Aphex Twin – Avril 14th (2001)
One of my favourite tracks of recent times.
I’d been holding off posting this for a while but a very good old friend pointed out that the time was nigh!
In recent years (2008), this track underpinned a remarkable documentary on 21st century life in Wales (“Sleep Furiously”). A really poignant film but not in the class of some of the high points of the 20th Century British documentary movement (check here and here, for a couple of examples)
Aphex Twin has dozens of tracks worthy of future inclusion on this blog, but why not start here?
I’ve loved this record since first hearing it on John Peel and then on the wonderful double LP “Drukqs” released on Warp Records in 2001. Hearing my kids play it on our piano merely confirmed the perfection.
Just wish it was much, much longer.
Another good call. This is actually my favourite track on that album: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaXqU7hVVhI. I recently saw it performed by a 50 piece classical orchestra at the South Bank electronica festival. If you’ve ever wondered what that strange hacking noise is in the background, apparently its dozens of wind up toys (the stage at the south bank show was full of them for the song)