Very strange, listening to this when it came out. Didn't know about Dilla's condition, it just sounded like a major leap forward. This is hip hop from 2020. Listen and listen again. And then listen to all the people now coming up with similar sounds.

Basically, if you've ever liked hip-hop there is something here for you! From sampling the Beastie Boys on "The New" to chopping Mountain's "Big Red" for the 1000th time on "The Clapper", to the Raymond Scott sampling "Lightworks" and the pure sci-fi weirdness of "Airworks", this is a beautiful smorgasbord of beats!

(I'm not mentioning "Two Can Win" - it's the secret amazing track that you're just not ready for!)

The fact that, when most of the hip-hop world has forgotten about him, Madlib lays down a tribute to J-Dilla, Jaydee, James Yancey, with beats that are so serious, touching and deep serves as major kudos to the man. We will never know the friendship that ran between them but through this we can get close to knowing it. What would it be like if you couldn't speak? If you didn't know English? What if all you could do was compose beats to illustrate how you felt about someone, or something?

This music stands the test of time. Richard, whatever you were doing at the time, the melodies on this LP still resonate deep within. I feel like I could write 1000's of words on this LP, all I can say is if you think you know the music of Aphex, if you got into him post '95, please please listen to this LP. This is some of the best music, not just electronic, but the best music of any genre ever produced. Exquisite melodies, under- but not over-produced, just incredible electronica that was the foundation of growing up for me, in England in the 90s. Thank you, Aphex Twin.