By Alex Juvelekian | Staff Writer

In the world of music, people like to conform to labels and guidelines: The Grammy awards are divided into genres, and people make playlists based on genres – all to create a sense of organization in the art. However, those very labels that we use to categorize came to be as a result of artists’ decision not to conform to any. Richard D. James, better known as Aphex Twin, redefined electronic music with this approach, making his bizarre smile the new face of the genre in the process.

Growing up in Cornwall, James’ passion for music began at an early stage. He spent most of his teenage years DJing at local parties, tweaking and exploiting electronic devices as his signature. James’ passion for music was also heavily influenced by a liking for electronic devices and their functionality, which is easily noticeable in his heavily computer-influenced percussions; in fact, in a 2001 interview, James claimed that he won a competition at age 11 for writing a program that made the ZX81 – an early home computer with no external sound – generate a static TV noise when turned up. This urge to tweak his equipment, however, came from a combination of curiosity and lack of resources; James elaborates on that in a 1996 interview with Junglizt, where he claims that when he bought his first synthesizer, “[he] really didn’t like it and thought it was a piece of sh*t and [he] really didn’t have any money to buy anything better, so [he] went about tweaking it.” This goes to show that, the fact that Aphex Twin’s music can shine in a generation where any thinkable sound can be generated by a kid with a laptop, is enough to explain his appraisal in the music community.

When it comes to his music, James’ work is a creative curveball. In fact, the diversity in Aphex Twin’s work is what sets him apart from the rest. On his staple tracks “Come to D*ddy”, “Windowlicker”, and “C*ck/ver10”, listeners are immersed in the most obnoxious, syncopated drum patterns conceivable. Those patterns can somewhat be traced back to genres like Drum’n’Bass and Breakbeat – which are already relatively chaotic by nature – however, Aphex Twin’s touch goes to a whole other level of chaos; a percussive storm which, somehow, still sounds put together. On the other hand, in tracks like “aisatsana[102]”, “Avril 14th”, and “QKThr”, James envelops listeners in some of the most peaceful, soul touching melodies generated by live instruments, creating an atmosphere of comfort that dissociates the listener from their surroundings.

James’ most notable release to date was his first full-length album, “Selected Ambient Works 85-92”, released in 1992. Not only did this album get very critically acclaimed by the electronic music community, but it had a long-lasting effect on so many artists’ careers – within and outside electronic music; for instance, the American neo-soul artist Frank Ocean – also known for his experimental sound – concretizes James’ influence in his work in a verse in his single “Provider”, where he says “Stiff smile just like I’m Aphex Twin (Yeah, Come to D*ddy)”. Ocean further elaborates on James’ influence on his music in his Boys Don’t Cry magazine, where he mentions his favorite Aphex track is “aisatsana [102]”, and how he took inspiration from it to compose his hit songs “Pink + White” and “Self Control”. Furthermore, tracks like “Xtal” and “Tha”, which to this day are some of his most popular, put his debut album in the spotlight; unlike his more traditional pieces, these two – among a few others – are more accessible to an unfamiliar crowd, due to their well-structured drum patterns.

All in all, Aphex Twin is an artist who has always navigated his career on his own terms, and by doing so, has influenced a whole generation of music enthusiasts and makers. In a time where music software is filled with premade samples and patterns, it is very easy for artists to bypass the creative process of music production. It’s artists like Aphex Twin whose work reminds artists of the importance of experimenting, and more importantly, staying true to one’s sound.