Long before the nihilistic drum ‘n’ bass of “Come to Daddy,” Richard D. James (a.k.a. Aphex Twin) was a pioneer of what would become known as “intelligent dance music.” His critically lauded Selected Ambient Works 85-92 is, along with the Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld and Global Communication’s 76:14, one of the preeminent signposts of early-’90s ambient techno.
The album begins with the ethereal female coos and soft breakbeats of “Xtal,” and flawlessly segues into the muted thump and crisp pitter-patter of “Tha,” a track imbued with the echo of distant conversation. Diffusive synth chords gush through each song on Selected Ambient Works 85-92, from the congested aural space of the aptly titled “Hedphelym” to the bass-heavy “Ageispolis.”
Most striking is James’s pop sensibility, apparent in the concise momentum of “Pulsewidth” and the utterly infectious “Ptolemy.” Influenced by post-classical composers like Philip Glass and Kraftwerk, James arguably created a collection of minimalist house more refined than anything that has come before or since.
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