Confederation Trough / Rushup Edge

I've also felt like i haven't liked anything since rushup edge, but it's not really true. it's just that nothing has blown me away like this since.

Confederation Trough EP: There are redeeming qualities within each of the 4 tracks that make me like them... the funky handclaps in Fredugolon 6, the tongue clicks, breathy rhythms and plinky strums in Alspacka, the overall live performance sounding aspect of GX-1 Solo, and the laid back beat in Akunk that reminds me of "Cow Cud Is A Twin" from ICBYD (I think it's even the same tempo) plus that weird/crazy live-ish lead synth on it. I like each track separately and almost consider CTEP to be a collection of singles or B-Sides, rather than tracks that relate to eachother.

But Rushup Edge as a whole is a much stronger and more cohesive body of work. Of course with more tracks he covers more ground, but they all seem to connect more than the tracks on the EP did. The vocoded vocals on Synthacon 9 really surprised me. On Death Fuck too. They don't feel out of place at all, but it's the first time (that I can remember) RDJ uses that particular vocoder sound / technique and it caught me off guard. What a track though. I really love the vibe and progression of Rushup I Bank 12... serene. Especially when those pads come in at 1:58 and the funny little tag ending. And the rest of the album is so good, I wouldn't change a thing. I also love how it just fades out with Goodbye Rute. It's the perfect ending to such a mind-bending journey, which at the end of, I almost feel tired from following along with everything.

I'm in the same boat, GORDO. There have been plenty of releases post-Rushup that I've enjoyed and even gotten excited about, but nothing has topped it yet.

  On 6/28/2010 at 2:44 PM, o00o said:

I like the release very much the artwork just looks kind of cheap

Pretty much par for the course for his rephlex releases. The only one I can think of that has a regular artwork sleeve is Analogue Bubblebath 4.

  On 6/28/2010 at 7:15 PM, xy_politics said:

  On 6/28/2010 at 2:44 PM, o00o said:

I like the release very much the artwork just looks kind of cheap

 

Pretty much par for the course for his rephlex releases. The only one I can think of that has a regular artwork sleeve is Analogue Bubblebath 4.

yeah,, warp is the one putting out beautiful and lavish record art

There okay but I feel something missing.

I think when Richard played those new tracks in Paris it felt the final part of the jigsaw was put in place. Big warm synths from SAW 1 dumped in the mix.

I get an empty feeling from most of the tracks on these 2 releases. Feel free to pelt me with rotten cabbages....

My own version of Tuss has all tracks as a single album + that Tahnaiya Russell track!

  On 6/28/2010 at 3:22 PM, Rabid said:

I love Rushup Edge, it's like a warmer version of Drukqs. But Confederation Trough can suck my big fat tuss. Most boring release ever.

edit: do you actually like rushup edge? the tracks kind of go hand in hand.

  On 6/28/2010 at 8:45 PM, bigs said:

  On 6/28/2010 at 3:22 PM, Rabid said:

I love Rushup Edge, it's like a warmer version of Drukqs. But Confederation Trough can suck my big fat tuss. Most boring release ever.

 

edit: do you actually like rushup edge? the tracks kind of go hand in hand.

I half agree. Fredug, Akunk, GX1 all have quality production and chewy synth lines but they do sound quite a bit different from the LP - far more noodly and loose. The LP is more structured / eventful. Still, great fucking tunes. Also, if you don't like alspacka, get off this forum.

Alspacka really saves that EP I think

  On 6/28/2010 at 10:41 AM, Bewarethefriendlyfoil said:

I wish there were more music like The Tuss.

http://forum.watmm.com/topic/49578-last-step-is-awesome

confederation trough is alright. alspacka is incredible, gives me goosebumps every time.

rushup edge is obviously in a league of its own. like every other "aphex twin" release there is just something about it that defies explanation, there is nothing else like it. i think it's the most interesting album i've heard since drukqs and three years later i still can't get enough. i've heard synthacon9 well over 300 times and it never gets boring i'm always hearing new bits in it, probably richard's best work imo.

