Richard Jamess alter ego is back with his first album in 13 years. We asked Björk, Ian Rankin and some of his other famous fans to explain the enduring appeal
Horny and smug, said Richard James when asked by Rolling Stone how he felt about Syro, his first new Aphex Twin album in 13 years. He laughed as he said it but if anyone is entitled to feel a little bit pleased with themselves, its him. After so long away, Aphex still has an allure like no other. At 43, he remains a reluctant figurehead who has nevertheless preserved his mystique in an era of limitless data by doing precisely nothing; letting the digital realm embellish what he once called the lush disinformation about him: those 90s Aphex myths perpetuated, often by James himself, before the internet took hold and the tales could be instantly verified. Did he really drive a tank, live in a bank vault and make music in his sleep?
The truth hardly matters when the myth is so engaging. A techno Time Lord who regenerates with each new release always the same, always different it helps that his music is impervious to fashion. Straddling everything from Stockhausen to Pain Jerk, disco to jungle, Aphex fills in the gaps between genres and constructs entirely new ones. Hence the hoo-ha surrounding Syro. For the devoted, this is a rare chance to devour an hour of box-fresh blockbuster braindance that might somehow bring them closer to their master. Everyone else should sit back and enjoy the frenzy.
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by Piers Martin via Electronic music | The Guardian
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