yet some of the music I love best in the world, I've hated on first listen and its only after forcing myself to listen to it (or having it on in the background whilst I cook or what not) that I've realised my first opinion can often be, well, moronic.

For people who like Drum n Bass, this can be a good experimental first album for you. With nice drum lines and odd noises piling in from all over the place. For fans of dance it has elements for you on there too. Its a very thorough album in what it does.

My advice as always is, try it, you might like it. However there is a great chance that you will hate it as its just a bit too out there.

IF YOU LIKE THIS:

I'd look out for a guy named Chris Clark. He's also on Warp Records and is a very talented young bloke. He's got a few records out, easiest one I've found to get is Ceramics is the bomb. Which is a nice EP to ease you into his style.