Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Volume II REACTION/REVIEW

Spotify and Apple Music : DavidBrian
Instagram : davidsmagala

[@IamJustTheBiscuityOfTheSeaity]

Stone In Focus is now officially on streaming services like Spotify! He's also going to release an expanded edition of this album on this October this year, this this.

[@user-ok6uo6cz1c]

YOOOO im so hyped for that expanded album

[@sealex6890]

I have so much respect for you not only taking requests and doing a wide range of music, but actually analyzing and going through projects regardless of their length. I haven't seen anyone else do that stuff, massive respect to you Smags!!! Requests as always: Toxicity by System Of A Down and Silent alarm by Bloc Party

[@sparkscoop7623]

SOAD is so good self-titled and steal this album would be great as well (steal this album is my personal favorite)

[@sealex6890]

@@sparkscoop7623 Yeah they’re a total must-hear. Mesmerize is my favorite record but judging by general popularity and algorithm goodness, you know, all that stuff I think Toxicity makes most sense to start with, along with going in chronological order of course.

[@idonotknowwhyyoutubeletsyo5893]

You mentioned Minecraft music. Both C418 and Notch actually like Aphex Twin. And Notch himself bought a test press of one vinyl for 40k USD. Richard himself also noticed how Minecraft music sounds like his music from this album when his kids were playing the game. There is a rumor about this album that it was made by recreating whatever Richard heard during his daydreams when he forced himself to only sleep an hour a day or something like that.

[@VANILLAZILLA]

Its actually made from him lucid dreaming. He would lucid dream, make songs, and then attempt to make them awake. It could still be b.s. from RDJ, but it sounds cool.

[@toomuchmustard3067]

13:35 The 'biblically accurate angel' sound you're thinking of is probably "13 angels standing guard" by Silver Mt Zion, which is actually a side project for Godspeed You Black Emperor. Small world.

[@friendlystranger9662]

You're such a legend for doing this one! Best reactor on YT for sure

[@smags1082]

Thank Youb

[@miarf]

I've listened to SAW2 a lot over the last two decades, and it was lovely to go through it again with the accompaniment of your great reaction video! It's funny how wide the array of mental images brought on by the songs can be.

[@gulliver1755]

Oh wow, so awesome to see someone react to this album. I meditate to #1 and #3 almost every day. Definitely a sometimes beautiful sometimes terrifying and alien piece of work. He claims to have created the songs while lucid dreaming using instruments he created while in the dream and would wake up and immediately try and recreate what he made in the dream. Next Aphex Twin albums would have to be I Care Because You Do, Syro and Come to Daddy. Also I know I am a broken record but would love you to start reacting to Oneohtrix Point Never starting with R Plus Seven and Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation!

[@zxr9291]

I second R plus seven, fantastic album

[@naumchomsky8840]

R+7 thirded \o

[@eatthem5829]

And replica after that!

[@karson0000]

Top tier ambient (also ty for doing stone in focus)

[@stratford1]

Actually crazy that you do albums like this. There's thousands of music reaction channels on youtube, and somehow you've already put yourself past nearly all of them. For the topic of long albums I'll recommend Bitches Brew by Miles Davis, but you've probably already got hundreds of albums to consider.

[@smags1082]

I do but I consider everything

[@spr1691]

W desert sand feels warm at night pfp

[@frouvoxes]

@@spr1691 fr

[@aira6574]

​@@spr1691w SAW 85-92 pfp

[@hornyconvict]

Recs for long albums: The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime Can - Tago Mago

[@vemooo3573]

I recommend Massive Attack's - Mezzanine. Absolute trip hop classic

[@JONNYTUBSTER]

Literally the best album ever made!!! A total ambient masterpiece and enthralling journey. Aphex the goat!

[@Hasuo2001]

Not many people will agree with me, but "Tree" is one of my favorite track on this album.

[@ryankelly4080]

Yo - Tree is amazing! Such an eerie track. I really like how it develops.

