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He was also famous for lying in interviews, which makes it even more fun to guess if any of it is true.

Nevertheless, his early work especially contains some melodies and harmonies that sound to me like they originated on an entirely different plane of existence. I've always felt that RDJ is some sort of conduit for translating melodies from heaven.

The wistful melodies on "italic eyeball", basically all of SAW I, "on the romance tip", some MFM stuff, ICBYD...

He's a troll in interviews for sure, but using dreams to find melodies doesn't sound all too far fetched to me.

There's lots to read about the tuning systems Aphex Twin uses across his catalogue. Alternative tuning scales definitely add to that otherworldly yet familiar feeling.

Yeah, the Korg Monologue he helped designed allows for odd tunings, problem is few other synths do, so it's hard to get an ensemble going.

I have nearly everything RDJ ever released in physical format, and started listing in '95 or so, and pretty much know every song by memory. That said, RDJ's piano work in particular is heavily influenced by Erik Satie, bordering on derivative. Still amazing, but definitely influenced, likewise SAWII leans heavily on Eno. Which is fine, influence is a part of art. ;-)

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