Aphex Twin has popped back into the digital ether with the kind of casual chaos only he can pull off. Two new uploads appeared on the SoundCloud page long believed to be his, the mysterious user18081971 account. The tracks, titled “Zahl am1 live track 1” and “Zahl am1 live track 1c f760m1 unfinshd,” landed out of nowhere and instantly sent fans hunting for clues, context, and any sign of a bigger drop.
Both pieces seem to be alternate versions of the same composition. The second upload came with a note clearly written in Richard D. James’s unmistakable style: he mentioned receiving “many requests for this one from a few years back,” referenced a recent photo from Sicily, complained about the relentless UK rain, and revealed that the track was mixed on the Zähl console. He even hinted that better mixes might exist somewhere in his archives, promising to upload them if they surface.
That scrap of info is peak Aphex Twin lore: cryptic, oddly personal, and just enough to keep the internet chasing shadows. And because the account has a long history of verified behavior, nobody doubts the tracks’ authenticity.
His SoundCloud has been quiet for a while. The last time he touched it was in 2023, when two archival tracks briefly appeared before disappearing again. Since then, fans have been fed through different routes: the release of Music From the Merch Desk (2016–2023), a compilation of limited-edition tour-only singles, plus an expanded edition of Selected Ambient Works Volume II. He also reissued Surfing on Sine Waves, the lone full-length he recorded under the Polygon Window alias back in 1993.
These sudden uploads continue a pattern James has mastered for decades: releasing rare, half-finished, or previously unheard work directly into fans’ laps without warning. No press cycle, no rollout, no grand announcement. Just a quiet notification ping, and the entire electronic community snaps awake.
Right now, there’s zero confirmation regarding an official release. The tracks could be cleaned up later, wider distribution could happen, or they could remain SoundCloud exclusives that drift into legend like so much of his loose, unlabelled material. That uncertainty is part of the thrill. Aphex Twin’s relationship with his audience has always been about discovery — sometimes messy, sometimes cryptic, always fascinating.
What we do know is this: even a small gesture like two unpolished uploads is enough to shake the entire IDM ecosystem. Every time James resurfaces, whether with a single synth fragment or a full project, the speculation machine fires up instantly. Are these the first crumbs of a larger archival dump? A tease for future reissues? Or just another late-night impulse from an artist who refuses to play by anyone’s rules, even his own?
Whatever the intent, the reaction speaks for itself. New Aphex Twin material, official or not, always hits like an event. And these two tracks are already doing exactly that.
FAQ
Are the new Aphex Twin tracks officially confirmed?
The SoundCloud uploads match his long-running user18081971 patterns, but no formal announcement has been made.
Are the tracks old or newly produced?
The description hints they’re older unreleased material mixed recently on the Zähl console.
Will these tracks get an official release?
Nothing is confirmed yet, but Aphex Twin often drops archival material without traditional rollout plans.