Aphex Twin
Chosen Lords

With the Analord series, Richard David James (who releases his works under various pseudonyms, the most famous being Aphex Twin and AFX) places the cherry on top of an extraordinary career, perhaps spent somewhat in the shadows, but to which electronic music today owes much, if not almost everything.

Innovation, exploration, experimentation are the cornerstones of this artist's style, whom I personally feel I can define as "the most original musician ever to appear in the history of electronic music". The strange titles of his productions, that "mysterious" aura that surrounds each of his works, the handwriting with which he writes the titles on his album covers, and above all, his music, represent an originality that seems mad, although the right adjective is actually "brilliant". In his albums, the styles are always different in some way, yet when you hear one of his tracks, you can't be confused: it takes just a few seconds to say, "Yes, this is James." In short, a genius.

Closing the (well-deserved) parenthesis about the author and returning to the album, this record is a collection of the best tracks from the 11 vinyls of the "Analord" series, very convenient for those who want to get an idea, but it somewhat "denatures" what is characteristic of this series—its existence solely in vinyl format (which allowed me to fully appreciate the music and mix and remix it to my liking), and the idea of the "series" itself, which is a work divided into several parts, all similar in style, but at the same time all different in arrangements and details. Although it gathers less than half of the works of the "Analord" series, the album sounds just as wonderful, blending the two genres that characterize the vinyl series: Ambient and Acid. The tracks collected here truly are the "jewels" of the series, making it easier, though less in-depth, to appreciate James' stylistic, exploratory, and musical masterpiece. Two tracks from the Analord series (from the fourth and eleventh chapters, respectively) and not included in this collection deserve mention: Halibut Acid and VBS.Redlof.B.

Traveling within the album, it starts with "Fenix Funk 5", probably the most famous track of the series, included in the tenth volume of Analord, the only one published under the pseudonym Aphex Twin (the other pieces in the series are published under the name AFX), a piece that begins with typically Acid sounds and gradually transforms into an exceptional ambient composition, concluding with both genres mixed together for an atmosphere that wonderfully introduces the continuation of the album. The second track is taken from "Analord 05" and is called "Reunion 2", a track that starts calmly and then dives into the most typical Drum'n'Bass, topped with some strange acid sounds. The Acid genre then reappears in "Pitcard", taken from the seventh Analord, characterized by the simplicity of an ambient melody that repeats in an Acid environment, with various bass riffs to conclude.

Then there's "Crying In Your Face" (from "Analord 4"), which, already from the title, conveys an atmosphere of sadness and melancholy, perhaps the only track on the album that always remains on subdued tones and a melancholic rhythm. "Klopjob", from the third chapter of Analord, initially echoes the previous track, maintaining initially calm rhythms that then become more lively in the finale, leaving space for a Drum'n'Bass never excessively lively.

"Boxing Day", the album's sixth track, also extracted from "Analord 3" like the previous one, brings the music back to that mix of Acid and Ambient that characterizes much of the album and is very similar to some tracks from "Selected Ambient Works 85-92" and "...I Care Because You Do". With the next track, "Batine Acid", as the title suggests, it reaches the most Acid and most lively point of the album; the track is an Acid Techno composition, definitely the most experimental track on the album. "Cilone", extracted from Analord 5 just like "Reunion 2", initially seems to stress the Acid rhythms of its predecessor, before turning to an Ambient/Drum'n'Bass mix, very similar to the artist's self-titled album (Richard D. James Album).

We reach the penultimate track, extracted from Analord 8: its title is complex, "PWSteal.Ldpinch.D.", and its style is similar to another James album, "drukQs" (even in the title), an Ambient aided by a calm but determined rhythm. The album closes with an Acid track with a calm rhythm that ends in Ambient. "XMD 5a", extracted, like the first, from "Analord 10", and therefore published under the pseudonym Aphex Twin is probably the track with the most "Dark" and obscure style of the entire collection, completes the overview of this series of wonderful vinyls that, as mentioned above (with related track-album comparisons), harks back to James' previous works, always different but always having something in common with each other.

Recommended for everyone, a must for "true collectors" of electronics, particularly suitable for those who want to get an idea of James' genius in a short time and with even a not in-depth listen.