Various: When
I Was 14 (TRIP Records)

Nina
Kraviz’s curated EP of tracks dips into the sounds that inspired her
as a teenager. It’s a really successful lot, boasting solid
contributions from the likes of Bjarki, Biogen, PTU, and Kraviz
herself. Most curious and noteworthy of the release is the inclusion
of an exclusive track from the AFX archives, dating back to the 90s
and sounding very much in line with Analogue Bubblebath or another
Richard D. James 90s project, Polygon Window.

The other tracks are
current, but they’re sufficiently infused with reverence for the
past. Bjarki’s two contributions are probably my favorites of the
whole bunch. “Bæpolar” recalls some of Autechre’s more fidgety
mid-90s IDM (presumably the æ being a nod to the duo), while “Naked
Naked” pounds with the urgency of early AFX or harder LFO.

It’s a
nice convergence of past and present, with more than a few nods to a
classic early 90s aesthetic without sacrificing current production
values. Aphex Twin completists will no doubt want his AFX track,
which is more than worth the price of admission, but the entire
release is worthy of attention.

Buy it: Boomkat | Bleep | iTunes | Amazon