[@v1x4570]

I love the creepy tracks, some of the most immersive music I've ever heard

[@mememan3799]

Damn he really is the consistency king

[@smags1082]

Yuppp

[@shio5848]

Yet another really great reaction, I’m glad you checked the album out! You should try listening to Cosmogramma by Flying Lotus. Flying Lotus is an amazing producer and it’s one of my favorite albums of the 2010’s, I highly recommend

[@alisich]

As a fan of richard's work this is probably the album i listen to the least, but i enjoy a lot when i do. I definitely prefer his harsher stuff like Vordhosbn and Mt Saint Michel + Saint Michaels Mount but this is really nice as well. #17 and Blue Calx have to be my favorites in this one. I found your channel today and i really like your reaction/reviews. I recommend you listen to Syro or ...I Care Because You Do next. Syro is probably my favorite release from him. It's kinda mellow and chill but still complex and weird in a nice way.

[@matekolonics]

+1 for Syro :)

[@lucasvongretsch3437]

I found it refreshing to see a younger chap thoughtfully consider this gigantic masterpiece of an album from a bygone era. Maybe there is hope after all.

[@earkittycat]

A lot of people know aphex twin

[@user-ok6uo6cz1c]

as a 15 year old, i love this type of music. my taste in music is very varied and i listen to different things depending on my mood, but i feel like this album just "works" no matter what mood im in. it always brings out a lot of emotion no matter my mood in the moment. it always leaves me with a lot of thoughts after listening to it.

[@aergisgeist6346]

Aphex twin is one of the biggest musicians in the electronic/ambient genre, what you on about

[@lucasvongretsch3437]

@@aergisgeist6346 i was on about the age of the album, not whether aphex twin was big or small.

[@poogchomp]

I love your commentary on these tracks man, you understand the emotion behind the music very well. Hoping you check out some stuff you've polled previously like Parannoul and Bon Iver

[@vulniguta]

the album that changed ambient music forever, with my favorite song ever (stone in focus ♡)

[@nohozana]

It always angered me how he left that track off the CD release

[@kookykalabazas]

Wow, I’m very glad you took the time to listen to this project. It’s not one of my fav Aphex projects to go back to, but I do enjoy some of its good bits definitely for homework-related purposes. Major props to you for going through the repetitive nature of these tracks XD I do have a request for you, and that is, to just take care of yourself man. You obviously have a lot of requests on every single upload you make so I feel it can be overwhelming, idk how it is to you, but take care. I can tell you dedicate a lot into your reactions and I applaud you for doing that.

[@CanadianCamper_6]

I have been waiting for this particular album review from Captain Consistent for a while now and now I can finally rest easy! +1 subscriber AND WHAT A LEGEND FOR INCLUDING STONE IN FOCUS! I’d love to see you react to the album Everything Is So Beautiful by Alicks. It mixes several genres and is honestly one of my favorite albums.

[@spr1691]

i love everything about this video, the comments, the reaction you got, and the amazingly open mind of yours about songs and their meanings, very fitting and just enjoyable overall. My recommendations are: Dean Blunt - BLACK METAL The Smiles - Bending Hectic //btw this one is a single

[@bensondunwoody2425]

We need more people to know some of Dean's music to be honest

[@three11creatures]

BTW the monkey shot is from the movie Baraka. Amazing movie. Shots from around the world with no dialogue, but it puts you in a state of mind.

[@k1d666]

Blue Calx was the first ever AFX track i listened to probably back in the mid 2000's, been listening to him ever since, Syro is also worthy of your attention fwiw.

[@cerulean5881]

i'd strongly recommend checking out slide by george clanton!! it combines elements of electronic, trip hop, ambient, shoegaze, and 90s alternative into one!! its considered a magnum opus throughout the vaporwave community as it takes aesthetic inspiration from the genre and expands it into something more detailed and original. he is truly a genius producer and songwriter and i think you would love it!!! it also has a SICK album cover

[@illgillbates9561]

On your Mojang comment at 8:35 : there's this game called 'Beton Brutal' with a very similar sounding OST and Minecraft-like visuals, it's spot on the kind of thing you mention. The OST and game is spooky and chill at the same time. I'm not a very avid gamer but this one grabbed my attention and I liked it a lot for both its concept and beautifully haunting atmosphere. In it you have to jump to the top where one missed jump can drop you all the way back down to the bottom, and it really triggers heavy vertigo at times. It's worth checking out; the soundtrack is on KZbin too!

