Selected Ambient Works Volume II (studio album)
by Aphex Twin

From Strangel 02/25/2024 09:49

Prefer it when he brings the beats but there are some of the most stunning pieces of ambient electronic you’ll ever hear on the album.

This has quickly become one of my favorite albums to put on in the background while studying. I'm also looking forward to listening to it while meditating and while playing Arkham Horror LCG. I don't enjoy listening to the album as a whole (way too long for me), but I love making playlists out of a subset of tracks on it. #3, #20, and #24 are some of my favorites.

From Boltzmann 11/30/2023 16:02

I never thought I would find myself enjoying ambient; I always liked the idea of it - a focus and love for the sounds, and the sounds only - but it simply never clicked. All I needed was a different mood; less relaxing soundscapes, and more nightmarish power plant music. I find myself ironically saying "what beautiful music" when a movie builds up eerie tension with people screaming in the distance and the most dissonant sounds they can find. But no one does it like Richard; from the underwater metro station of #16 to the subterranean centipedes on their way to destroy Earth of #22. It has its happy moments too (they're blissful), even some beats (they're okay attempts at trip hop I guess). The end product sounds like something he found rather than created; and seeing his approach at making music - drawing inspiration from his lucid dreams - this might not be far from the truth.

From ExTeaSea 09/23/2022 19:09

Perfect for background music during Halloween. I even love this more than the first Ambient Works album. Creepy yet beautiful and much darker and imo more interesting than the first one.

From sszwalbenest 04/20/2021 01:07

Some great tracks but no one should make an album this long.

It's okay music to study but I am not a fan of ambient music otherwise.

Wow

I recommend listening to this album in chunks rather than the whole way through. For me, this was quite an exciting experience and unlike anything i've heard before. This makes me want to go back and listen to Selected Works 85-92 again and again.

I had my reservations about "Selected Ambient Works Volume II" due to its gargantuan length, but it turned out to be utterly captivating due to its mysterious and otherworldly nature. Aphex Twin has crafted a colossal yet minimalist statement that coasts almost entirely on atmosphere rather than his usual techno beats; it works wonderfully because of how evocative each track is. My personal favourite from him and one of the best ambient records of all time.

From thirstyDog 02/16/2018 06:13

One of the best ambient albums out there. Highly recommended.