Analogue Bubblebath
Analogue Bubblebath, also released as Aphex Twin ep, is the first record by musician and producer Richard D. James. The EP was released under his alias The Aphex Twin through Mighty Force Records in September 1991. It was the inaugural release for the label, which at the time was a record shop in Exeter. The record was hugely influential on the development of electronic music, particularly techno and ambient techno. Its release has been described as a key event in the history of dance music. It is the first release in what became the Analogue Bubblebath series.
Analogue Bubblebath | ||||
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EP by | ||||
Released | September 1991 | |||
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Length | 19:53 | |||
Label | Mighty Force | |||
Producer | Richard D. James | |||
Richard D. James chronology | ||||
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide |
James previously had little inclination to release his music, though it had long circulated on tapes amongst his friends, and he would include his tracks in his set when DJing. His reluctance was eventually overcome while he was tripping on acid at a rave where he was performing, where he finally agreed to release the record.
The title track was later described as "one of the most perfect tracks ever written" by the influential publication Mixmag, and has often been called one of the best tracks in James' catalogue. The initial pressing of 1000 copies sold out in less than a week; it was followed by further pressings of several thousand each.
On release it was frequently played by London pirate radio stations and by the then newly-legal station Kiss FM. The record quickly gained James a cult following in the techno underground, and one of the early white label copies was heard by the head of R&S Records, leading to James' releases on that label.