[@jackdearman5880]

I used to drive around the California desert at night, around 3 AM and still 90F/32C, all windows down blasting this album at top volume. It was a real vibe. Unquestionably my favorite AFX.

[@IamJustTheBiscuityOfTheSeaity]

The laugh you hear in #23 has been sampled in several songs before like Kids Beach and CAT (00897-A1)

[@EcstasyJesus]

It's actually the other way around! Notch is a huge Aphex Twin fan, so I'm certain (even though I don't know how much of an artistic direction he gave to the composer) it was a direct inspiration to the music in minecraft. You'll notice this more with the piano tracks on Drukqs too

[@erebus49]

These songs actually have titles but they were included if I remember correctly only in CD and vinyl. So here's the titles: #1 Cliffs #2 Radiator #3 Rhubarb #4 Hankie #5 Grass #6 Mould #7 Curtains #8 Blur #9 Weathered Stone #10 Tree #11 Domino #12 White Blur 1 #13 Blue Calx #14 Parallel Stripes #15 Shiny Metal Rods #16 Grey Stripe #17 Z Twig #18 Window Sill #19 Hexagon #20 Lichen #21 Spots #22 Tassels #23 White Blur 2 #24 Matchsticks

[@demo_sphere]

Oh man dude you gotta do Autechre now... I honestly think you should work through their entire discography from start to finish (or at least start with Amber). I bet you'd have a blast and we'd have fun watching

[@meatgrinder9506]

Agreed 100%

[@ambientatomicorbitals7810]

Huge boards of Canada, Autechre and Apex Twin fan.THE ALBUM "DERU 1979" By Deru is phenomenal. Worth a listen.

[@naumchomsky8840]

We need to get him on some Autechre! Chiastic Slide or Tri Repetae to start.

[@seseqsequsequesequensequent]

@@naumchomsky8840 Chiastic Slide sucks dawg Tri Repetae is great though

[@naumchomsky8840]

@@seseqsequsequesequensequent have you ever looked at how absolutely wildly different Autechre fans rank their albums, dawg? Have you also ever stopped to think about how ignorant you come off, dawg?

[@headeraser]

I love #22. That track on acid melts your brain, in a good way.

[@smags1082]

Aye bro you do you

[@berkkarsi]

This is a very interesting album. None of the songs have names except Blue Calx. None of the songs have runtime numbers either. The album uses pie charts to show how long the songs are based on a bunch of other tracks. The Aphex Twin community and fanbase made their own track titles based on the pictures. This album also has missing songs that are not found in some versions. #4 (Hankie) and Stone in Focus are not in the CD version. This album is a bit of a mess, but very interesting and mysterious.

[@IamJustTheBiscuityOfTheSeaity]

He technically also confirmed the rhubarb name since whenever he released the Orchestration of #3 on his SoundCloud he used "Rhubarb"

[@IamJustTheBiscuityOfTheSeaity]

Also radiator

[@dj_matty]

Would be awesome to see you react to some Ween. The Mollusk is a great starting point (helped inspire the creation of Spongebob) and is one of my favorite albums ever, but Quebec is also a great pick. It would probably be some of the more off the wall and unique music you’ve reacted to so far as they explore multiple genres within projects, makes for great content. Keep up the great reactions 🙏

[@ohianaw]

this album puts you in a trance. its so damn atmospheric, hypnotic and otherworldly. love this album and probably his best work

