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Contributors
Escapist, Vinnie, newmusicmark, antitext, simfonik, MuzikJunky, Aphex139, Pathfinder, fnord23, variousartists, jamgems, withoutatrace, xfkennedy, JohnTqs, RTW, mjb, ManuChaman, maldoror, cocktailmix, Mr.Soto, _Fate_, shadowself, Miles.Monroe, epet, RGJones, Isherwobble, Booj1Boy, leetaylor15202, avadeaux, Input, pyenapple, dharmock, amoebasinger, Ravedigger
Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works Volume II
| Label: | Sire – 9 45482-2, Warner Bros. Records – 9 45482-2 |
|---|---|
| Format: | 2 x CD, Album, Repress, Stereo |
| Country: | US |
| Released: | |
| Genre: | Electronic |
| Style: | Experimental, Ambient, Dark Ambient |
Tracklist
| 1-1 | Untitled | 7:27 | |
| 1-2 | Untitled | 6:34 | |
| 1-3 | Untitled | 7:44 | |
| 1-4 | Untitled | 8:55 | |
| 1-5 | Untitled | 3:31 | |
| 1-6 | Untitled | 8:51 | |
| 1-7 | Untitled | 5:08 | |
| 1-8 | Untitled | 6:54 | |
| 1-9 | Untitled | 9:58 | |
| 1-10 | Untitled | 7:18 | |
| 1-11 | Untitled | 2:38 | |
| 2-1 | Blue Calx | 7:20 | |
| 2-2 | Untitled | 8:00 | |
| 2-3 | Untitled | 5:33 | |
| 2-4 | Untitled | 4:45 | |
| 2-5 | Untitled | 2:05 | |
| 2-6 | Untitled | 7:16 | |
| 2-7 | Untitled | 5:57 | |
| 2-8 | Untitled | 4:15 | |
| 2-9 | Untitled | 7:09 | |
| 2-10 | Untitled | 7:30 | |
| 2-11 | Untitled | 11:27 | |
| 2-12 | Untitled | 5:39 |
Companies, etc.
- Copyright © – Sire Records Company
- Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Sire Records Company
- Marketed By – Warner Bros. Records Inc.
- Record Company – Time Warner
- Manufactured By – WEA Manufacturing
- Designed At – Prototype 21
- Published By – Chrysalis Songs
- Pressed By – Specialty Records Corporation
Credits
- Liner Notes [This Writing], Photography By – Richard. D. James*
- Producer, Written-By – Richard. D. James*
Notes
Identical to Selected Ambient Works Volume II, but has SID codes.
Printed around edge of CD faces:
All songs BMI.
©℗1994 Sire Records Company, marketed by Warner Bros. Records Inc., A Time Warner Company.
Made in U.S.A.
Mfg. by WEA Manufacturing
Printed on single-sided insert:
Designed at prototype 21, Fax: 0713726841
Blue Calx taken from RePhlex/Art2cd
All selections published by Chrysalis Songs BMI
Printed in fold-out booklet:
[Sire, Warner Bros., Warp logos]
©1994 Sire Records company.
Made in U.S.A.
Printed on back cover:
Sire Records Company, 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019-6908.
Marketed by Warner Bros. Records Inc., A Time Warner Company.
©℗1994 Sire Records Company.
Made in U.S.A.
Other Notes:
All tracks (except "Blue Calx") are untitled, and are instead represented by photographs. On the artwork are six pie charts, representing the six sides of the vinyl edition, each pie slice representing a track (track length deciding the size of the pie slice), clockwise from top. By comparing each color-coded pie chart with the small pie symbol on each photograph, it is possible to match track to photograph.
The artwork indicates 25 tracks, as on the vinyl and cassette editions, but there are in fact only 23 tracks on the CDs. One track that appears on the European CD version (as Track 1-4) does not appear on this release; another track that appears only on the vinyl edition appears on the various artists compilation, Excursions In Ambience (The Third Dimension), as "#19".
Comes in a Warner Bros. Records-branded jewel case.
Track 2-1 originally performed by Blue Calx (2).
Printed around edge of CD faces:
All songs BMI.
©℗1994 Sire Records Company, marketed by Warner Bros. Records Inc., A Time Warner Company.
Made in U.S.A.
