On (EP)
| On | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| EP by Aphex Twin | ||||
| Released | 15 November 1993 | |||
| Recorded | 1993 | |||
| Genre | Ambient techno | |||
| Length | 23:54 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Aphex Twin | |||
| Aphex Twin chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   link |
On is the third EP and major label debut by the English electronic music producer Richard D. James, under the pseudonym Aphex Twin, released on 15 November 1993 by Warp Records in Europe and by Sire Records and Warner Bros. Records internationally. On Remixes, featuring remixes by James, Reload and µ-Ziq, was also released on the same day.
Released after his debut album Selected Ambient Works 85–92, On is often described as an ambient techno record despite the presence of harsh, abrasive beats on the title track. The title "On" is only mentioned once in the track list of the On EP.
Track listing
On
- "On" – 7:03
- "73-Yips" – 4:14
- "D-Scape" – 6:54
- "Xepha" – 5:42
On Remixes
The Sire Records (US) version of On contains only "On", "73-Yips", and "Xepha" with early fade-outs, followed by the Reload Mix of "On", and it is housed in an Ecopak case instead of the standard slimline jewel case in which the Warp (UK) release was packaged.
The "D-Scape Mix", in actuality a remix of "D-Scape" from On, features mostly harsh sucking noises.
Music video
The music video, directed by Jarvis Cocker and Martin Wallace, features drips of water synchronized with the song, a stop-motion sequence filmed on a beach involving numerous props (including an old fashioned diving suit and a cardboard cutout of James), and images of the tide. It is available on the Come to Viddy (VHS, 1997) and WarpVision: The Videos 1989–2004 (DVD, 2004) compilations.
Madreporic Plate
The text "Madreporic Plate" appears on the cover of the album just below the Aphex Twin logo. Although it is not the name of the album, mp3s circulated on the Internet that simply had the name "Aphex Twin - Madreporic Plate", which turned out to be the Reload Mix of "On".
According to a definition at biology-online.org, a Madreporic Plate (also called a madreporite) is a perforated plate in echinoderms, through which water is admitted to the ambulacral tubes. This may have been the inspiration for the design of the cover where there are triangles pointing outwards from the logo, representing the shape of many echinoderms.
External links
- On at the Warp Records website