Who is the most influential figure in electronic music? It is hard to name just one. But if we talk about the top three, Richard D. James (better known as Aphex Twin) will definitely be there.

Before artists like him, club music was often seen simply as something made for the dancefloor. What Aphex Twin did was introduce a different idea — the idea of sound research. For him, music could be intellectual, cinematic, sometimes even strange. And also very personal, almost like opening a diary and trying to understand what the artist is really talking about.

His essentials? Selected Ambient Works Volume II — one of the most important ambient records ever made. Then there are tracks like Windowlicker and Come to Daddy, cult classics that show just how playful and experimental Aphex Twin’s production can be.

In this playlist, you will also hear how his ideas were translated by other artists — the true inspiration in action.