Selected Ambient Works 85–92

Selected Ambient Works 85–92
Studio album by Aphex Twin
Released	12 February 1992 (1992-02-12)
Recorded	1985–1992
Genre	Ambient Techno
Length	74:20
Label	R&S (AMB 3922)
Producer	Richard D. James
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Blender link Pitchfork Media (9.4/10) link Q Magazine 06/08 Record Collector link Rolling Stone 2002 RS Album Guide 2004 Spin [1]
Aphex Twin chronology
Digeridoo (1991) Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (1992) Xylem Tube EP (1992)

Selected Ambient Works 85–92 (often abbreviated to SAW 85–92 or simply SAW 1 because James' follow up included a volume number) is an ambient techno album by Richard D. James under his pseudonym of Aphex Twin. It is his third release and debut studio album under this alias. It was released in 1992 on the Belgian techno label R&S Records. An analogue remaster was released in 2006, and a digital remaster was released in 2008.

History

Having been a club DJ in the late 1980s and early 1990s in his home of Cornwall, UK, James had learned about new music techniques and rhythm patterns. With the club scene under his belt, and with a small underground following, James went on to release SAW 85-92, which was mostly recorded before he started DJing and consisted of instrumental, occasionally radio-friendly songs that were mostly beat-oriented.

The songs are faster and more percussion-oriented than many of the earlier ambient creations of other musicians such as Brian Eno. His follow-up album, Selected Ambient Works Volume II, is closer to these earlier creations. Not all the songs were created during and after his work as a DJ. Had James been making songs as early as 1985 (having been born in 1971) he would have been 13 or 14 years old.

The prodigious James would preview new material to his friends on cassette as they drove around Cornwall. A few tracks on the album have apparently been mastered from these cassettes, resulting in truncated beginnings and endings and a low fidelity sound.^{[citation needed]}

A remastered SAW 85–92 Compact Disc was released by Apollo/R&S Records on April 8, 2008. The remastered 12" vinyl record was released in 2006. The differences between the two remasters are currently unknown.

Structure

Although primarily an instrumental effort, many of the songs feature vocal samples. "Xtal" has samples of female vocalizing as well as alternating ambient sounds, both repeated intermittently throughout the song. "Tha" has clips of several people (one possibly being James himself) talking, while "Actium" has samples of what sound like squeaking shoes in a hallway. "We Are the Music Makers" features a line of dialogue from the movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. The first commercially released use of this sample was "Nephatiti" by 808 State on their album ex:el, although it is disputed what artist first used this popular sample. It is likely that James recorded "We Are the Music Makers" before 808 State recorded/released "Nephatiti". "Green Calx" contains samples from RoboCop: the dinosaur's popping eyes during the 6000 SUX TV ad, the ED-209 robot trying to go downstairs without success, and the sound of RoboCop browsing faces of criminals in the police archives computer. "Green Calx" also contains a faint sample of the vocal from "Fodderstompf" by Public Image Ltd, as well as from the opening titles of John Carpenter's 1982 film The Thing.

James created another version of "We Are the Music Makers" under his pseudonym Caustic Window. The song, entitled "We Are the Music Makers (Hardcore Mix)," is unrelated to the original except it also contains the movie sample. It was also likely recorded on the same equipment, perhaps in the same sitting. It is available on the rare Joyrex J9ii EP or picture disc and on Caustic Window's Compilation album.

Reception

Allmusic claims that while "the sound quality is relatively poor," the album is "a watershed of ambient music."^[2] and David M. Pecoraro of Pitchfork Media calls it "among the most interesting music ever created with a keyboard and a computer."^[3] Rolling Stone called the album "majestic,"^[4] and the Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll claims the album was received by critics as "an ambient masterpiece comparable to work by The Orb and Brian Eno."^[5] Warp Records has billed this as "the birthplace and the benchmark of modern electronic music" and has stated that "every home should have a copy."^[6]. In 2003, the album was placed #92 in "NME's 100 Best Albums" poll (link). The album was also featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. In addition, V/Vm did a remix of "Aegispolis" as part of his Helpaphextwin series.

Track listing

1. "Xtal" – 4:54
2. "Tha" – 9:06
3. "Pulsewidth" – 3:46
4. "Ageispolis" – 5:23
5. "i" – 1:17
6. "Green Calx" – 6:05
7. "Heliosphan" – 4:51
8. "We Are the Music Makers" – 7:43
9. "Schottkey 7th Path" – 5:08
10. "Ptolemy" – 7:10
11. "Hedphelym" – 6:00
12. "Delphium" – 5:26
13. "Actium" – 7:32

References

Notes

• Weisbard, Eric; Craig Marks (1995). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN 0679755748. 

External links

• More info, artwork and samples
• Complete Aphex Twin discography
• Selected Ambient Works 85-92 at Discogs