Leave it up to Aphex Twin to release one of the most beloved electronic albums of 2014 and then quickly self-sabotage his very own hype machine with its followup. Yes just mere months after releasing the stellar Syro LP Richard D. James is already back to being difficult with his EP Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments Pt2.
While the release boasts 13 tracks only a small handful ever break the two-minute mark with many floating in and out in seconds. As a result the compositions have a very sketch-like quality as James presents a collection of sonic scribblings rather than fully realized compositions. As you’d guess by the EP title these are also relatively acoustic recordings trading Aphex’s IDM tendencies for some warped vision of avant-jazz.
Still the EP does have its moments including the haunting jangling child voice-filled “DISKPREPT1” the skewed hip-hop-dabbling “diskhat ALL prepared1mixed 13” and the 88 keys-led “piano un10 it happened” — a beautiful reminder that what we really need is “Avril 14” the album.
But as frustrating as Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments Pt2 is it’s such an Aphex thing to do. You kinda have to love the guy a bit for it.
