London 19.08.23

London 19.08.23 is a five-track EP by Richard D. James under his Aphex Twin moniker, released in tandem with his performance at the Field Day festival in London. The release serves as a showcase for his deep integration of hardware synthesis, particularly utilizing custom-tuned Korg instruments. Musically, the EP leans heavily into classic IDM and acid house territories, characterized by squelching TB-303-style basslines, intricate drum machine programming, and microtonal melodic experiments. Unlike his highly polished studio LPs, this collection has the immediate, raw energy of a live hardware jam session, prioritizing texture, grit, and spontaneous sequencing over complex narrative structures. It occupies a niche, collector-focused position in his vast discography, acting as a bridge between his archival releases and his live performance setups.