Depths and delights beyond the hype: A decade of Aphex Twin’s Syro

Original release date: 19 September, 2014
Label: Warp Records

After 13 long years away, the megastar of braindance returned with an absolute classic record – and a viral marketing campaign to match – that brought more people than ever into his trailblazing orbit

A decade ago, an inflatable blimp bearing the Aphex Twin symbol mysteriously appeared floating over London. At the same time, the logo was spotted graffitied on walls in Manhattan, NYC. Coming 13 years after Richard D. James’ last record, Drukqs, these events were a hint to fans: something new was afoot from the enigmatic electronic artist. 

Shortly after this flurry of teasers, it was revealed that Aphex Twin’s Syro – his sixth album proper under the moniker – was imminent, with his longtime label, Warp, posting the title and tracklisting via a web link accessible only through dark web portal Tor. Various other online and offline gimmicks followed, until the record’s release on 19 September, 2014.

Whether it represented how much online culture had gained in currency since Drukqs, or an attempt to open Aphex Twin’s appeal to a broader audience, the lead up to Syro’s release played a big role in making it one of James’ most successful projects. It won a Grammy in 2015 for Best Dance/Electronic Album, reached No. 11 in the US Billboard chart and was his highest-charting album in the UK, peaking at No. 8. 

Amid all this surprising popular success, it’s easy to forget what Syro actually sounds like. Though overshadowed by hype, it’s a strong entry in his discography that touched on new ideas; a record that imitators would try – and fail – to recreate. Through the glitched-out rhythms and gnarly acid sequences, James’s famously gorgeous melodies sparkled more frequently than ever before. 

There was a deep current of electro-funk flowing through the record, along with the signature composite of influences and weird ideas that have made him the undisputed avatar of IDM (or his preferred term, braindance). You could never accuse Syro of being a pop record, but there was enough structure and harmony here to entice new listeners who might have been put off by the extremes of his earlier albums. 

Listening now, the crisp, garage-esque rhythms, phrygian piano and acid squelches of Minipops 67 (Source Field Mix) feel about as close as he gets to commercialism, with earworm melodies for days and vocals fed through various effects. Xmas_Evet10 (Thanaton3 Mix) deserves a place among James’ best tracks, its cascading breakbeats matched with a squirming electro bassline and synths that emit a spectral shoegaze aura. 

Produk 29 is a slow-motion beat harking back to the downtempo rhythms of Alberto Balsalm, yet its pitch-bent, xenomorphic boogie keys remain an unusual feature in James’ discography. 180db_ is a dance cut that finds him returning to the frenetic techno manoeuvres of his earliest tunes, like Polynomial-C or Digeridoo.

Still, the seasick synth riff and queasy atmospherics of 180db_ ensure any trace of commercialism is excised. S950tx16wasr10 (Earth Portal Mix) is an astral jungle emission with rapid acid lines, looming Alpha Centauri chords and wild drum programming. It’s probably the best drum’n’bass-adjacent track Aphex Twin has ever made. 

In direct contrast, the closing Aisatsana is another of his delicate, spare, quasi-classical pieces. A denuded relative of the famous Avril 14th from Drukqs, there’s little more to it than a field recording of birdsong and simple, clean piano lines. Nevertheless, its emotional frankness, and the creak and noise of the old piano as he plays, are startlingly affecting. 

Although fans had been waiting for 13 long years for something new, this collection of fresh material felt somehow effortless. The pressure to deliver an album to rival his classic material must have weighed heavily on Aphex Twin, but it doesn’t really show on Syro. While there’s a clutch of less memorable tracks, the lion’s share are up there with his best.

Syro isn’t always mentioned among Aphex Twin’s best records. Fans often look back to the Selected Ambient Works albums, …I Care Because You Do, or Richard D. James Album, while Aphex nerds might reach for his material as Caustic Window, or the Analord series of EPs. There might not be something as memorable here as Xtal or Fingerbib, but Syro deserves more attention. 

In its distinctive synthesis of electro, breakbeats, IDM melody and jungle, the album feels like it could only be the work of Aphex Twin, and that inimitable blend has been a guiding light for many electronic producers today. Listen to the output of modern-day braindance labels, such as Analogical Force, and you can hear all these influences too, as if Syro was an important yardstick. 

As an electronic artist whose work is avowedly underground, Aphex Twin has a surprisingly huge fanbase. And yet Syro was the first record of his that everyone could stream easily, bringing him another level of fame that made the Grammy and peak chart positions inevitable; Syro has depths and delights beyond the hype.