Ten minutes before Richard D. James aka Aphex Twin had even arrived on the stage the YleX tent was bustling with anticipation. The restlessness was certainly accompanied by awe and excitement, because knowing Aphex Twin, the PA systems could shortly be blasting anything or everything at the festival goers.Was it going to be ambient, drum’n'bass or jungle? Or techno? You know, the thing they invented in Detroit in the 80s, real techno, not the abomination that was played in school parties in the 90s.
The answer is, all that and a bit more. Well, the hour-and-a-half show could only marginally be called ambient, so bone-crushing the beats were. The crowd was quick to pick up the pace, majority of them danced and made the ground tremble, and even the more restrained ones thumped along with their feet to the rhythm. Which wasn’t always that easy, I can tell you that.
The jaw-dropping visuals and laser effects crowned the incredible show, and the video art shown on the screens often featured the grotesque Aphex Twin face (the grinning, distorted likeness of Richard D. James himself), a common sight on the good artiste’s album covers. The Finnish national ice hockey team were also given the Aphex Twin treatment; for a second, a group photo of the team was displayed on the screens, their faces covered with the Aphex Twin face. Other Finnish celebrities got their share as well as “Aphex Twin-ned” images of Johanna Tukiainen, Matti Nykänen, Jouni Hynynen and even the president Tarja Halonen flashed on the screens. Zing!
The final part of the set contained a bit more experimental material, that the initiated could perhaps label as IDM, noise or braindance. Regardless of how they wish to categorise the music, all would agree that the Aphex Twin show was an astonishing experience!
Text: Jarkko Böhm
Translation: Jari Rytkönen
Photo: Risto Kuittinen
