Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2

Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 is the ninth EP by the British electronic musician Richard D James. It was released under the pseudonym Aphex Twin on 23 January 2015 on Warp. It is meant as a companion piece to his fifth studio album, Drukqs (2001).

Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2
EP by
Aphex Twin
Released23 January 2015 (2015-01-23)
Genre
Length27:56
LabelWarp
ProducerRichard D James
Aphex Twin chronology
Syro
(2014)		 Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2
(2015)		 Orphaned Deejay Selek 2006–08
(2015)

It received mixed reviews and placed in several international record charts, including the United States Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart, where it peaked at number one.

Background

Computer Controller Acoustic Instruments pt.2 features acoustic sounds such as prepared piano, drums, and wood and metal percussion, controlled electronically.[1] James considers it the successor to his 2001 album Drukqs:

Part 1 is Drukqs, as that was the first thing I released that utilised computer controlled instruments, namely a modified Yamaha Disklavier, 2nd gen and a couple of midi controlled solenoid based drum mechanisms I made just after I got the Disklavier.[4]

The EP extends the ideas of its predecessor, according to Mark Richardson of Pitchfork, who noted that "where James used to offer his electro-acoustic pieces as a showcase for lyrical melodies, about half the music here consists of crisply arranged beats, with loping drum lines that occasionally veer toward funk".[1] Much of the album features breakbeat backing.[2] Exclaim! stated that most tracks "fall under the label of avant-garde jazz — some of it experimental and way out there — while other parts are coherent enough to sneak into the darker corners of Ninja Tune's back catalogue."[3]

Release

Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 was announced for release on 9 January 2015 on Warp's official website.[5] The track listing, worldwide release date and a list of available release formats were published on Bleep.com alongside pre-orders of the EP. Released worldwide on 23 January, Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 was made available as a 12-inch record pressed on 140-gram vinyl, a Digipak CD and a digital download in various digital formats, including MP3, WAV and FLAC.[6] An alternative mix of the EP's opening track—"Diskhat ALL Prepared1mixed [snr2mix]"—was made available for stream and MP3 download on Richard D James' official SoundCloud account a day prior.[7]

In Japan, Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 was released on Beat Records and sold 3,627 physical copies in its first week of release.[8][9] The EP was particularly successful on the independent charts in Ireland and the United Kingdom; it peaked at number 8 on both the Irish Independent Albums Chart and the UK Independent Albums Chart,[10][11] as well as entering at number 7 on the UK Official Record Store Albums Chart,[12] where it peaked at number 4 in its third week of release.[13] Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 placed in three separate Billboard charts in the US. It fared well on the Dance/Electronic Albums chart, entering at number 4 in its first week of release and peaking at number 1 the following week;[14] the EP also entered the Tastemakers Albums chart at number 24 and placed at number 10 in its second week.[15]

Reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic64/100[16]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[17]
Clash7/10[18]
Drowned in Sound8/10[19]
Exclaim!6/10[3]
Fact[20]
The Guardian[2]
NME6/10[21]
Pitchfork8.3/10[1]
Resident Advisor3.3/5[22]
Spin7/10[23]

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 received an average score of 64, based on 15 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[16]

Felicity Martin of Clash called the EP "a difficult but enriching document [that is] compiled of often-jarring, disjointed instruments," noting the "really interesting part of this extended play—it's not about making the robots feel human, but feeling as though you're in the room with them, whirring about around you."[18] In his review for the NME Louis Pattison referred to the EP as "true, manufactured pop music" due to the instrumentation being "played not by human hands, but by signals zipping around circuit boards." He added that "as a challenge—to his audience, and to himself [...] it succeeds admirably.".[21] For Drowned in Sound, Benjamin Bland referred to the EP as "a welcome reminder of James's ability to utilise decidedly avant-garde ideas in a manner that, although acutely alien to our idea of musical normality, is nevertheless engaging and inspiring." Bland also regarded the EP as "highly listenable, no less so than Syro".[19]Pitchfork writer Mark Richardson praised the EP but called it "a release for established fans."[1]

Exclaim! writer Daryl Keating offered a mixed review, describing the EP as "the compositional scribblings of a sleepless man".[3] Resident Advisor's Jordan Rothlein's review described the EP as "a moody set that sounds a bit like either Tom Waits instrumentals, a gamelan ensemble going pop, or maybe just some bits from Syro played back at a fraction of their original speed." Rothelin added that "though there's a certain pleasure in listening to an artist figure things out, a full 28 minutes feels like overkill."[22] Writing for The Guardian, Ben Beaumont-Thomas was highly critical of the EP, saying that "if Syro was an inquisitive artificial intelligence ... then [this EP] is like the organic consciousness it was drawn from, its owner now tinkering with jigsaws in a retirement home."[2] AllMusic was almost entirely negative; reviewer Andy Kellman wrote that "nothing is particularly energizing ... the EP should be approached like a sequel—with low expectations."[17]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Richard D James.

