September MUSIC ARTICLE: What I've Been Listening To Lately (Patreon)

No specific theme for this month's MUSIC ARTICLE, just a quick rundown of a couple albums I've been enjoying lately. Number one on the list is "Syro," the new Aphex Twin album. It's an absolutely fantastic album and a wonderful return from an extended hiatus for Richard D. James. What strikes me most about it is the way the songs shift and morph within themselves- so much electronic music is about repetition, but there's very little of that on Syro. The sound quality is impeccable, and if you've got fancy headphones you'll really be in for a treat. The tunes themselves run the gamut from acidy bass to ambient piano to the kind of crazy kitchen-sink electronic music Aphex Twin is best known for. Album opener "mimipops 67" and the following epic "XMAS_EVET10" are the two standout tracks, making the album a little front loaded in my opinion, but all in all it's a delightful record. I've also been enjoying the new Simian Mobile Disco album "Whorl," which find the duo using a limited palette of synths and sequencers to craft an LP full of deep grooves and breathy ambience. It starts off slow, but when you get to the third track "Sun Dogs" the 4/4 kick finally enters the frame and brings all the ambient synths into focus. From there it's a pleasant ride all the way to the end.