Aphex Twin, Selected Ambient Works Volume II

I spent the better part of two years falling asleep every night to either the first or second disc of Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works 2. This means two things. First, I rarely heard either disc's second half. And, second, I had very odd dreams for the better part of two years.

The odd and unsettling ambient compositions collected on Richard D. James '1994 album are hardly the sort that Brian Eno envisioned when he famously said that the genre's music should be "as ignorable as it is interesting." When Selected Ambient Works 2 is on, it's nearly impossible to focus on anything else, unless you put it on at a very low volume. (Trust me, I know.)

From the disconcerting muffled voices of "White Blur 1" to the tribal pomp of "Window Sill," this is very much music to be heard loudly, soft and everywhere in between. "Rhubarb," especially, yearns with ineffable mystery, moving two simple loops over and over against one another, examining them from every possible angle, while "Shiny Metal Rods" moves effortlessly forward — the rare track here with percussion to speak of — sounding like Nine Inch Nails circa Downward Spiral stuck in a harrowing loop. (Fitting, as Aphex contributed a track to a NIN remix album later in the decade.) Fans of Reznor will find much to love here, actually — as long as they're not expecting vocals — Selected Ambient Works 2 is some of the most emotional electronic music that you'll ever hear. That said, I wouldn't recommend your first listen to be while falling asleep — unless you're ready for a half-wolf, half-zebra to chase you down an alleyway to see if you've paid your taxes.

You've been warned.