  On 6/28/2010 at 1:14 PM, Masonic Boom said:

 

Geeky muso question: WTF time signature is GX1 Solo in? Is it 12/8?

Pretty sure its 6/8

I've always thought of it as an aphex acid jig

  On 6/28/2010 at 5:33 PM, iamabe said:

  On 6/28/2010 at 2:05 PM, Berk said:

  On 6/28/2010 at 11:04 AM, ZoeB said:

The problem with liking any of James's music is that it becomes difficult to be satisfied with anything else. James combines his unique style of note programming, choice of sounds, manipulation, destruction, idiosyncratic song structure and plain incorrect tuning to come up with music so far removed from popular music's vocal driven verse-chorus structure that you'll feel lost at first, but it steadily grows on you until eventually it becomes the only kind of music that can satisfy you.

 

I do understand why people feel that way. I thought this was the case with me as well for a while, but I still discovered loads of other music that I really enjoy without thinking "there's something missing in this song" or something like that. It took a little while, though!

 

I am so relieved that other Tuss fans feel this way. I've been in a huge musical slump for like two years. Synthacon, Rushup, etc. have pidgeonholed my tastes and much of the ambient/electronic/whatever I used to dig makes me feel bored and feverish while afx makes me feel stimulated and confident. Not to mention I've lost a lot of love for rock/pop music.

 

Seriously, not kidding, the Tuss ruined my life. :(

 

really, that is not sarcasm. I look forward to getting out of this slump.

Hmm I can't say this has happened for me, I'd say almost the opposite in my case. I find that the Tuss is like a serious tangle of intelligent programming and composition. Very dense and intricately layered. Its brilliant to just sit back and let your brain climb through what to me is like an audio representation of a monkey puzzle tree.

But I just can't listen to music like this exclusively. I need something more down to the roots in music production. Much more low tech, naive, but still innovative and interesting.

For example I've been listening to Roy Orbison and the Beach Boys and Roxy Music and some Eno, to satisfy my other musical needs.

I'm sure most people have something a bit different to contrast all this computer music they listen to right?

So basically I'm saying, The Tuss is quite a pinnacle (at least for now) of this age of electronic/braindance music. Or at least, it'll be quite a timeless gem, even if a whole lot of people don't even notice it.

But the Tuss is hardly the ultimate fix for your audiophile needs.

tuss is ok, kind of tries too hard

It's quite good but abit too hectic. The excellent moments like the piano solo are way too short and unresolved.

  On 6/29/2010 at 12:40 AM, m.leafeater.dl said:

confederation trough is alright. alspacka is incredible, gives me goosebumps every time.

 

rushup edge is obviously in a league of its own. like every other "aphex twin" release there is just something about it that defies explanation, there is nothing else like it. i think it's the most interesting album i've heard since drukqs and three years later i still can't get enough. i've heard synthacon9 well over 300 times and it never gets boring i'm always hearing new bits in it, probably richard's best work imo.

totally agree - I think i've listened to synthacon like 500 times. and i'm not tired of it. most of the time when i work on basslines im trying to make something that sounds as badass as synthacon.

  On 6/29/2010 at 2:43 AM, Billov said:

Hmm I can't say this has happened for me, I'd say almost the opposite in my case. I find that the Tuss is like a serious tangle of intelligent programming and composition. Very dense and intricately layered. Its brilliant to just sit back and let your brain climb through what to me is like an audio representation of a monkey puzzle tree.

But I just can't listen to music like this exclusively. I need something more down to the roots in music production. Much more low tech, naive, but still innovative and interesting.

For example I've been listening to Roy Orbison and the Beach Boys and Roxy Music and some Eno, to satisfy my other musical needs.

 

I'm sure most people have something a bit different to contrast all this computer music they listen to right?

