Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), best known as Aphex Twin, is an … Read Full Bio ↴Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), best known as Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born British musician, composer and DJ. He is known for his idiosyncratic work in electronic styles such as techno, ambient, and jungle. Journalists from publications including Mixmag, The New York Times, NME, Fact, Clash and The Guardian have called James one of the most influential or important artists in contemporary electronic music.

Raised in Cornwall, James began DJing at free parties and clubs in the area in the late 1980s. His debut EP Analogue Bubblebath, released in 1991 on Mighty Force Records, brought James an early following; he began to perform across the UK and continental Europe. James co-founded the independent label Rephlex Records the same year. His 1992 debut album Selected Ambient Works 85-92, released by Belgian label Apollo, garnered wider critical and popular acclaim. James signed to Warp in 1993 and subsequently released charting albums such as ...I Care Because You Do (1995) and Richard D. James Album (1996), as well as Top 40 singles such as "Come to Daddy" (1997) and "Windowlicker" (1999); the latter two were accompanied by music videos directed by Chris Cunningham and brought James significantly wider international attention.

After releasing Drukqs in 2001 and completing his contract with Warp, James spent several years releasing music on his own Rephlex label, including the 2005 Analord EP series under his AFX alias and a pair of 2007 releases as the Tuss. In 2014, he made available a previously unreleased 1994 LP as Caustic Window. He returned later that year with the Aphex Twin album Syro on Warp, winning the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album. He has since released charting EPs including Cheetah (2016) and Collapse (2018).

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphex_Twin

Studio albums
Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (1992)
Selected Ambient Works Volume II (1994)
...I Care Because You Do (1995)
Richard D. James Album (1996)
Drukqs (2001)
Syro (2014)

Mindstream
Aphex Twin Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Realtime, slow motion, everything seems bent out of shape
Elevate, high enough, till you reach what's above
Your power of perception
Effective, slow motion, is slowing down the pulse of our generation
Colours of light hit the night and are lost by the force of our persuasion
Chorus 1:
Things aren't too clear, and the more I see
Things disappear momentarily.

Things aren't too clear, and the more I see
Things disappear momentarily
And the more I see
Momentarily
I know it's nearly over
Unwinding, ultrasounding
In your mind, in your mind
Chorus 2:
Things aren't too clear, and the more I see
Things disappear momentarily.
Things aren't too clear, and the more I see
Things disappear momentarily

And the more I see
And the more I see.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Mindstream" by Aphex Twin speak to the power of perception and the distortion of reality when viewed through different lenses. In the first verse, the idea of slowing down time is introduced, with the suggestion that this shift in perception can lead to a greater understanding of the world around us. However, the following lines caution that this altered state of mind can also lead to a loss of clarity and a sense of things disappearing momentarily. The chorus echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the fleeting nature of our experiences and the challenges inherent in our attempts to grasp the world around us.

The second verse takes a more introspective turn, exploring the idea of "unwinding" and "ultrasounding" within one's own mind. Here, the lyrics suggest that even our internal perceptions are subject to distortion and that our attempts to understand ourselves can be just as elusive as our attempts to comprehend the external world. Throughout, the lyrics create a sense of uncertainty and shifting perspectives - a reflection of the complex, ever-changing nature of reality.

Line by Line Meaning

Realtime, slow motion, everything seems bent out of shape
The current moment feels distorted and slowed down, causing everything around to appear warped and out of proportion.

Elevate, high enough, till you reach what's above
To achieve a greater understanding, one must transcend to a higher level of consciousness or thought.

Your power of perception
The ability and capacity to perceive and understand one's surroundings or experiences.

Effective, slow motion, is slowing down the pulse of our generation
A slowed-down, meditative pace can have a calming and beneficial effect on individuals and society as a whole.

Colours of light hit the night and are lost by the force of our persuasion
The beauty and wonder of natural phenomena can often be overlooked or diminished by human influence or control.

Things aren't too clear, and the more I see Things disappear momentarily. Things aren't too clear, and the more I see Things disappear momentarily And the more I see Momentarily I know it's nearly over
The more one attempts to comprehend or observe the world, the more it seems to slip away or fade into obscurity, ultimately leading to a sense of impending finality or conclusion.

Unwinding, ultrasounding In your mind, in your mind
A process of mental relaxation and introspection so deep and thorough that even the most subtle or subconscious thoughts and feelings can be heard or sensed.

Things aren't too clear, and the more I see Things disappear momentarily. Things aren't too clear, and the more I see Things disappear momentarily And the more I see And the more I see.
Reiteration of the idea that the more one tries to observe or understand, the more elusive and fleeting it all becomes, leading to a sense of confusion or disillusionment.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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