Electronic Works, Vol. 2

Track Listings

1. Sidewinder: Side One

2. Sidewinder: Side Two

3. Until Spring: Side One

4. Until Spring: Side Two

Tracks:

cliffs
radiator
rhubarb
grass
mold
ropes
circles
weathered stone
tree
domino
steel plate

Tracks:

blue calx
parallel stripes
metal grating
windowsill
b+w stripes
siding nails
corrugated tubing
lichen
leaves
tassels
rusty metal
b+w stripesII

Amazon.com

British electronics wunderkind Richard James (alias Aphex Twin, AFX, Polygon Window, etc.) claims he heard the compositions on Selected Ambient Works, Volume II in lucid dreams. Like abstract paintings composed of shades of a single color, James's resonant explorations of specific timbres linger close to a central idea on each cut, incorporating just enough variation to remain disturbing. While its predecessor, Selected Ambient Works '85-'92 drew on seven years' worth of material, the uniform quality of these untitled tracks, plus their judicious sequencing, suggests they were assembled over a shorter period. Clocking in at over 150 minutes, the double-disc set (if this is "selected," how many hours of outtakes remain?) provides an exemplary introduction to the quieter facets of James's expansive, idiosyncratic aesthetic. --Kurt B. Reighley

Customer Reviews:

Magnificent.......2007-02-15

This quiet, deeply introspective album is full of stunning sounds and textures, alternately beautiful and creepy. That music produced electronically can be this rich with emotion is an incredible achievement. I have listened to this album hundreds of times and it never fails to soothe my soul. It would be at the top of my list of desert island discs.

I'm puzzled by those who label it experimental. It's different from other electronica, granted, but many artists were making this type of music long before this album came along. I can't consider this a challenging record since it is so easy to listen to. You just put it on and float in it.

My favorite ambient CD.......2006-12-31

I've heard the name "Aphex Twin" for quite sometime now and was finally introduced to the ambient side of this artist through the internet animation "Salad Fingers." -- I decided to check out this album as I've been wanting to get into ambient music a bit more and I was completely surprised on what I was hearing through my headphones. Every track is something different. Another blank canvas that, by the end of the song, has a landscape painted so vivdly you could reach out and touch it. I definately recommend this album for anyone who is a fan of ambient music or would like to see what this genre is all about because this album is classic.

If you're still antsy about purchasing this album, here are some stand out tracks:
disc one: Cliffs, Rhubarb, Radiator
Disc two: Blue Calx, 2 Twig, Hexagon, Lichen

Unique and mesmerising.......2006-12-17

Aphex Twin's second compilation of ambient works is, in my opinion, vastly superior to the first release. Straying away from the more rhythmic focus of 'Selected Ambient Works 85-92', volume 2 is an aurally sparse and contemplative journey. The story of Richard D. James' inspiration (a series of vivid dreams, according to him) may be a myth, but all the same, this ambient masterpiece seems to tear you from your surroundings and throw you into a dream-like soundscape. It is a rare sort of album that, I have found, demands the listener's attention, and rewards it by taking complete control of their senses.

'Selected Ambient Works Volume 2' is an unsettling album, combining synthesisers and samplers to form dark, barren soundscapes. Needless to say, it bears no semblance to the structure of popular music, and is characterised by long, repetitive tracks that unfold over a long period of time. They really have to be listened to in their entirety to be truly appreciated. That being said, the tracks, clocking in at 6-7 minutes each across 2 CDs) never try your patience. On the contrary, the masterful compositions reward patience, with their subtle changes and textural variations. In fact, for most of the album, I found myself wishing that the songs would not end. 'Radiator', 'Steel Plate' and 'Tassels', to name a few, stole my imagination and never let go and, for me, the fading out of the tracks signified an all-too-soon departure from an altered reality.

