Orphaned Deejay Selek: 2006-2008

A year after he released Syro, the first Aphex Twin album in 13 years, Richard D. James let loose his first official AFX material in ten years. This eight-track, 30-minute jolt, titled Orphaned Deejay Selek 2006-2008 but designed to look like something from 1989 or 1990, also followed a spillage of over 100 previously unreleased (and occasionally brilliant) tracks on Soundcloud. Confounding as ever, James nonetheless presents some of his most physical and ultimately electrifying tracks here. It starts with "serge fenix Rendered 2," where he melds racing synthesizer patterns, snarling acid lines, handclaps, and threatening melodic vamps into a three-minute thrill ride. Some cuts, like the tightly coiled "DMX Acid Test" and "simple slamming b 2," edge closer to the 2003-2005 wave of Analord releases, while "NEOTEKT72" -- almost strictly hard, echoed drums and agitated percussion -- are sparse rhythm tracks. Fierce closing track "r8m neotek beat" manages to ramp up the intensity, seemingly made for the terrifying rush of raving in the middle of a lawless prairie during a tornado warning. ~ Andy Kellman