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Stone in Focus

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"#19"
Composition by Aphex Twin
from the album Selected Ambient Works Volume II
Released18 June 2024
Length10:14
LabelWarp
Songwriter(s)Richard D. James
Producer(s)Richard D. James
Aphex Twin singles chronology
"Blackbox Life Recorder 21f"
(2023) 		"#19"
(2024) 		"th1 [evnslower]"
(2024)

"#19" (commonly known by fans as "Stone in Focus"), is a track by the British electronic artist and producer Richard D. James, under the alias of Aphex Twin. It was first released in 1994 exclusively on the vinyl and cassette editions of his second studio album Selected Ambient Works Volume II as the nineteenth track, however it was removed from the CD release due to storage constraints.[1] It was not featured on streaming service versions of the album until 2024.[2] It is the second longest track on the original release of Selected Ambient Works Volume II, and the third longest on the Expanded Edition reissue.[3]

Background and release

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#19 was originally released in 1994, as track 19 on Selected Ambient Works Volume II, James' second album. The track was present on the vinyl and cassette versions of the album. It was, however, left off compact disc copies of the album due to space limitations, as CDs can only hold a maximum of 80 minutes of music.[1][4] The track later appeared on a compilation published by Astralwerks, titled Excursions In Ambience – The Third Dimension, which was released in the same year.[5] James played a snippet of the track at a show at Printworks in 2019.[6]

On 18 June 2024, James and Warp Records announced an expanded edition of Selected Ambient Works Volume II would be releasing on 4 October 2024.[7] This new edition would be released on vinyl, cassette and CD.[8] This new edition featured two new tracks, "th1 [evnslower]", "Rhubarb Orc. 19.53 Rev", as well as #19, putting the track on streaming services and CD for the first time.[9] The track was released as a single on the day of the announcement, and was released with the rest of the tracks in October.

While the song was not released on streaming services until 2024, it had garnered millions of views and thousands of comments on an unofficial upload of the track on YouTube.[4] According to The Guardian, the comments discussed "everything from the vastness of the universe to monoliths and existential despair".[4]

Reception

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In a ranking of the 50 best tracks released by James, Fact placed "Stone in Focus" at #41. They stated that the track was one of the most "disarming and memorable" on the record, and that it is "befuddling" that the track hadn't been re-instated on regular digital releases.[1] In another ranking of James' best tracks by Geeta Dayal of The Guardian, "Stone in Focus" was placed at #9 out of 20. They stated that the track was a "stirring, slow-burning anthem".[4] Talking about the track for Gizmodo, Marc Weidenbaum said "It’s threadbare stuff, and all the more beautiful for its simplicity. That said, it makes up for in length what it lacks in density."[3]

Track listing

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Single release
No.TitleLength
1."#19"10:14
Total length:10:14

Personnel

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Credits adapted from Selected Ambient Works Volume II liner notes.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "The 50 best Aphex Twin tracks of all time". Fact. 14 April 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  2. ^ Wildarsson, Emilie (July 4, 2024). "Aphex Twin Releases '#19,' Previously Exclusive to Vinyl".
  3. ^ a b Weidenbaum, Marc (27 January 2014). "Aphex Twin SAW2 Countdown: Track 19 ("Stone in Focus")". Gizmodo. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Dayal, Geeta (28 February 2019). "Aphex Twin's best songs – ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  5. ^ Raggett, Ned (20 February 2014). "Lingering Memory: Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works II, 25 Years On". The Quietus. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  6. ^ Hoban, Alex (19 September 2019). "Aphex Twin at Printworks, London: still one of the greatest electronic shows on earth". NME. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  7. ^ Durston, Tom (17 June 2024). "Warp Records tease repress of Aphex Twin 'Selected Ambient Works Volume II'". Inverted Audio. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  8. ^ Torres, Eric (18 June 2024). "Aphex Twin Announces Selected Ambient Works Volume II Expanded Edition". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  9. ^ Buckle, Becky (19 June 2024). "Aphex Twin announces expanded 30th-anniversary reissue of 'Selected Ambient Works Volume II'". Mixmag. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  10. ^ James, Richard D. (1994). Selected Ambient Works Volume II (Media notes). Aphex Twin. Warp. WARPLP21LTD.
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