[@xbenci]

definitely one of the coolest ambient albums ever made. don't know if you've mentioned in the video as I haven't finished, but apparently the album is made up of songs James made right after waking up; he'd purposefully wake himself up after having a lucid dream in order to try and recreate or immortalize the dream he'd just had into music. the album does unquestionably sound like music you'd hear in a dream, it's blurry, occasionally out of tune, a bit tired, sparse and dark. have yet to find another album with such an accurate sound of what dreams would sound like edit to add a bit: all the tracks are also untitled. like, literally untitled in the original release, not even the numbers. it adds a lot of mystery to the tracks, but what's even cooler is that in physical releases (that is, the only versions existed in 1994 as streaming wasn't a thing) all the tracks are actually paired with an image, which kind of replaces the title. as such, fans have now accustomed to referring to the tracks with their image, like #3 being Rhubarb, #10 is Tree, #7 is Curtains etc. Blue Calx is the only titled track, for some reason, and features a completely blue square as its image.

[@threedeemelodies]

lul @ #2 sounding like an “evil ice cream truck” cause yeah ur so right

[@efmusic04]

hahaha yeah I chuckled at that one

[@berkkarsi]

When I first heard this album, I thought it was just creepy. I didn't want to hear this album again. But after watching your video all the way through, I loved #3 (Rhubarb) and #20 (Lichen). I even loved one of the creepy songs, #24 (Matchsticks). I'm glad I watched your video.

[@tuff_lover]

I'm glad you liked Mold.

[@saturatethecolors]

love to see you pumping these out! its always a treat! would love to see you check out these albums sometime: Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It in People The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots or The Soft Bulletin The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds Brian Eno - Apollo

[@sparkscoop7623]

every time i go on youtube you uploaded like 30 minutes ago i just got the smags vibe fr

[@efmusic04]

I totally recommend you listen to Squarepusher. He's like jazzy Aphex. I love Hard Normal Daddy and I totally recommend that one.

[@B4NDllKOOT_]

If he hasn’t done Squarepusher then idk what he’s waiting for

[@gaydingus]

Also recommend Desire I want To Turn Into You by Caroline Polachek and Preacher’s Daughter by Ethel Cain (the story of the album is insane)

Whoa I didn’t know someone does this kind of reactions. Enjoyed a lot! Thank you!

[@illgillbates9561]

TOP-TIER REVIEWER, good stuff my guy.

[@nbound_]

rhubarb goes so hard, thanks for reviewing this album! Artist suggestions: Leyland Kirby (not on Spotify i think)

[@Smiggieballs1]

Please listen to marquee moon by television, it’s an amazing Proto-punk album with excellent guitar work and high praise from critics like fantano. (who gave it a ten) I’m sure you’d love it and it’d be awesome if you reacted to it.

[@three11creatures]

This album will grow on you. I play it in the background a lot when I work and it creates such an otherworldly vibe.

[@ryanmcbride3806]

this is why ur the best. rhubarb is my most streamed song ever and it changed everything for me. i suggest you listen to beat by bowery electric, mezzanine by massive attack, or fantastic planet by failure.

[@pengukingmusic]

thanks so much for this reaction. one of the greatest albums of of time and is easily my favorite ambient album.

[@barneychapman6856]

a fun fact about #21, the talking is supposedly a police interview of a woman who killed someone, that a cleaner at the police station stole and gave to richard

[@MangSavar]

How can you listen to the whole album in one sitting, considering how ambient it is, is crazy

[@antisweep]

The “Lyrics” in #4 ( aka Hankie) “Richard, Yeah?” Are the synths speaking those lyrics, the same as the spoken lyrics on 4 from the Richard D James album. Don’t ask me why 4 is so tied to Richard Yeah but I heard this Easter egg long ago before Spotify or lyric sites tied lyrics to it.

[@sammirllm7755]

13:40 I remember those "biblically acurate" angels, and, fun fact, the sound that usually plays on those videos comes from a song by A Silver Mt. Zion, a band founded by one of the members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor

[@dopplereffeckt675]

This came out in 1994, while Silver Mt. Zion didn't start until 1999...

