Rephlex Records releases are pretty much reflex purchases. The British indie label, run in part by Richard D. James (a.k.a. Aphex Twin), has delivered a select music series over the past couple of years, ranging from James’ own electronic experiments to the peculiar sunny-day vocal pop of a band called the Gentle People. Japanese musician Kiyoshi Izumi‘s recent three-song (and seemingly untitled) EP may be the label’s finest moment yet — an utterly compelling mesh of funky sonic isolates sequenced into something approaching dance music but, like most of the Rephlex catalog, far better suited to headphones. “Ura” is a seven-minute extravagance of jerky forward motion, all the more exceptional for its quasi-overture of an opening segment, which jumps between drum patterns and snippets of tropicalismo. Subsequent tracks “Cheaper Cosmos,” with its eerily familiar wall of static, and “Bedroom Glow” further one-up the listener’s expectations for electronica. Plus, the CD comes in a cool octagon jewel box. The future is nifty. (Contact info: P.O. Box 2676, London N11)
Originally published in the August 22, 1997, edition of epulse (3.33).