#blissout

[joemuggs]

30 Years of Headmelt

Aphex Twin's debut album Selected Ambient Works 85-92 was released 30 years ago today. Below is the appreciation I wrote for FACT mag when it was declared no.1 best album of the 1990s back in... 2012 or so? I guess, but the 20 years reference anyway? Some of the reference points are very, uh, of their time but I stand by the general gist of it.

Original is here: https://www.factmag.com/2012/09/03/the-100-best-albums-of-the-1990s-100-81/

Very early on, I think before this album even, I remember reading an NME review of an Aphex Twin release that described his sound as “very ancient and very futuristic at the same time.” And really, I’ve yet to see a better summation of the appeal of Richard D. James’s best work. Listening back to Selected Ambient Works 85-92 now, just as then, it feels way ahead of its time, able to do things that producers with far more sophisticated technology are still struggling to grasp – but also like it has been around for ever, as if you could blow the dust away and have revealed the geometries of a whole other civilisation.

That “dust” is vital to how this music works. We think of Burial or Tri Angle releases as being new, but RDJ was performing the same tricks with mist and shadows 20 years ago: everything is drenched in reverb and hiss, obscuring and blending, forcing the imagination to work. It was said of Debussy that he was able to turn the piano from a mechanism with 88 hammers, each producing a separate note, into his own personal orchestra from which great waves of sound and melody emerged – and this is the trick RDJ manages too. Whether on the soft and melodic tracks drenched in the hiss of the cassette tapes on which they were recorded live, or on the hyper-real clarity of the belches and blurts of the pool of acid lava that is the album’s centrepiece ‘Green Calx’, everything flows into everything else. Everything is a part of a whole, not just because of the dust and blurring, but because every chord, every rhythm, every unwinding melody is locked into every other part with uncanny rightness.

It’s a psychedelic record in the truest sense, alarmingly evocative of acid’s synaesthesic and glossolalic qualities, full of the ecstasies of floating free and the terrors of complete disconnect from reality. The thought of the number of serious sessions it must have soundtracked over the years in itself fries the brain – but like other great drug music – from Sgt Pepper to Sly Stone, Chris & Cosey to Gaslamp Killer – it doesn’t require drugs. It also, far from being “ambient” in the true sense, has both feet on the dancefloor, extraordinarily heavy bass throughout, and a surprising understanding of black American music given how white and geeky its legacy has been seen as being. Listen now to ‘Pulsewidth’, ‘Ptolemy’ and ‘Delphinium’ and you hear a teenager from Cornwall who has managed to grasp the mechanisms of Todd Terry, Jamie Principle, Derrick May, Larry Heard and co better than almost anyone else in Britain bar A Guy Called Gerald. In short, for all its mindmelt and harmonic sophistication, it grooves like a mother.

Every so often through the album, the spell is broken for a second when you hear an element in the track faded in or out a little roughly and realise someone is actually mixing the track live – but this in fact makes the magic more powerful. It’s these moments when you realise this was made in a bedroom with jerry-rigged keyboards, solder and cable, and hands shoving faders up and down as the tracks are recorded live to tape, rather than gigabytes’ worth of processing power, that its singularity becomes even more boggling. But then each time the gaps in the scenery close up as quickly as they opened and you’re swept back away from the reality of circuitboards and gaffer tape, and back into the high cosmic drama of the sound and melody, where scale is always uncertain and time is elastic. Because this album’s appeal then and now is not about technique or cultural reference points, it’s about getting swept up in those waves of sound and melody that keep on coming and are still a pleasure to have wash over you, 20 years on.

[writerraines]

I was just telling my kid about a man I briefly dated many moons ago who ghosted me after asking me how much I made in a day. It was double what he usually made. And it was at a job he helped me get by getting me the contact info. But he got insecure about it. Had my last husband try to hold me back from career growth because he was nervous I’d out-earn him and leave him like his mother left his father. Even though his father was a war vet - and abusive. Allegedly. His story shifted up depending on which parent he was trying to please that day. I told him that sounded exhausting. “Why not just be real?” He told me nobody was ever real with each other, least of all family. I told him that was sad and had he ever considered ‘found family’? He didn’t know what that was, so I introduced him to mine. But he felt threatened by them too and attempted to isolate me from them. I got out. Just like he predicted I would, but not for the reasons he had feared. It wasn’t ever about money. But it was about effort. The effort it takes to pay attention to how your lover takes their coffee. “But I don’t drink coffee anymore,” one man from my past told me. “But I do - and it’s weird to me that you no longer care how I drink mine.” Then he became paranoid I was having coffee with another because I kept posting photos of lattes with nutmeg from balconies he didn’t recognize. Even though I had tried to share my favorite perches many times before but he had anxiety and didn’t feel like going anywhere anymore. And paying attention to the little things was a burden to him. So I paid attention to myself. Bought myself coffee and flowers and posted pictures from my writing nooks like a crow meandering across vast valleys we’d almost explored together. And I was happy. And happiness, I learned, was a threat. “Odd choice of words,” I told him. “But you left after-all.” I did. And I’d do it again. And again and again. I would always leave to choose my own bliss rather than stay tucked away by those who fear joy, truth, and genuine moments. And hope. Hope keeps us human. And memories keep us real. And I still take my coffee with nutmeg. Black or with cream. Just as before. Some things never do change. Only the view. And the vices. Freedom will always have a Vice-grip on my soul.

