Aphex Twin has surprised-dropped a monstrous compilation album packing eight years’ price of tracks beforehand solely obtainable on bodily codecs in super-limited runs. The discharge, titled Music From The Merch Desk (2016-2023) arrived unannounced on streaming platforms this morning (Tuesday December 17), and options no fewer than 38 compositions that rack up a complete operating time of over two and a half hours.
The ever-mysterious and unpredictable EDM icon – actual title Richard D. James – had launched these tracks on purchasable vinyl drops throughout six gigs from 2016 to 2023, the primary happening precisely eight years in the past as we speak on the Barbara Jordan Submit Workplace in Houston, Texas. The 5 different reveals concerned befell in London (3 times), Manchester and Barcelona, with the latest present happening at London’s All Factors East competition in Victoria Park on August 19 of final 12 months. This marks the primary time the songs have been made public on streaming platforms.
Rising from the late Eighties Cornish rave scene, the Limerick, Eire-born producer made fast waves within the early 90s EDM motion upon the discharge of his debut album, Chosen Ambient Works 85-92. Comprised of seven years’ price of songs he had written and recorded, the album has since grow to be broadly thought to be probably the most influential releases in digital music historical past. Regardless of solely releasing 5 extra studio albums since then – the latest of which, Syro, was launched in 2014 – James has remained prolific, releasing a wide range of EPs and one-off singles beneath quite a few monikers over the previous three a long time. It’s unknown if a model new Aphex Twin studio album is at present on the playing cards.