{"product_id":"polygon-window-aphex-twin-surfing-on-sine-waves","title":"Polygon Window (Aphex Twin) - Surfing On Sine Waves","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginally released in 1993, \u003cem\u003eSurfing On Sine Waves\u003c\/em\u003e is the second album released under the Warp Artificial Intelligence series (the series also includes the two titular compilations, as well as contributions by Autechre, The Black Dog, F.U.S.E. and more).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSurfing On Sine Waves\u003c\/em\u003e is also the sole album released under Richard D. James’ (aka Aphex Twin’s) Polygon Window alias. The name “Polygon Window” originally appeared as a track name under Richard D. James’ other pseudonym The Dice Man, as the track title for his submission on Artificial Intelligence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSurfing On Sine Waves\u003c\/em\u003e was chosen as a title by Rob Mitchell based on a quote by Richard D. James. The album debuted at #2 on the UK dance charts. The album was followed the same year with a companion EP titled Quoth. The EP’s title track originally appeared on the album, accompanied by additional songs who first appeared on this release.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFast forward 32 years to 2025,\u003cem\u003e Surfing On Sine Waves \u003c\/em\u003e(Expanded Edition) sees the pair of companion releases as a single entity, out on vinyl. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/aphextwin.bandcamp.com\/album\/surfing-on-sine-waves-expanded-edition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eLabel\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe only Aphex Twin album you're supposed to have, if you want to have an Aphex Twin album that's not by Aphex Twin. No, the AFX stuff doesn't count, because you can totally tell it's the same guy. Who in their sane mind could tell Polygon Window was also a Richard D. James alias though? Not from a casual glance, no sir, though as soon as you throw this record on the player, it's pretty damn obvious. The main reason it wasn’t billed asan Aphex Twin album is ol’ Rich had yet to settle on a consistent alias, not to mention all the label politicking that went down in those days. His famous moniker was still an Apollo exclusive, he was using ‘Bradley Strider’ on his own Rephlex print, and ain’t no way Ffrreedom was letting go of Power-Pill. Thus, here’s Polygon Window making his debut on Warp Records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome state \u003cem\u003eSurfing On Sine Waves\u003c\/em\u003e as the best LP Mr. Dee James has ever put out. Yes, better than either \u003cem\u003eSelected Ambient Works\u003c\/em\u003e, better than his self-titled album, and even better than the best Aphex Twin album to come out in the last fifteen years, \u003cem\u003eSyro\u003c\/em\u003e. What could possibly be on this ancient record that has longtime Aphex fans proclaiming such a thing? Ambient techno, obviously, though some regular UK bleep and acid techno too. Nothing super mind-bending or obtuse for its own sake either - just interesting, intelligent tunes made in the Aphex aesthetic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs \u003cem\u003eSurfing On Sine Waves\u003c\/em\u003e was released as the second volume of Warp Records’ seminal Artificial Intelligence series (which included both compilations and artist albums), perhaps The Richarded One played nice with the fledgling London label. Or maybe he’d yet to discover his inner brilliant, wanker swagger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe closest comparison \u003cem\u003eSurfing On Sine Waves\u003c\/em\u003e comes to the rest of Mr. James’ oeuvre is the first \u003cem\u003eSelected Ambient Works\u003c\/em\u003e. Hardly surprising since they were released around the same time, but these tracks are definitely more techno than ambient. Audax Powder has a gentle pad melody going for it, then changes gears to a bouncy rave beat. Dot goes for a moody atmosphere in robot Hell, and Quino-Phec is all sorts of dark, calming drone as found on the later volume of SAW. Reissues added Portreath Harbour and Redruth School, both sounding like early SAW session tracks that didn’t make the cut.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther tracks fear no hardcore rhythm, Supremacy II getting its proper rave on, Quixote doing a techno-trance thing, and the titular opener showing them UK lads could go a little Detroit, should they so choose. Surprisingly, there’s some ‘conventional’ music here too, Quoth bangin’ percolating machine techno, If It Really Is Me rather drab piano techno, and an untitled track toying around with standard acid. Hey, Aphex Twin really is human after all!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt its best, \u003cem\u003eSurfing On Sine Waves\u003c\/em\u003e is a heavier, if simpler companion to James’ more famous work of the period. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/emcritic.blogspot.com\/2015\/12\/polygon-window-surfing-on-sine-waves.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eEM Critic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/0z4LrP0YfgopkrgVntXcBN?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Warp Records \u003cbr\u003eSeries: Artificial Intelligence – Second\u003cbr\u003eFormat: 3 x Vinyl, 12\", 33 ⅓ RPM, Album, Reissue, Expanded Edition\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2025 \/ Original: 1993\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Electronic\u003cbr\u003eStyle: IDM, Techno\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Electronic \/\/ House \/ Techno \/ Electro\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Warp Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46148756177054,"sku":"5056818803017","price":70.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/a_8622fb8a-0479-496d-9dbc-2e3b1c4cb3a2.jpg?v=1762080788","url":"https:\/\/theanalogvault.mom\/products\/polygon-window-aphex-twin-surfing-on-sine-waves","provider":"The Analog Vault","version":"1.0","type":"link"}