Polygon Window (Aphex Twin), 'Surfing on Sine Waves', 1993

Polygon Window - 'Surfing on Sine Waves'  Warp Records (WARP LP7, 1993)

After capturing the attention of Warp Records following his iconic ‘Selected Ambient Works 1985-92’, the man of many monikers put out his first widely-distributed release, ‘Surfing on Sine Waves’ as Polygon Window. As the first studio album in Warp’s Artificial Intelligence series, ‘Surfing on Sine Waves’ can be looked back on as one of the birth pangs for what would come to be known as IDM.

While not the most stylistically coherent album in James’s sizeable back catalogue, the album was a landmark for rave music of the 90s and also flirts with some of the musical ideas that would come to define Aphex Twin. Highlights include ‘Audax Powder’, ‘If It Really Is Me’, and ‘Redruth School’ which all seamlessly blend detuned acid, ambient, and intricately programmed drums.

Despite its technological naiveté, ‘Surfing on Sine Waves’ is a seminal album for fans of RDJ and the IDM genre more broadly. Beautiful original gatefold, we will be sad to see this one go.

NOTES:

Graded using the Goldmine Standard. Graded conservatively, cover and media in VG+ bracket

Cover: VG+
Media: VG+