These may sound like exaggerations, but 'Selected Ambient Works Volume 2' has a rare and profound effect upon me, and is one of the few albums I own that bears no likeness to anything else. To label it 'electronica' is too broad, and utterly meaningless. 'Ambient', however, doesn't seem to do justice to its effect. The only way I can describe it is as an experience, for it seems to transcend the effect that music I like would ordinarily have on me. A drug, perhaps?

Of course, like every album I absolutely adore, it is just shy of perfection. There are some tracks that seem out of place with the general aesthetic of the album, and even jarring. The album therefore lacks the feeling of continuity that one may find with, say, Tim Hecker. However, I do not believe that this was Richard D. James' intention, and I could not imagine the album without the seemingly out-of-place tracks. Furthermore, it is astounding to think that this album is simply full of compositions that take control of the listener's imagination, and transport them to a vividly surreal and barren place. This is a must buy album for anyone who likes electronic music, and is willing to invest a bit of time into it.

Unparalleled atmospheric ambient........2006-04-10

More mature, organic and complex than '85-'92 and less abstract than some later Aphex. The repetition and strangeness of the tracks require dedication from the listener, but the reward is atmospheres rarely experienced in ambient music or otherwise. I've heard that sleep deprivation and isoloation were ingredients in early Aphex Twin, both seem to come through in this excellent release. If only electronic artists would start releasing back catalogue in 24/96 dvd-a (or similar). This release certainly deserves it. If you like electronic ambient music, you probably already have this in your collection... if not, you should.

Aphex Twin Fans will be delighted..........2006-03-01

I thought volume 1 of Aphex Twin's selected ambient works was a superb album, so I bought Volume II, thinking I would find more great stuff. I found the Volume 2 CD is "far out" compared to Volume 1, in that it is more like one long series of weird sound effects. How do you put that into words? This stuff is more akin to Tangerine Dream than their first album, which is more "dancy" and more epitomises the sound of ambient house sound of the 90s.

Average customer rating:

His best work
Until Spring - An Electronic Masterpiece
Two masterpieces from an electronica legend

Electronic Works, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Mode
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Electronic Works, Vol. 1: Touch - A Sky of Cloudless Sulphur/Gestures
Silver Apples of the Moon for Electronic Music Synthesizer
The Key to Songs/Return
Subotnick: And The Butterflies Begin To Sing
Aerial #1

ASIN: B0001CCX66
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

Sidewinder: Side One
Sidewinder: Side Two
Until Spring: Side One
Until Spring: Side Two

Customer Reviews:

His best work.......2005-02-24

Although Silver Apples Of The Moon/The Wild Bull is a classic, Sidewinder/Until Spring is the best. It's more nuanced and subtle than Silver Apples and has a more fluid composition overall. After listening to Sidewinder/Until Spring, I'm left wondering what makes Autechre and Aphex Twin so special since the "IDM/glitch" thing they do is really not new at all. Composers like Subotnick(or Varese) take a much more conceptual and lyrical approach to their music, giving the pieces a life of their own, unlike IDM artists who just see how much they can degrade and resequence a sound file using Reaktor software. Believe me, there is a lyricism to true electronic music that most electronic artists today totally miss, and Subotnick hits it right on the dot!

Until Spring - An Electronic Masterpiece.......2005-01-17

Until Spring is my favorite Subotnick composition. I bought it on LP many years ago and have long wanted it to be released on CD because the LP surface noise was very distracting during very quiet passages. Until Spring is filled with fascinating timbres, exciting rhythms, and great compositional ideas.

I don't care that much for Sidewinder, but the disk is worth it for Until Spring alone.

Two masterpieces from an electronica legend.......2004-06-30

The Buchla Electric Music Box (Don Buchla,its inventor,disliked the word "synthesizer") had no greater virtuoso than Morton Subotnick, whose jazz experience brought incredible rhythmic vitality to the purrs, clicks, roars and howls he coaxed from the instrument. SIDEWINDER and UNTIL SPRING were two of his finest early works, and Mode has done electronic music fans a great service by releasing them both on a single disc. Their eerie textures and startling sound events draw the listener into a musical universe wholly Subotnick's own.