AFX* – Analord 04

Best Analord series, pure track, pure electronica, priceless, collector , nice

Lovely album, a pleasure to listen, the sleeve is nice.

One of the best in the series. Each track is distinctly compelling. The songs bring to mind a robot in some sci-fi dystopia, struggling to comprehend and express human emotions, vocalizing its thoughts through a TB-303. The original minimalist packaging is cool, but given its tendency to fog the vinyl I'd recommend you not use it to store the record.

If you're lucky enough to own several records in the series, the constant flipping necessary for an album-like experience requires some patience, but the pressings sound so good that it's worth the hassle. Bravo to whoever mastered these.

Anyone know what or who the eye on b-side image belongs to? Is it a cat?

'Home Made Polysynth' is for me when electronic music becomes human and gets some soul. I can feel so much loneliness and desperation in it. No doubt one of the best pieces ever!

I didn't like this release at first. In fact I was kind of disappointed with Analord 1 - 3 and almost didn't feel like waisting my money on getting Analord 4. Then a few weeks later I found myself humming the all tunes on Analord 4! The infectious tracks Halibut Acid, Home Made Polysynth and Breath March have this minimal techno feel that remind me of something on Basic Channel or Chain Reaction records. Minimal dance tunes but with that hauntingly catchy AFX 303 riff or synth. The track Crying In Your Face is more on that 80's electro 1 2 beat stuff with vocoders, techno and acid but still dark, minimal and good! I think Analord 4 is the best Analord record out at this moment. More quality 4 tracker Analord's please! I'm hooked?!

As Aphex Twin seems incapable of fulfilling his commercial and contractual duties to Warp, his Rephlex-related AFX moniker is getting more and more of an airing these days.

While the style of release of this series is blatant money making - limited edition singles in a leatherbound case - the music is less obvious. Debates could rage for hours as to whether its any good or not (although the programming is impeccible) - RDJ has never sounded like anyone else, and has always suprised, delighted and annoyed in equal amounts, but it sounds like he's running out of ideas.

AFX used to be unique, he's rested on his laurels for a bit too long. Ceephax Acid Crew do the acid rave thing so much more convincingly, and even the 4/4 fuzzy 80s style techno of 'Crying In Your Face' sounds lame compaired to the dancefloor igniting Poney EP by Vitalic.

The problem with the Analord series is unless he pulls something new out of the hat double-quick, the whole thing sounds very familiar - which by RDJ's high standards, is enough to class it as a disappointment.

Crying in Your Face is a beautiful track. It really has everything I wanted from the analord series - a memorable melody, the obligatory aphex acid, and a hauntingly emotive ambient finale. Incredible.

Thankfully, the rest of the EP is also strong, but the opening track totally makes this release for me.

This series is really turning out to be totally awesome.
It`s perfect for people who are sick of too much `clever` music like ae etc.
Thing is the `cleverness` here is not immediately obvious, I hear some very clever synth programming and production going on, just nicer on the ear than a lot of modern electronic music.
The tuning on home made poly is very good, how does he do that?
Really crisp production, cryin could be a hit in another time or place.