[@sammirllm7755]

​@@dopplereffeckt675 i know these records don't have any relation at all, what i meant is that Smags was talking about a series of videos from tiktok that had a certain sound to those images of angels, i have seen those videos too (i think you can find them on yt pretty easy) and the thing is that almost all those videos use a song by Silver Mt Zion (specifically the 13 angels one)

[@sothic23]

Just awesome job sitting thru the whole album and I really liked your thoughts on it, bro! Me, an incurable RDJ/ Aphex Twin fan since 1990-odd, thinks this is still his best album so far... So kudos for taking the time to listen! 👍

[@lightcircular]

thank u for doing this album, it means a lot to me. i think its definitely a grower and i would love to know ur thoughts on it in the future if u come back to it some more. i recommend u check out some autechre as well for their sound design, Amber is similarly atmospheric to aphex's older tunes. i saw someone also recommend oneohtrix point never, Replica is one of my favourite albums ever the dude is just so ahead of his time like richard

[@puddlefoot]

Music like this is challenging to review, you did a great job. I have to say that I laughed so hard when you said "This reminds me of that one song. What's it's name...Oh 13" didn't realize you meant a song on this album, I was expecting a title with words. 🤣 Thanks for the entertainment.

[@kreamywhip]

I was blown away by this album when it came out in 1994 like its in its own dimension of space and is completely timeless.

[@ihaveagoddamnplanarthur]

Can you listen to some of Autechre's albums? Maybe the early albums like Amber or Tri Repetae since it's easier to listen to (its ambient and like the SAW albums), the more "recent" albums are very abstract and weird like Exai or Untilted (not that recent but still). There have made so many albums it's hard to talk about all of them but it would be nice if you reviewed one!

[@zane6868]

You're a legend for reacting to this!

[@hihello-sx1sx]

Love your reactions bongo man, keep up the good work :)

[@joem7692]

for some reason the monkey actually just makes the song better

[@lucamvsso]

I recommend while(1

[@Xerid]

#20 gotta be my favorite i feel in love with this song when i first heard it in “we think too much” by lil peep

[@MetallicOpeth]

this is an incredibly dense album that really opens itself up with repeated listens. it's a masterpiece through and through. rhubarb and stone in focus are two of the greatest songs ever made

[@jaaqob2]

haven't heard this album myself so it will be my fist time listening with you also I recommend Death Grips - The Money Store

[@smags1082]

I kinda know it

[@eddiemoore6216]

Floating points crush is an absolute probably one of the best electronic albums made in my opinion phenomenal

[@ryanmcbride3806]

also look at the comments on stone in focus they’re really interesting

[@urheber_echt]

If you like AND have the time: Have you already checked old ATB ambient songs yet ?

[@nomadxghost]

Much respect for this. Such a good album, criminally overlooked. Per usual with RDJs work, it always seems to get better on the next listen.

[@mrgunn3r904]

I'd recommand listening to I Care Because You Do Album , Pretty good one too.

[@matthewcaceres3800]

Album recommendations: Air - 10000 Hz Legend Zero 7 - Simple Things Mono - Formica Blues Biosphere - Substrata Coldcut - Let Us Play

[@hornyconvict]

If you want another great ambient album check out stars of the lid - the tired sounds of stars of the lid

[@zscarecrows]

track 10’s gotta be my favorite. great for taking a walk and staring into traffic

[@kaysienothin]

Are you gonna do the ranking video for the past 40 albums again?

[@gaydingus]

He said he will I believe

[@smags1082]

yessir

[@rikurodriguesneto6043]

rhubarb really fits with the dreamcore/liminal space/weirdcore aesthetic to give you that uncanny feeling :D

[@naumchomsky8840]

Bibio's "Phantom Brickworks" has a very similar sound. I highly recommended it as well as William Basinski's "The Disintegration Loops" (though i doubt you could last through that one) XD

[@keithmorrison8373]

I know some people find it stupid these are untitled but i really like that there untitled these are super minimal songs souly meant to evoke a felling sometimes calm sometimes creppy sometimes in the middle sometimes just plain nightmarish

[@ScoreSwitch]

Hey I have been really enjoying your Aphex reactions as I am a huge fan and have seen him many times! I think this album is extremely ambient and at times it can feel very long.. I would strongly suggest you do the POLYGON WINDOW album buy Aphex twin!! There is a seriously underrated album with a lot of good track to offer

[@IamJustTheBiscuityOfTheSeaity]

I feel like he should listen to the rest of the Aphex Twin albums before getting into the aliases ya know?

