Grade: B-
Attempting a comeback or reunion is equivalent to walking on the razor’s edge.
After lying dormant for so many years, most artists are faced with the insurmountable task of trying to please old fans while simultaneously trying to gain a larger fanbase.
Some pull it off in spades, including Swans, R.E.M., Brian Wilson and Black Sabbath, and while others monumentally fail on every single level, including Smashing Pumpkins, Guns N’ Roses, anything Sly and the Family Stone has done after 1973.
Aphex Twin, emerging a mere 13 years after his 2001 effort “Drukqs,” lands somewhere in the middle.
Aphex Twin or rather, Richard D. James, is not a person to take lightly.
Not only has he released a schizophrenic string of highly regarded albums, but his influence has stretched beyond the borders of electronica.
Radiohead, Daft Punk, and even the Red Hot Chili Peppers have struck a chord with his music among many, many others.
However, after “Drukqs” received a lukewarm response , Aphex Twin suddenly vanished, unlike James, occasionally surfacing to release a handful of compilations and reissues.
Then, as quickly as it disappeared, James has revived his most famous moniker after more than a decade of silence.
Needless to say, the new album, “Syro,” doesn’t reach its desired expectations.
That’s not to say it isn’t good - but after leaving devotees so long in the dark, the outcome should’ve been more grand in scale.
“Syro” seems like a return-to-roots record, emanating vibes reminiscent of past releases, most notably “...I Care Because You Do” and “Selected Ambient Works 85-92,” except emitting a much brighter tone.
While that’s hardly a bad thing, the problem is that “Syro” ironically doesn’t do much to stand out from the crowd of electronic artists that James inspired.
Perhaps it’s unfair to expect something glorious and groundbreaking from Richard D. James, who was a massive driving force in his field during the 1990s.
He obviously wanted to release a quality product and succeeded.
Rather than bursting through the door and blasting open a bottle of champagne, he instead walks in with a case of beer and a good personality.
It may not be the bombastic entrance everyone was expecting, but a good time is to be had regardless.
