AFX

Richard D. James stands out as a pioneering force in electronic music, most widely recognized under the Aphex Twin moniker. Among his many alternate identities—trailing only Aphex Twin in prominence while surpassing less frequently deployed ones such as Polygon Window, Caustic Window, and the Tuss—AFX ranks second. AFX releases generally favor a steadier rhythmic focus and avoid the high-energy intensity associated with Aphex Twin output, yet they remain unmistakably traceable to James. The initial Analogue Bubblebath installment from 1991 carried an Aphex Twin credit at first, though later entries in the 12" sequence and subsequent reissues shifted the association to AFX. While building recognition and a dedicated audience through the initial pair of Aphex Twin albums, James also handled remixes credited to AFX, among them Seefeel's "Time to Find Me" and Baby Ford's "Normal." During 1995—the year ...I Care Because You Do appeared under the Aphex Twin name—he put out the AFX EPs collected as Hangable Auto Bulb. Throughout the next ten years, most of the Analord 12" series surfaced under the AFX name, joined by Orphaned Deejay Selek 2006-2008, which reached the top of Billboard's Top Electronic Albums chart in 2015.