 

So basically I'm saying, The Tuss is quite a pinnacle (at least for now) of this age of electronic/braindance music. Or at least, it'll be quite a timeless gem, even if a whole lot of people don't even notice it.

But the Tuss is hardly the ultimate fix for your audiophile needs.

I agree. I have variety and I have been listening to jazz and some joanna newsom lately but i still want more tuss.

  On 6/29/2010 at 3:14 AM, iamabe said:

most of the time when i work on basslines im trying to make something that sounds as badass as synthacon.

Maybe that's why you're having trouble getting into the the track making groove. You can't be Aphex Twin, because RDJ is already Aphex Twin. Perhaps it's best to just go off in an entirely new direction and learn to like it.

Either that or it's one of those things where you have to kill the current Aphex Twin & gain his powers.

I dont get when people compare artist across genres. I like listening to the Tuss, some superb production skills and really a programming master piece. I can see how it tries too hard but I wouldn't hold it against the music. Ive heard this a few times now from different people, they think The Tuss is too well produced. But to be honest Ive never thought about that while listening.

I can't sympathize with Zoe either. Because I much as enjoy Aphex and his original take on tracks, I always enjoy some verse-chorus-verse stuff. Or even just some progressive stuff with not much change at all, maybe some 4 on the floor.

I'm probably the only one who will say this but if I was only listening to Aphex in his many forms, I would get bored quickly enough.

chassis: pretty much my point... aphex non-stop would wreck the head. And you're only gonna get frustrated if you set all your goals to composing music to the same magnitude of hedphuck.

but then again

  On 6/29/2010 at 3:06 AM, chimera slot mom said:

It's quite good but abit too hectic. The excellent moments like the piano solo are way too short and unresolved.

i hope your not talking about the piano solo in rushup i bank 12, that solo is perfect to the last note.

Rushup Edge is 110% kickass McRadical and there's pretty much no disputing that.

Really, all the awesome trademark Aphexisms are there, plus it's got this attitude which is comparable to every badass guitar solo you've ever heard multiplied times infinity. Also I'm drunk.

  On 6/29/2010 at 2:43 AM, Billov said:

  On 6/28/2010 at 1:14 PM, Masonic Boom said:

 

Geeky muso question: WTF time signature is GX1 Solo in? Is it 12/8?

 

Pretty sure its 6/8

 

I've always thought of it as an aphex acid jig

Ha ha, Acid Jig, I like that. Except I reckon 12/8 because it combines the 6/8 jig with a 4/4 pulse.

It's not 1-2-3 2-2-3 it's more like 1-2-3 2-2-3 3-2-3 4-2-3

Either way it's darn amazing.

I love the weird mouth noises on Alspacka. They make me laugh, in a good way. It's the childish humour that gets me, every time he starts to get overly intellectual.

  On 6/28/2010 at 10:07 PM, chaosmachine said:

  On 6/28/2010 at 10:41 AM, Bewarethefriendlyfoil said:

I wish there were more music like The Tuss.

 

http://forum.watmm.com/topic/49578-last-step-is-awesome

1961 is a good album, but nowhere near the level of The Tuss.

  On 6/28/2010 at 2:05 PM, Berk said:

  On 6/28/2010 at 11:04 AM, ZoeB said:

The problem with liking any of James's music is that it becomes difficult to be satisfied with anything else.

 

I thought this was the case with me as well for a while, but I still discovered loads of other music that I really enjoy without thinking "there's something missing in this song" or something like that.

Care to share any artist or album names? I'd reciprocate, but I suspect I'm the only person here who's been getting into the unfashionably mainstream Xenomania lately.

  On 6/28/2010 at 2:19 PM, o00o said:

I love the tuss very much but I have trouble buying it as the cover artwork is just so sloppy.