[wino-strut]

Falcon Wrangler Piece: 30” Tall x 40” Wide 1 1/2” Profile Oil, House Paint, Acrylic On Canvas By: David Phillips (wino-strut) www.wino-strut.com 12/2022 #falconry #falconwrangler #falcons #contemporaryart #yellowhue #colorblue #oilpaint #housepaint #dreamscape #mannerism #dance #birdie #shades #transitions #ohboy #sky #blissout #positivevibes #onry #kitchensinks #decor #mmmm #wrangler https://www.instagram.com/p/Cly9dFMv41E/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[nightorchard]

There is something new. It was strange to use gouache to paint the clouds, different in colour picking and easy in overcovering, nothing flew away, there was no need in leaving lights spots beforehand..... Blissout

[fixomnia-scribble]

I try to keep to one cup of coffee in the morning because any more will keep me awake till dawn, but consider the utter comfort and bone-deep YES of making a full pot in a vintage percolator. A sensory blissout, between watching and listening to the perking going on, the aroma, the taste and my hands around a piping hot cup. Or two.

I always end up putting a shake of cinnamon in percolator coffee, and holy wow, the apartment smells amazing. And maybe I will finally be able to crank my sleeping schedule around. Joke would be on me if I end up with the night job I applied for.

And now to try to wrangle out a particularly elusive chapter of Daybreak that I didn’t see needed to be written until posting the last one. I think I’m going to fall back on some character and movement exercises and see if anything sparks.

[touhoutunes]

Title: Lonely-Tiger

Arrangement: Party.

Vocals: 39*

Album: blissout

Circle: Digitalic Party

Original: The Tiger-Patterned Vaisravana

[victoriayoga]

In the mist of this holiday Easter , lets see all these messages left for us from all avatars #vishnu , #buda , #jesus ✨🙌🏼✨🙌🏼✨🙌🏼✨🙌🏼✨🙌🏼 . . Death is just a door. . . We live and survive, and re-born from the Love , of compassion , and the power of forgiveness and kindness in our hearts💕 . . In Hinduism the Kundalini energy is represented by a snake. Just like the one on the picture. Crawling up and dancing in our spine, as it burst our chakras in a rainbow of colors. . . . The practice of #yoga give us the possibility to see these messages, not with our eyes, but with our entire being. . . Celebrate the death of ignorance and rejoice on the awakening of our hearts and soul. . . Be like those #avatars : full of light✨✨✨✨. . . Sending love to all of you from #marrakech , totally #blissout with this magnificent world 🌎 . . . . . #namaste #yogaworld #yogalife #kundaliniawakening #shakti #yogateachertraining #yogini #freespirit #synergyyoga #yogaretreats #travelphotography #yogaphotography #morocco #loveyou #openheart #happyeaster #jesuswasayogi #yoga #enlightenment #compassion #chakras #smile #yogaeverywhere #yogaeveryday https://www.instagram.com/p/BwdFqNCnfDU/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=opg6zalydets

[ahyluver54]

Can’t hate beautiful colors! @starbucks #refreshing #blissout #starbucks #ogpassionlemonade #hydratehydrate #nomnomnom (at Emeryville, California)

[presentsofmindhypnosis]

Current sitch: blissed out kittycat 😻 Notice Chance's body is in contact w Emerald Bowl... he plopped down there after a seemingly intense experience of Triple Mantra; he screamed at me as I chanted. I reached out a hand, he nuzzled in, and receieved Reiki. I LOVE doing energy work w animals. Sooo validating. Pure. #presentsofmind #hypnosis #Reiki #432hz #528hz #tunein #triplemantra #kundalinikitty #soundhealing #alchemy #receive #invite #allow #divinefeminine #emerald #medicine #energywork #lightworker #crystaltones #feline #kitty #catsofinstagram #crystalsingingbowls #rest #relax #blissout @presents.of.mind (at The Hizzouse)

