8/10

Despite remaining completely silent for more than a decade before returning with his latest album 'Syro' in 2014, producer Richard D. James aka Aphex Twin has proven to be very prolific since his comeback. After dropping the EP 'Cheetah' two years back, a release that saw him experiment even more with his sound, he is back with another brief collection of new material in the form of 'Collapse', a release that once again shows that just as you think you understand his direction, he flips on you all over again.

While the five-track release still ticks all those conventional boxes of an Aphex Twin record; distorted electronics, bold time signatures, and a warped sense of direction, this certainly seems less unhinged than some of the stuff he has been putting out over the last few years. With a far more cohesive and succinct intention, 'Collapse' may well be the best we have heard from him since 'Drukgs'. It is a dynamic selection of creative ideas that pushes the envelope of not only himself, but the whole scene that has sprung up around him.

Even if you wouldn't consider yourself a fan of his work, 'Collapse' is definitely one of his releases that could change your mind. The almost hypnotic state of its atmosphere is enough to draw you in and captivate you from start to finish. Richard D. James is certainly back to his best.