Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a room7 F760

エイフェックス・ツイン
約5年ぶりとなる最新作をリリース!!

2023年6月9日にコペンハーゲンの音楽フェスティバル〈Syd For Solen〉に出演したのを皮切りに、各地の音楽フェスティバルにてヘッドライナー出演を果たし、新作発表に先立っては各フェス会場では謎めいたインスタレーションが登場し、Redditなどの掲示板サイト上でファンが様々な妄想を繰り広げていた。そして現在では全世界のレコードショップにロゴが隠されたポスターが貼り出され、QRコードをカメラで読み取ることでエイフェックス・ツインの拡張現実世界に入り込むことができる。

エイフェックス・ツインによる約5年ぶりの最新作『Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / In a Room7 F760』は、CDと12インチでリリース!

After releasing the splendid Collapse EP in 2018, Aphex Twin collaborated with synthesizer company Novation on a monosynth called AFX Station, and issued a few limited-edition EPs at some of his festival appearances. Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a room7 F760 is his first proper release of new material in five years, and while it felt like the veteran musician was pushing his sound forward on Collapse, here hes essentially in his comfort zone. "Blackbox Life Recorder 21f," the brief EPs first and longest track, starts out with twitchy beats, mellow synth chords, and soft melodies that sound like a sampled human voice; eventually, chunky breakbeats ricochet across the soundscape. Several different breaks pile up, and just as it feels like its on the verge of overload, the beats pause for a moment in order to refresh, then smoothly return. Second track "zin2 test5" sets an elastic bassline and intricate beat patterns against soft streams of synth pads. If any element of the track was subtracted, it would sound too simple or underdeveloped, but it all fits together perfectly. Racing drums lead the charge on "in a room7 F760," which has a slight 80s action vibe in the beginning, until the synths become more fragmented and the drums are briefly whittled down to sharp, clanging edges, momentarily recalling the abrasive drillnbass style of late-90s Aphex. "Blackbox Life Recorder 22 [Parallax Mix]" is a less melodic variation on the first track, also lacking its sense of balance. The EP isnt a game changer, but it bears enough of Aphex Twins unmistakable personality to be worthwhile. ~ Paul Simpson

各地のフェス会場に謎めいたインスタレーションを展示したり、レコード店に仕掛けのあるポスターを掲出したり、サプライズを経由してリリースに期待を膨らませる巧さは変わらず。思った以上に間の空いた5年ぶりのEPは、オールドスクールに回帰したようなレイヴ展開やジャングル導入など過去と未来を繋ぐような瞬間が際立っている。またも刺激的なトラックが揃った全4曲!
bounce (C)亜蘭済士