Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a room7 F760 (Album Review)
Monday, 31 July 2023
Written by Jo Higgs
Richard D. James rarely pops his head out from beneath the parapet without good reason, so when he does people take notice. ‘Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a room7 F760’ is the first new Aphex Twin project since the ‘Collapse’ EP in 2018 and it represents quite a shift in creative priorities.
Gone is the abrasive dissonance of that collection’s T69 collapse and MT1 t29r2, with their threat of imminent catastrophe replaced by delightful melodic turns that are largely unburdened by the anxiety that regularly underscores the harmonic and rhythmic styles of later Aphex Twin releases.
But by no means is the complete 15 minute runtime of ‘Blackbox…’ a breezy delight that casts away all worldly worries in favour of gentle ambience or tuneful catharsis.
The centrepiece is Blackbox Life Recorder 21f, which represents uneasy sorrow as the beat falls away to reveal brooding synths and a lightly fuzzed motif scarring the surface. The final track Parallax Mix is a remix of the first, coaxed into increasingly shadowy territory.
Zin2 test5 opens with a house-tinged beat, evocative of the pounding drum and rumbling bass combination that, in a different arrangement, begins so many post-punk songs of the 2020s. Despite the energy promised, though, it slips towards melancholia as soft analogue synths undulate and fade.
In a room7 F760 is the most playful of the crop. At each juncture further decorative stabbing, ringing, or bouncing sounds are folded into the mix, enabling it to become one of the most insistently shifting tracks of Aphex Twin’s recent discography. ‘Blackbox…’ isn’t James at his very best, and yet it is still brimming with exciting ideas, tactful innovations and playful alterations of his core sound.
Aphex Twin Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sat August 19 2023 - LONDON Victoria Park
Sat September 02 2023 - BRISTOL Clifton Downs
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