Aphex Twin Shares Surprise Compilation, ‘Music from the Merch Desk (2016-2023)’

Enigmatic English digital extraordinaire Aphex Twin (aka Richard D. James) has launched a shock compilation album, with Music from the Merch Desk (2016–2023) amassing a variety of restricted version recordings from the previous decade.

Launched on Tuesday (Dec. 17) with none prior warning, the 38-track compilation collects the entire music initially issued on six restricted version vinyl information offered on the titular merch desks between 2016 and 2023.

The compilation arrives seven years to the date because the first of those unique information – Houston, TX 12.17.16 – was equally launched with out warning at Aphex Twin’s first U.S. date in eight years as a part of Houston’s Day for Evening pageant.

Since then, a variety of different information have been issued sporadically, together with at London performances in 2017, 2019, and 2023, together with dates in Manchester in 2019 and Barcelona in 2023. All of those information had been stamped with Warp Information logos, and offered out swiftly, with scalpers fast to try to flip these sought-after information for exorbitant costs on-line.

Aphex Twin’s London 03.06.17 had beforehand acquired enlargement following its preliminary bodily launch, with a digital reissue the next month including one other ten tracks, and an extra bonus observe arriving in April 2024 underneath the report’s revised title, London 03.06.17 [field day].

The nascent compilation follows on from the thirtieth anniversary expanded version of Aphex Twin’s Chosen Ambient Works Quantity II in October. Whereas its unique 1994 launch averted the charts exterior James’ native U.Ok., the album’s ensuing reputation and affect resulted in a myriad excessive chart positions upon its reissue. Alongside topping the U.Ok. Dance Albums as soon as once more, the report additionally debuted at No. 135 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the Prime Dance/Digital Albums chart.

Although a handful of EPs and singles have arrived alongside the aforementioned merch desk drops during the last decade, Aphex Twin has not launched a studio album since 2014’s Syro, which received the Grammy for Greatest Dance/Digital Album the next yr.