[natty373]

#yin #soundbath .... Lola says YES! Book ur tickets via @theyogahive_thegong website under the date 20th March ... ure sure to feel awesome from the poetry of the body, the instruments and of course urs truly - who will be guiding you through this magical 2 hour session! Saturday’s the best time really anchor in the weekend vibes by indulging in some serious self care ... my magnifying it with some restorative yoga ... come along, treat yourself, your partners or friends to this awesome afternoon coming straight from my heart 💜 to ur fascia - feel good, free the stuff you no longer need .... liberate with LOVE . . . #soundbath #yin #theyogahive #northsidethehive #saturday #march20 #saturdayafternoon #blissout #selfworth #somavinyasa #restorativeyoga #soundhealing #soundscape #revitalise #energyhealing #energy #fascia #sphinxcat #liferefinementtherapies (at NorthSide at the HIVE) https://www.instagram.com/p/CL5fCqwggbw/?igshid=un167dxlk23g

[villagewellness]

(Message is for more info) Join Us for this SPECIAL Full Moon Kundalini Yoga & Sacred Sound Healing Journey. The theme this month: Our class will be focused on the theme of AWAKENING The first half of the class is dedicated to opening, stretching, expanding and raising our energy through Kundalini Yoga & Breath-work. During the second half of the class laying in Shivasna (corpse pose) or sitting in meditation, you will bliss out and touch the infinite as you bathe in the AMAZING universal vibrations of the GONG!!! This class is open to everyone and absolute beginners are encouraged to attend! Please note that this can be a very powerful experience, if you have questions please call Lance at (610) 203-3747. Dress comfortably and bring a mat/towel and blanket. Cost: $30 or $25 (bring a friend rate or pay online rate) #Ittakesavillage #acupuncturelove #villagewellness #acupuncture #kundaliniyoga #gong #gongbath #soundhealing #kundalini #stessrelief #feelbetter #blissout #phillyacupuncture #bewellphilly #mainlinewellness #mainlineacupuncture #mainlineparent #mainlinepa #bestofthemainline #berwynpa #waynepa #devonpa #brynmawrpa #radnorpa #phoenixville #kimbertonpa #malvernpa (at Berwyn, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6_qEztD7D9/?igshid=1p1ym69p21gwa

[the-keeper-of-the-gaze]

Delve into the 'Depths' with Windy And Carl...immerse yourself in their beautiful noise, swim in their blissful drones... #WindyAndCarl #Depths #KrankyRecords #drones #beautifulnoise #WindyWeber #CarlHultgren #ambient #postrock #blissout #Vinyladdict https://www.instagram.com/p/B2sPYUTnf-G/?igshid=1lgyt9hn0qt5s

[diyeanddecortips-blog]

I missed our very short cherry blossom bloom out here in Vegas. Luckily I was a… I missed our very quick cherry blossom 🌸 bloom out right here in Vegas. Fortunately I used to be capable of seize this shot after we the place driving by way of flagstaff final week!

[inkinthedusk]

Something will grow from all that you are going through. And it will be YOU:) #yoga #yogaeverydamnday #flowandchai #jointherebellion #blissout #practiceandalliscoming #breathe 📷@tarsheenitania

[myherbclinic]

Feeling tired? Stressed? Need a break? It’s the perfect time to relax with a herbal tea! ☕️🌿🌱🌹🌺 Find the perfect herbal tea blend to enjoy while you put your feet up and bliss out on our website 🤤😌 *pictured is the Relaxation Herbal Blend www.myherbclinic.com.au #tired #stressed #relax #relaxation #herbaltea #blissout #herb #myherbclinic #timeout #putyourfeetup #afternoontea https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu5HY74lNUc/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1larb86hddjd8

[daisyfaceflow]

I love to close my eyes during practice. . Allow the visual stimulations and distractions of the peripheral world to melt away, even just for a few rounds of breath. . To f e e l into my practice and be aware of what can be opened, released, or dissolved. . The aim to reach the “perfect pose” or shape dissipates as the juicy goodness of the side stretch or heat building in my strong legs. . Ah, the layers and limbs of yoga. What a beautiful path to journey along. 💛🙏🏻✨ . . . #closeyoureyes #internalgaze #heartcentered #blissout #awareness #behere #allhere #staycentered #daisyfaceflow #growwiththeflow #findyourflow #feelyourpractice #peelbackthelayers #selfstudy #svadhyaya #introspection #move #breathe #be #love #light #passion (at Pier's Park, East Boston, Ma) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs6fSr0Ajf8/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=suqyejzwicjs