Aphex Twin
About
Richard David James, best known as Aphex Twin, is far and away one of the most celebrated and influential electronic musicians of all time. Since the release of his earliest EPs in 1991, James has constantly pushed the limits of what can be accomplished with electronic equipment, resulting in forward-thinking and emotionally engaging work that ranges from sublime, pastoral ambience (Selected Ambient Works 85-92 and its 1994 follow-up) to manic head-rush acid techno (1992's Digeridoo EP).
Unlike most artists who emerged from the '90s techno scene, James established himself as a genuine personality, known for his cheeky grin (which graced the covers of releases like 1995's I Care Because You Do and 1996's Richard D. James Album) and his nightmare-inducing music videos (particularly 1997's "Come to Daddy" and 1999's "Windowlicker") as much as his groundbreaking albums and EPs. This helped expand his audience from ravers and critics to rock fans, with numerous non-electronic musicians citing him as an inspiration.
His piano composition "Avril 14th" (from the divisive 2001 album Drukqs) gradually took on a life of its own through TV and film usage, and became his most widely heard piece. By the mid-2010s, he had infiltrated popular culture to the point that releases such as 2014's Syro and 2018's Collapse were preceded with elaborate promo campaigns involving sightings of the iconic Aphex Twin logo on blimps and billboards throughout major cities.
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