This is actually an interesting point. Yes, RDJ is apparently trying to make the music stand on its own, but this is exactly the kind of reason record labels are best owned by other people, to save the artist from himself. As good as the music is, and as irrelevant as cover art always is, most people care about the package as a whole rather than picturing the music as existing in an intangible void. There's a fine line, perhaps, between making an artistic statement and not putting in effort.

Or perhaps with Analord being so over the top with its fake leather binder, this is all an elaborate piece of marketing research to find out how much packaging really affects sales. :)

  On 6/28/2010 at 2:49 PM, Masonic Boom said:

Everything about the Tuss is saying don't look at the man behind the curtain, don't look at the author, don't look at the super-limited-edition vinyl - just listen to the tunes.

Yes, but he knew people would find out anyway. To be honest, it wouldn't surprise me if RDJ worked out that an Aphex Twin release wouldn't be as interesting as a release by some unknown person who turns out to be him in a surprising plot twist. Judging by the fact that people here are going so far as to put place names into Google Maps to look for hidden clues suggests to me that if this is the case, it's a wise move on the part of working out what the fans want. A little mystery. Still, it's no Year Zero alternate reality game.

Think of it this way: which is more fun, finding your local record shop has a new Aphex Twin album, or hearing hushed rumours from your friends that there's a secret new album that's probably by him, only no one knows for sure?

  On 6/28/2010 at 5:39 PM, iamabe said:

I stew in self-criticism and worry about how repetitious my music is when what I want to make is progressive, event-filled, forward moving shit like on Rushup.

So how far have you got with making something as interesting as Rushup? It's a pretty high goal to set yourself. I'd rather listen to the music of someone who tried this and failed, than someone who tried to make something mediocre and succeeded.

When it comes to music making, I also have lofty heroes like RDJ, but what I make usually comes out more Moby or Orbital. It still beats trying to make something like Moby or Orbital and it coming out like someone mucking around on a home keyboard they got for their birthday.

  On 6/28/2010 at 7:19 PM, yek said:

Warp is the one putting out beautiful and lavish record art.

Exactly. He doesn't co-own Warp, so they can convince him to put in some effort with the cover art.

  On 6/29/2010 at 4:34 AM, chassis said:

I can't sympathize with Zoe either. Because I much as enjoy Aphex and his original take on tracks, I always enjoy some verse-chorus-verse stuff. Or even just some progressive stuff with not much change at all, maybe some 4 on the floor.

 

I'm probably the only one who will say this but if I was only listening to Aphex in his many forms, I would get bored quickly enough.

Sorry, it's hard for me to articulate this well without contradicting myself because what music I like at any given time changes radically from one moment to the next... I do like a variety of different music, not just RDJ. It's just I like (some of) his music much more than anyone else's, even though I find most of it quite flawed. It's like he's trying so much harder than almost everyone else (except for maybe Trent Reznor and BT, off the top of my head) that he really shows what's possible while almost everyone else seems to comparatively be aimlessly plodding along. So I listen to RDJ more than I listen to anyone else, but I still listen to other artists too, from Pink Floyd to Gustav Holst, from Frank to Baba Brinkman.

What's great about this music that's simultaneously way ahead of everyone else's yet still imperfect, is that it really fires off my creativity. Instead of releasing a lot of music, RDJ seems to rewrite and rewrite a single piece until it's fantastic. That's an inspiration, that shows you just how much of a void there is that needs filling.

So during those long moments between his albums, don't complain, write your own, and try to live up to his high standards of creativity like iamabe does. :)

  On 6/29/2010 at 1:56 PM, ZoeB said:

So during those long moments between his albums, don't complain, write your own, and try to live up to his high standards of creativity like iamabe does. :)

Thank you, but I'm happier when I zone out and make noises with my toys instead of trying to imitate RDJ.

Though I do like the idea that aiming for RDJ and making Moby is better than aiming for Moby and sounding like poop.

I can't believe no one mentioned the quack in Last Rushup 10.

Rushup Edge without the quack - 6/10

Rushup Edge with the quack - 10/10