[@JONNYTUBSTER]

34:20 because they are voices !! Richard knew a mate who worked a police station at that time and this mate gave him a VHS tape or some form of media which was a criminal interrogation/interview. It’s so distant in the mix and whatever the persons saying is unintelligible. The vocal samples that are littered across this record are from the vinyl rips off Analogue Bubblebath 3 and AB3.1 , just heavily altered in the process.

[@PSpencer]

The lyrics for #4 are confused since there's a different song titled just '4' in the Richard D. James Album that *does* have those lyrics

[@TechnoJoeTJ]

listen to 13 by Blur. Favourite album of all time and a real masterpiece from Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon

[@thatsharakiri178]

you should do unwound, theyre like the peak post hardcore band

[@meatgrinder9506]

Amazing band

[@hihello-sx1sx]

I know you get a lot of requests so no pressure at all on this one, but I feel like you’d find Clam Day by OTTO really interesting. Best way to describe a lot of his tracks is they’re like a synthesis of Aphex Twin and Alex g. Much less frightening or abrasive than aphex and more on the playful side. Really cool exploration of sound and proper unique too.

[@ytpbubb6054]

I listened to this for sleep and it kept me awake until 1 am

[@SandileShamase-ll6tg]

Rhubarb & Blue calx for me 🔥

[@vianmou]

Apparently the voice on #21 is a tape of a murder confession that Richard obtained from a local police station somehow

[@meatgrinder9506]

Would be cool to see some autechre on this channel. Their music sounds very futuristic even after all these years. The best place to begin would probably be Tri repetae. Love the videos!

[@naumchomsky8840]

"track number eleven is eleven."

[@Ciopekwah]

34:53 - official aphex webpage actually says that these 'vocals' are from a police interview of a woman who has murdered her husband, no shit :o also, wow, it's such a shitshow that spotify version doesn't have 'stone in focus' x-X

[@BM-gv2vi]

Underrated KZbin channel

[@shimme3526]

Im so happy seeing you finally do an ambient album on your channel, if you ever do another ambient album reaction, check out Harmony in ultraviolet By Tim Hacker :)

[@chaosmos24]

Have to do Syro, his Tuss album, or the Collapse EP. Even if you don't react, listen to a random assortment of his soundcloud dump. Some real gems in there.

[@lillolbitzer172]

You should listen to just for a day by slowdive! Underrated album I swear

[@smags1082]

I know that one already sorry haha

[@gaydingus]

Try Serotonin II by Yeule!!! Highly Highly recommend its an amazing experience

[@watkinry]

I can put this album on as background music but it isn't the best for active listening. The singles are pretty good though. Don't skip his EPs- Come to Daddy and Windowlicker are good ones, though maybe not for their title tracks. An artist I would like to see you return to is Brian Eno. If you wanted something in a more ambient direction (but not quite as minimalistic as Vol II) I'd recommend Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks. If you like his rock songs you could start with his first solo album, Here Come The Warm Jets. Thanks for doing these- he doesn't get the recognition he deserves on KZbin.

[@scarpola9]

Thought I was watching a Ronnie Coleman video when I first clicked on 😂😂😂😂😂😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😂😂😂😂😂😂😭😭😭😭type sh*t 😮‍💨

[@scarpola9]

0:01 (for reference type sh*t)

[@scarpola9]

0:00 correction* ✅👍

[@smags1082]

there’s bugs in my skin

[@patrickoneil3277]

first

[@Flippy1565]

3, linchen and stoned in focus are out of this world

[@tuff_lover]

"I fuck with bongos >:)" - David, 2023.

[@threedeemelodies]

Stone In Focus ❤❤❤❤ moar Boards of Canada

[@krimzos]

Yes, more BoC!

[@meatgrinder9506]

Autechre too