| On | ||||
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| EP by Aphex Twin | ||||
| Released | 15 November 1993 | |||
| Recorded | 1993 | |||
| Genre | Ambient techno | |||
| Length | 23:54 (On) 33:24 (On Remixes) 57:18 (TOTAL) |
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| Label | Warp Records WAP39 (EU) Sire/Warner Bros. Records 41217 (rest of world) |
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| Producer | Richard D. James | |||
| Professional reviews | ||||
| Aphex Twin chronology | ||||
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On is the title of a 1993 EP by the British electronic music artist Richard D. James, more commonly known by his recording alias of Aphex Twin. It was released on 15 November 1993 by Warp Records. On Remixes, featuring remixes by James, Reload and µ-Ziq, was also released on the same day.
Released after his album Selected Ambient Works 85–92, and just before his follow-up, Selected Ambient Works Volume II, On is often described as ambient techno 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.
Contents |
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, making it unpleasant for many listeners. The "28 Mix", also nothing like the original, is rumoured to be the unreleased 28th track of Selected Ambient Works Volume II.
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.
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, there were mp3s circulating on the Internet that simply had the name "Aphex Twin - Madreporic Plate", which turned out to be the "On (Reload Mix)" version. But the naming caused some people to search for a non-existent Aphex Twin track called "Madreporic Plate" without luck.
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.
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