Mfg. by WEA Manufacturing
Printed on single-sided insert:
Designed at prototype 21, Fax: 0713726841
Blue Calx taken from RePhlex/Art2cd
All selections published by Chrysalis Songs BMI
Printed in fold-out booklet:
[Sire, Warner Bros., Warp logos]
©1994 Sire Records company.
Made in U.S.A.
Printed on back cover:
Sire Records Company, 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10019-6908.
Marketed by Warner Bros. Records Inc., A Time Warner Company.
©℗1994 Sire Records Company.
Made in U.S.A.
Other Notes:
All tracks (except "Blue Calx") are untitled, and are instead represented by photographs. On the artwork are six pie charts, representing the six sides of the vinyl edition, each pie slice representing a track (track length deciding the size of the pie slice), clockwise from top. By comparing each color-coded pie chart with the small pie symbol on each photograph, it is possible to match track to photograph.
The artwork indicates 25 tracks, as on the vinyl and cassette editions, but there are in fact only 23 tracks on the CDs. One track that appears on the European CD version (as Track 1-4) does not appear on this release; another track that appears only on the vinyl edition appears on the various artists compilation, Excursions In Ambience (The Third Dimension), as "#19".
Comes in a Warner Bros. Records-branded jewel case.
Track 2-1 originally performed by Blue Calx (2).
Barcode and Other Identifiers
- Barcode (Text): 0 9362-45482-2 5
- Barcode (Scanned): 093624548225
- Rights Society: BMI
- Barcode (Disc 1, Matrix area, Code 39): 021081
- Barcode (Disc 2, Matrix area, Code 39): 021082
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 1, Variant 1): 1 45482-2.1 SRC**01 M1S1
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 2, Variant 1): 1 45482-2.2 SRC**01 M2S1
- Mould SID Code (Disc 1, Variant 1): IFPI 2U5A
- Mould SID Code (Disc 2, Variant 1): IFPI 2U5A
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 1, Variant 2): 1 45482-2.1 SRC**01 M4S3
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 2, Variant 2): 1 45482-2.2 SRC##3 M1S12
- Mould SID Code (Disc 1, Variant 2): IFPI 2U5A
- Mould SID Code (Disc 2, Variant 2): IFPI 2U5A
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 1, Variant 3): 1 45482-2.1 SRC**01 M4S7
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 2, Variant 3): 1 45482-2.2 SRC##3 M1S16
- Mould SID Code (Disc 1, Variant 3): IFPI 2U4U
- Mould SID Code (Disc 2, Variant 3): IFPI 2U3Y
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 1, Variant 5): 1 45482-2.1 SRC**01 M4S7
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 2, Variant 5): 1 45482-2.2 SRC##03 M1S16
- Mould SID Code (Disc 1, Variant 5): IFPI 2U4U
- Mould SID Code (Disc 2, Variant 5): IFPI 2U3Y
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 1, Variant 6): 1 45482-2.1 SRC**01 M4S6
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 2, Variant 6): 1 45482-2.2 SRC##03 M1S16
- Mould SID Code (Disc 1, Variant 6): IFPI 2U6C
- Mould SID Code (Disc 2, Variant 6): IFPI 2U3Y
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 1, Variant 7): 1 45482-2.1 SRC**01 M4S4
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 2, Variant 7): 1 45482-2.2 SRC##03 M1S13
- Mould SID Code (Disc 1, Variant 7): IFPI 2U7B
- Mould SID Code (Disc 2, Variant 7): IFPI 2U6C
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 1, Variant 8): 1 45482-2.1 SRC**01 M4S1
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 2, Variant 8): 1 45482-2.2 SRC ##03 M1S8
- Mould SID Code (Disc 1, Variant 8): IFPI 2U4H
- Mould SID Code (Disc 2, Variant 8): IFPI 2U6E
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 1, Variant 9): 1 45482-2.1 SRC**01 M2S13
- Matrix / Runout (Disc 2, Variant 9): 1 45482-2.2 SRC##03 M1S6
- Mould SID Code (Disc 1, Variant 9): IFPI 2U2T
- Mould SID Code (Disc 2, Variant 9): IFPI 2U2T
Other Versions (5 of 48)View All
| Title (Format) | Label | Cat# | Country | Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Ambient Works Volume II (2×CD, Album, Stereo, No Publisher Text On CDs) | Warp Records | WARPCD21 | UK | 1994 | |||
| Selected Ambient Works Volume II (3×LP, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Brown) | Warp Records | WARPLP21LTD | UK | 1994 | |||
| Selected Ambient Works Volume II (2×CD, Album) | Warp Records, Rough Trade | RTD 126.1670.2 | Germany | 1994 | |||
Recently Edited | Selected Ambient Works Volume II (2×CD, Advance, Album, Promo) | Sire | 2-45482-A | US | 1994 | ||
Recently Edited | Selected Ambient Works Volume II (3×LP, Album, Mispress, Brown) | Warp Records | WARP LP 21 / WARP LP 20 | UK | 1994 |
Recommendations
Reviews
According to lore Richard made the tracks in lucid dreams. That's when you're in a dream and suddenly realize it's a dream and take control of it. He'd go into his home studio (or the dream's version of it) and make songs. Then when he woke up he'd go into the real home studio and do his best to recreate them (while still bleary eyed from having just woken up).
