Collapse [EP]

This is a damn good record that is worth your time. Sink into Collapse, and let it sweep you up in its collage of vast, intricate atmospheres.

There have been times in James’ career when his knowing smirk threatened to eclipse the music. But here he’s obviously having a genuine blast, and his joy is infectious.

Like most Aphex Twin releases Collapse contains moments of queasy brilliance. [Oct 2018, p.48]

While Collapse won't go down as one of James's landmark Aphex Twin releases, however, its consistency and striving ambition to keep moving the project forward, both as a familiar, welcome friend but one that challenges you incessantly is highly appreciated.

Every song on here is an absolute gem, and while it does sound like some of Aphex Twin's previous material, that's probably the best compliment it can get.

Collapse isn’t accessible per se, but it is a release which perfectly reflects the finest elements of Richard James’ oeuvre. It is a record liberated from convention, unafraid of failure and confident in its depth.

With Collapse, James produces a surprising work of dark deconstruction, interchanging the Syro sound with a range of dissonant ideas and disfigured rhythmic patterns.

Collapse ends up being one of Aphex's stronger post-2000 releases.

Unlikely to sway anyone not already on board with Richard D. James’ weirdo-funk, Collapse is nevertheless a brilliant, warped addition to a canon like no other.

Title aside, Collapse affirms the stability of the Aphex Twin name.

The rubbery art-trap of “1st 44” sounds like a Mike Will Made It beat run through a blender, “Abundance10edit[2 R8’s, FZ20m & a 909]” sounds like multiple vintage techno records playing over each other, the wubbing “MT1 t29r2” sounds like mosquitos flitting about a sewer rave and “Pthex” is acid nostalgia through a cocaine haze.

None of Collapse’s derailments are permanent, and this one only lasts a few seconds before the music puts itself back on track. If the EP leaves you wanting anything, it’s more malfunction, more frenzy, more extended deviations from the Aphex Twin playbook.

While James is here less austere than on Cheetah EP and less eccentric than on landmark release Richard D. James Album, Collapse nevertheless proves to be a serviceable Aphex Twin release at this point in his career. His knack for finding interesting textures and layers hasn’t been compromised nor has his willingness to build off of previous styles in his oeuvre.