Music From The Merch Desk (2016-2023) [compilation]

There's a track right near the end of this compilation which I wasn't familiar with which is  

That soundlab20 is insane, feels so good to hear all these trxx on the compilation again

  On 1/9/2025 at 10:07 AM, o00o said:

interesting way of putting  it 

I found the idea that he's currently oversharing but once held his cards close to his chest a bit odd, given that he put out more material in the first - 'classic' - ten years of his career than in the last ten years, even including all the Warp bonus tracks (obviously not the SC dump, but y'know).

  On 1/13/2025 at 4:30 PM, purlieu said:

I found the idea that he's currently oversharing but once held his cards close to his chest a bit odd, given that he put out more material in the first - 'classic' - ten years of his career than in the last ten years, even including all the Warp bonus tracks (obviously not the SC dump, but y'know).

i was thinking the same. dude was dropping full albums every couple years back then, with multitudes of EPs in between.

if anything, he's undersharing. just look at all the (still) unreleased live shit he was bashing out from 2017-2023. he ain't letting those dogs outta their cages.

  On 1/17/2025 at 1:11 PM, Kennylogg Bubblebath said:

i was thinking the same. dude was dropping full albums every couple years back then, with multitudes of EPs in between.

if anything, he's undersharing. just look at all the (still) unreleased live shit he was bashing out from 2017-2023. he ain't letting those dogs outta their cages.

I understood the statement more in the terms of quality control. The last release does not have any kind of theme and even contains many tracks that are just work in progress. The unreleased track collections from his DJ sets show that it’s not a lack of material but a conscious decision to hold these back to be the icing on the cake on the high paying shows instead which makes sense out of a financial planning perspective but is a bit sad when you just get another copy or version of a thing he did 10-20 years ago instead of the bangers he obviously has 

  On 1/17/2025 at 1:11 PM, Kennylogg Bubblebath said:

i was thinking the same. dude was dropping full albums every couple years back then, with multitudes of EPs in between.

More than that - albums in 92, 93, 94, 95 and 96, plus singles and EPs that might as well have been albums (AB3, Ventolin, Come to Daddy), and Mike & Rich. If Caustic Window, Melodies from Mars and AB5 hadn't been pulled at the last minute, that would have effectively made 12 album-length releases in five years, and one of those being a 140 minute double CD / triple LP. Plus, what, 20 single/EP-length releases, and whatever Universal Indicator stuff he did.

I get that the comment is partly referencing the fact that some of these gig tracks are obviously sketches, archive tracks, alternate versions, etc., but even then that's not totally out of the blue, certainly away from his main Warp albums, there were always scrappy little offcuts and things on his releases, from the brief one minute tracks to some of the Analord bonus tracks, while ICBYD contains tracks that were years old by the time of its release.

To be honest, that scrappy nature is part of what I love about Rich's music. I genuinely get '90s AFX vibes from Field Day in its lack of polish.

rfc part8 (Barcelona) is the track that I heard the other day and loved. That's a corker Mr Aphex Twin

I just waiting for this to be finished/released. 

Best afx track in many years.

yes that seems about ready to release

  Quote

Flops: Aphex Twin – Music from the Merch Desk (2016–2023)

Hear me out. I’m no Aphex hater. I’ve been a fan since 1992 when I first heard “Didgeridoo.” I’m also not a super fan though. When Richard is on, no one else comes even close. I’m particularly fond of his later works like Syro, which I think strike a beautiful balance between musicality and Aphex excess. However, I think he sometimes has an issue with quality control, and his latest, Music from the Merch Desk (2016–2023), is a perfect example of that.

I realize that a compilation is never going to feel as coherent as a purpose-made album. And that’s what Music from the Merch Desk is, a collection of songs released as vinyl-only collectibles and sold at his shows over the last decade. For the collector and die-hard fan, I’m sure this is probably like manna from heaven. For me, it feels like a hard drive dump. It’s sad to say, but this album from Aphex Twin is boring.

You may disagree. I hope you love it. But any time I try to listen to it I invariably turn it off and play Selected Ambient Works 85-92 instead.

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The New Aphex Twin Is Boring: 2024 Electronic Music Tops & Flops (GearNews)

i liked aaron rupar's review 

https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lexvztfymk2r

  On 1/19/2025 at 2:46 PM, perunamuusi said:

I just waiting for this to be finished/released. 

Best afx track in many years.

 

 

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I have a YouTube playlist of those tracks (with the similar style of video or from the same uploader, can't remember) I should go back and revisit them asap 

  On 1/19/2025 at 2:46 PM, perunamuusi said:

I just waiting for this to be finished/released. 

Best afx track in many years.

 

 

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Yeah that’s what I am talking about 

Where did the Bliss 2d G-Major [140.52 BPM] title come from, a fan made it up?

  On 1/19/2025 at 2:59 PM, dcom said:

The New Aphex Twin Is Boring: 2024 Electronic Music Tops & Flops (GearNews)

Reviewer is a nobhead 

  On 1/20/2025 at 12:21 PM, beerwolf said:

Reviewer is a nobhead 

To each their own, but he is wrong!

  On 1/20/2025 at 1:07 PM, thumbass said:

To each their own, but he is wrong!

Maybe but he could have been more constructive than just saying 'this is boring and this sucks' Unless I missed a few paragraphs. 

  On 1/19/2025 at 4:58 PM, DavieAddison said:

Where did the Bliss 2d G-Major [140.52 BPM] title come from, a fan made it up?

correct, the uploader made it up

  On 1/19/2025 at 2:46 PM, perunamuusi said:

I just waiting for this to be finished/released. 

Best afx track in many years.

 

 

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fuckin a

^ that would fit nicely on black box I think 

When I play this track I always imagine The Clangers moon walking together at a disco on their wonderful little planet and doing little body popping moves.

Here they are. Waving to Richard!

Thank you Mr Aphex Twin

  On 2/6/2025 at 4:17 PM, beerwolf said:

When I play this track I always imagine The Clangers moon walking together at a disco on their wonderful little planet and doing little body popping moves.

Here they are. Waving to Richard!

Thank you Mr Aphex Twin

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i was bummed this wasn't on the Field Day record.. but still.... amazing tracks