Edited 8 years ago
This really is a fine album. I bought it after first hearing I Care Because You Do, and was hoping it would be similar to that. I was disappointed that it wasn't, but I did still like it. Many years later I find myself immensely enjoying this music. Technically it's ambient, but it's not academic or textbook. There is a warmth and personality in this recording that pushes it beyond standard ambient.
The mysterious artwork, the fragmented photographs and symbols, and the lack of official song titles invite the listener to create his or her own impression and interpretation. It's 20 years old now and I believe it stands the test of time.
The mysterious artwork, the fragmented photographs and symbols, and the lack of official song titles invite the listener to create his or her own impression and interpretation. It's 20 years old now and I believe it stands the test of time.
Edited 11 years ago
There is little to add beyond personal reflection of this album; many (most?) listeners instantly establish an inexpressible rapport with the music, and I am no different. When I first purchased this album lo-those-16-years-ago, I hated it. Instead of the bubbly pop-like music of SAW 85-92 with cheerful melodies and bouncy percussion, this album seemed mostly drone and depression. But what drew me back was the sheer UNIQUENESS of the album: as others have mentioned it is unlike most anything heard before (or since)! I think that the subtle charm of this album - the quite intimate and heady ranking it commands - is that its pleasure must be earned, not merely played.
That certainly doesn't mean all unique albums are worthy of listening. But this one is.
The obligatory personal recollection: SAW II is an album that cannot be played in just any company. Put it on at a social, for instance, and you are quickly to be labeled a freaky weirdo who likes to make people uncomfortable (trust me on that one). Some records sound like joy, some sound like courage, some sound like anger. This record sounds like all that and more: the entire human experience is evident in its tracks. Hyperbole? Perhaps. But unlike most records where the adrenalin rush of familiarity breeds escape, this one draws you inward rather than outward. The only community it embraces is that of one: you.
That certainly doesn't mean all unique albums are worthy of listening. But this one is.
The obligatory personal recollection: SAW II is an album that cannot be played in just any company. Put it on at a social, for instance, and you are quickly to be labeled a freaky weirdo who likes to make people uncomfortable (trust me on that one). Some records sound like joy, some sound like courage, some sound like anger. This record sounds like all that and more: the entire human experience is evident in its tracks. Hyperbole? Perhaps. But unlike most records where the adrenalin rush of familiarity breeds escape, this one draws you inward rather than outward. The only community it embraces is that of one: you.
And this is how America came to know the strange man known as the Aphex Twin. There are a few beat driven tracks here. This is dream house music. Equal parts Brian Eno Apollo and Spacemen 3 dreamweapon. It's like Steven Halpern after hanging out with Bez of the Mondays (when he was their dealer/dancer) at the end of a three week bender.
The music made by a power plant at 4 a.m. when no-one's looking.
The music made by a power plant at 4 a.m. when no-one's looking.
A warm collection of synthetic textures. If I recall correctly, there are no drums anywhere on the album. Some synth sequences are used (that establish a driving rhythm), but, it's more of a "true ambient" album. If I had to call one album as demonstrating a Brian Eno influence, this would be it. But, despite that, it is it's own thing. Aphex uses his own style of chord progressions (more concrete evidence of these appear in Drukqs).