Aphex Twin, Richard D. James Album

Aphex Twin's Richard D. James Album was not only a major shift in sound for the titular producer, but also in method. Using digital gear for the first time, James shed his previously grimy analog sound for clearer and cleaner climes. But while the melodies were brighter, they were no less melancholy: "Girl/Boy Song"'s string arrangement is a marvel, while "To Cure a Weakling Child" could be a lullaby for an alien civilization. In fact, much of the material here was perhaps the closest that James would ever get to pop music. The only thing standing in the way of radio play? James 'drum programming.

And thank goodness. No doubt inspired by his friends Luke Vibert and Squarepusher, Aphex ditched the relatively straightforward rhythms of yore for drill & bass, coloring the majority of Richard D. James Album with loops that were virtually unplayable by a human drummer. Paired up with his mesmerizing hooks, the drums added a much-needed edge to the proceedings. Shorn of the stuttering, shuddering snares, James 'compositions would be simple New Age fluff — just listen to "Goon Gumpas" for proof. With them, he crafted a near-perfect album that sounds as forward-thinking as it did the day it was released in 1996.