No.TitleLength
1."diskhat ALL prepared1mixed 13"5:22
2."snar2"0:20
3."diskhat1"2:26
4."piano un1 arpej"0:50
5."DISKPREPT4"1:53
6."hat 2b 2012b"1:25
7."disk aud1_12"0:10
8."0035 1-Audio"0:26
9."disk prep calrec2 barn dance [slo]"4:22
10."DISKPREPT1"3:30
11."diskhat2"0:38
12."piano un10 it happened"1:48
13."hat5c 0001 rec-4"4:46
Total length:27:56

The track length above is valid for CD, digital download and vinyl played on 33 rpm.

2017 re-release bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."diskhat ALL prepared1mixed [snr2mix]diskhat ALL prepared1bmixed [snr2mix],e,ru,+4"5:22
15."diskhat ALL [snr2mix] [fast],e,+3"4:52
16."DISKLVPRPT1 Equinox barn dance[fast]"2:20
Total length:40:30

Personnel

All personnel credits adapted from Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2's album notes.[24]

Performer

Technical personnel

  • Beau Thomas – mastering

Design personnel

  • The Designers Republic (credited as "MITDR™") – design, cover art
  • Atsushi Sasaki – liner notes (Japanese CD edition only)[25]

Chart positions
Chart (2015) Peak
position
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[26] 80
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[27] 166
Irish Albums Chart[28] 32
Irish Independent Albums Chart[10] 8
Japanese Albums Chart[9] 24
UK Albums Chart[29] 36
UK Independent Albums Chart[11] 8
UK Official Record Store Albums Chart[13] 4
US Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums[14] 1
US Billboard Independent Albums[30] 24
US Billboard Tastemaker Albums[15] 10

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label Catalogue
Various[5] 23 January 2015 12-inch, CD, digital download Warp WAP375
Japan[8] CD, digital download Beat BRE-50
gollark: There you go.
gollark: ++radio connect
gollark: ++radio connect
gollark: Is this the right one?
gollark: ++radio disconnect

References
  1. Richardson, Mark (27 January 2015). "Aphex Twin: Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 EP | Album Reviews". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  2. Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (23 January 2015). "Aphex Twin – Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 review: 'Sometimes unlistenably irritating' | Music". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  3. Keating, Daryl (23 January 2015). "Aphex Twin: Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments Pt2". Exclaim!. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  4. aphextwin (February 2015). "Diskhat ALL Prepared1mixed [snr2mix]". SoundCloud. SoundCloud. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  5. "Aphex Twin / Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 EP". Warp. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  6. "Aphex Twin – Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 EP". Bleep.com. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  7. "Download a new Aphex Twin track, 'Diskhat ALL Prepared1mixed [snr2mix]' – Music News, New Music". Fact. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  8. "Warp Records / Aphex Twin – Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 EP". Beatink (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  9. "オリコン週間 CDアルバムランキング 2015年01月19日～2015年01月25日 21～30位" [Oricon Weekly CD Album Index: January 19, 2015–January 25, 2015 – Places 21–30]. Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2 February 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  10. "Top 10 Independent Artist Albums, Week Ending 29 January 2015". Chart-Track. Archived from the original on 2 February 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  11. "2015-01-31 Top 40 Independent Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  12. "2015-01-31 Top 40 Official Record Store Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  13. "2015-02-07 Top 40 Official Record Store Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  14. "Aphex Twin – Chart history: Dance/Electronic Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  15. "Aphex Twin – Chart history: Tastemaker Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  16. "Reviews for Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments, Pt. 2 [EP] by Aphex Twin". Metacritic. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  17. Kellman, Andy (26 January 2015). "Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments, Pt. 2 – Aphex Twin | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  18. Martin, Felicity (26 January 2015). "Aphex Twin – Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments Pt2 | Reviews". Clash. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  19. Bland, Benjamin (29 January 2015). "Ep Review: Aphex Twin – Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 / Releases". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  20. Finlayson, Angus (3 February 2015). "Aphex Twin: Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments Pt2". Fact. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  21. Pattison, Louis (23 January 2015). "Reviews – Aphex Twin – Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments Pt 2". NME. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  22. Rothlein, Jordan (28 January 2015). "RA Reviews: Aphex Twin – Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 EP on Warp Records (Single)". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  23. Weiss, Dan (3 February 2015). "Review: Aphex Twin Takes Us to His Toy Factory on 'Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments Pt2' EP". Spin. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  24. Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 (Liner notes). Aphex Twin. Warp. 2015. WAP375.CS1 maint: others (link)
  25. Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2 (Liner notes). Aphex Twin. Beat Records. 2015. BRE-50.CS1 maint: others (link)
  26. "Aphex Twin – Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments Pt2" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  27. "Aphex Twin – Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments Pt2" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  28. "Top 100 Artist Albums, Week Ending 29 January 2015". Chart-Track. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  29. "2015-01-31 Top 40 Official Albums Chart UK Archive". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  30. "Aphex Twin – Chart history: Independent Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
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