Expert Knob Twiddlers

{{UBE|date=March 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}  {{Infobox album | name = Expert Knob Twiddlers | type = studio | artist = [[Mike Paradinas|Mike]] & [[Aphex Twin|Rich]] | cover = Ekt-cd-cover.jpg | border = yes | alt = | released = {{Start date|1996|6|24}} | recorded = 1994<ref name="dummy" /> | studio = | genre = *[[Intelligent dance music|IDM]]<ref>{{cite web|last1=Twells|first1=John|title= Aphex Twin and μ-Ziq's Expert Knob Twiddlers gets expanded reissue|url=http://www.factmag.com/2016/07/14/aphex-twin-%C2%B5-ziq-expert-knob-twiddlers-reissue/|website=FACT|access-date=9 September 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012134701/http://www.factmag.com/2016/07/14/aphex-twin-%C2%B5-ziq-expert-knob-twiddlers-reissue/|archivedate=October 12, 2018}}</ref> *[[electro-funk]]<ref name="bush">{{cite web|first=John|last=Bush |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/aphex-twin-mn0000493848/biography |title=Aphex Twin | Biography & History |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=2016-07-09}}</ref> *[[easy listening]]<ref name="bush"/> | length = {{Duration|m=57|s=51}} | label = [[Rephlex Records|Rephlex]] | producer = | chronology = [[Aphex Twin|Richard D. James]] | prev_title = [[Hangable Auto Bulb]] | prev_year = 1995 | next_title = [[Girl/Boy EP]] | next_year = 1996 }} '''''Expert Knob Twiddlers''''' is a 1996 studio album by [[Mike Paradinas]] and [[Aphex Twin|Richard D. James]]. It was released in 1996 on [[Rephlex Records]] and is the only release credited to the two as Mike & Rich.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=aphex_twin|title=TrouserPress.com :: Aphex Twin|website=www.trouserpress.com}}</ref>

On 14 July 2016 [[Planet Mu]] announced that a reissued version would be released with seven bonus tracks in September 2016.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Twells|first1=John|title=Aphex Twin and μ-Ziq's Expert Knob Twiddlers gets expanded reissue|url=http://www.factmag.com/2016/07/14/aphex-twin-%C2%B5-ziq-expert-knob-twiddlers-reissue/|website=Fact Mag|access-date=19 July 2016}}</ref>

==Production== [[Mike Paradinas]] described the sound of the album as "an updated version of [[easy listening]] and [[funk]]".<ref name="psf-review">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.furious.com/perfect/uziq.html|magazine=[[Perfect Sound Forever (magazine)|Perfect Sound Forever]]|title=u-Ziq Interview by Jason Gross|date=September 1997|access-date=27 November 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19990427103341/http://www.furious.com/perfect/uziq.html|archivedate=April 27, 1999}}</ref> James had heard the music Paradinas had made under the name of Jake Slazenger and invited him to create tracks. Paradinas noted James had invited other artists to collaborate with him, including [[Luke Vibert]], [[Squarepusher]] and [[Cylob]] and was honoured that his collaborative tracks were chosen for the release. Both artists were getting drunk while developing tracks, something that Paradinas stated that neither artist regularly did.<ref name="dummy">{{cite web|url=http://www.dummymag.com/lists/planet-mu-20th-anniversary-best-tracks-according-to-mike-paradinas|work=Dummy|title=The 20 tracks that define Planet Mu, according to Mike Paradinas|last=Bulut|first=Selim|date=8 September 2015|access-date=27 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923181302/http://www.dummymag.com/lists/planet-mu-20th-anniversary-best-tracks-according-to-mike-paradinas|archive-date=23 September 2015}}</ref>

The track "Giant Deflating Football" was written during the [[1994 FIFA World Cup]]. Paradinas noted that the two "were able to quite quickly write a large amount of material. 'Giant Deflating Football' is named because it had some quite weird percussion sounds made by scraping and blowing in a microphone. It sounded like a big wheezing football. We took a bit of acid afterwards to listen to it, and we were coming out with some imagery like 'Beady Eyes,' which is mentioned in one of the tracks."<ref name="dummy" />

==Release== [[File:Classic downfall game.jpg|thumb|The cover of the album features Paradinas and James playing the [[Milton Bradley Company|Milton Bradley]] game ''[[Downfall (game)|Downfall]]'', whilst also parodying the box art of the original game.{{sfn|Buckley|2003|p=35}}|left|203x203px]] ''Expert Knob Twiddlers'' was released by [[Rephlex Records]] on 24 June 1996 on [[audio cassette]], [[compact disc]] and [[vinyl record|vinyl]].<ref name="promo">{{cite AV media notes |title=Expert Knob Twiddlers |others=Mike & Rich |year=1996 |chapter=[Inside Promo Sheet]|publisher=Rephlex Records |id=CAT 027 LP}}</ref> Paradinas felt the album should have been released as early as 1994, stating that "At that time, that style was something that no one else had done [...] It wasn't like anything anyone heard before really. By the time it did come out, a lot of things came out like [[Uwe_Schmidt|Carbon Trio]] and there was a lot of revived interest in easy listening. Neither of us was prepared for it."<ref name="psf-review" />

On 19 July 2016 the song "Vodka (Mix 2)" was released with the announcement of the album's 2016 reissue.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lozano|first1=Kevin|title=Aphex Twin and μ-Ziq Announce Expert Knob Twiddlers Reissue, Share Unreleased Track|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/66803-aphex-twin-and-ziq-announce-expert-knob-twiddlers-reissue-share-unreleased-track/|website=Pitchfork|date=19 July 2016 |access-date=19 July 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129005634/https://pitchfork.com/news/66803-aphex-twin-and-ziq-announce-expert-knob-twiddlers-reissue-share-unreleased-track/|archivedate=November 29, 2016}}</ref>

==Reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = [[AllMusic]] | rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="allmusic" /> | rev2 = ''[[Clash (magazine)|Clash]]'' | rev2score = 8/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/mike-and-rich-expert-knob-twiddlers/|title=Mike and Rich – Expert Knob Twiddlers|website=[[Clash (magazine)|Clash]]|last=Dolan|first=Jack|access-date=2 September 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160904111723/https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/mike-and-rich-expert-knob-twiddlers/|archivedate=September 4, 2016}}</ref> | rev3 = ''[[Exclaim!]]'' | rev3score = 8/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/mike_and_rich-expert_knob_twiddlers|title=Mike & Rich - Expert Knob Twiddlers|website=[[Exclaim!]]|last=Pearson|first=Luke|access-date=January 26, 2026|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418205147/https://exclaim.ca/music/article/mike_and_rich-expert_knob_twiddlers|archivedate=April 18, 2024}}</ref> | rev4 = ''[[The Guardian]]'' | rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="guardian-review" /> | rev5 = ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' | rev5Score = 6.6/10<ref name="pfork">{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22298-expert-knob-twiddlers/|work=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|title=Expert Knob Twiddlers|access-date=January 26, 2026|date=30 September 2016|first=Mark|last=Richardson|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229054441/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22298-expert-knob-twiddlers/|archivedate=December 29, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> | rev6 = ''[[PopMatters]]'' | rev6score = 8/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/mike-rich-expert-knob-twiddlers-2495414576.html|title=Mike & Rich: Expert Knob Twiddlers|website=[[PopMatters]]|last=Paul|first=John|access-date=7 October 2016}}</ref> }} ''[[The Guardian]]'' gave the album three stars, calling it "a lovingly kitsch collaboration" and that the album "might easily have been a loathsomely ironic exercise." stating that the track "Mr. Frosty" made the album "worth owning".<ref name="guardian-review" /> The review concluded that "much of the rest is indulgent piffle."<ref name="guardian-review">{{cite magazine|magazine=[[The Guardian]]|title=Dance|page=A12|date=19 July 1996|publisher=Guardian News & Media Limited|location=London|issn=0261-3077|last=Bennun|first=David}}</ref> [[AllMusic]] gave the album four stars, while noting that the mixed styles of James and Paradinas "cancels out the particular attractions of both artists, and the listener is left with a somewhat bland album. Fans of Aphex and μ-Ziq will be excited, but newcomers should go elsewhere before they dig this deep."<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/expert-knob-twiddlers-mw0000046756|website=[[AllMusic]]|title=Expert Knob Twiddlers|access-date=27 November 2015|last=Bush|first=John|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118150315/http://www.allmusic.com/album/expert-knob-twiddlers-mw0000046756|archivedate=November 18, 2016}}</ref> In retrospective reviews, ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' described it as "just a playful, occasionally inspired time capsule of the 1990s."<ref name="pfork" />

==Track listing==

{{Track listing | headline = 1996 release<ref name="sleeve" /> | title1 = Mr. Frosty | length1= 6:51 | title2 = Jelly Fish | length2 = 6:30 | title3 = Eggy Toast | length3 = 4:07 | title4 = Reg | length4 = 5:57 | title5 = Vodka | length5 = 4:12 | title6 = Winner Takes All | length6 = 5:44 | title7 = Giant Deflating Football | length7 = 6:22 | title8 = Upright Kangaroo | length8 = 3:31 | title9 = The Sound of the Beady Eyes | length9 = 7:46 | title10 = Bu Bu Bu Ba | length10 = 6:51 }}

=== 2016 CD reissue ===

Source:<ref>{{cite web|last=Slingerland|first=Calum|title=Aphex Twin and μ-Ziq Treat 'Expert Knob Twiddlers' to Expanded Reissue|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/aphex_twin_and_-ziq_to_reissue_expert_knob_twiddlers|website=Exclaim|access-date=19 July 2016}}</ref> {{Track listing | headline = Disc one | title1 = Mr. Frosty | length1 = 6:53 | title2 = Reg | length2 = 5:56 | title3 = Jelly Fish | length3 = 6:01 | title4 = Eggy Toast | length4 = 4:32 | title5 = Vodka | length5 = 4:12 | title6 = Winner Takes All | length6 = 5:44 | title7 = Upright Kangaroo | length7 = 3:32 | title8 = Giant Deflating Football | length8 = 6:21 | title9 = The Sound of the Beady Eyes | length9 = 7:46 | title10 = Bu Bu Bu Ba | length10 = 6:52 }}{{Track listing | headline = Disc two | title11 = Vodka | note11 = Mix 2 | length11= 4:22 | title12 = Portamento Gosh | length12 = 2:02 | title13 = Waltz | length13 = 5:24 | title14 = Brivert & Muonds | length14 = 6:17 | title15 = Clissold Bathroom | length15 = 0:54 | title16 = Jelly Fish | note16 = Mix 2 | length16 = 5:21 | title17 = Organ Plodder | length17 = 4:15 }} {{Track listing | headline = Digital exclusive track | title18 = Upright Kangaroo | note18 = Mix 2 | length18 = 4:33 }}

==Personnel== Adapted from the ''Expert Knob Twiddlers'' liner notes:<ref name="sleeve">{{cite AV media notes |title=Expert Knob Twiddlers |others=Mike & Rich |year=1996 |chapter=[Inside sleeve]|publisher=[[Rephlex Records]] |id=cat027cd}}</ref>

* Performers [Everything By] – [[Mike Paradinas|Michael Paradinas]], [[Aphex Twin|Richard James]] * Cover – Johnny Clayton, Richard James

==Footnotes== {{Reflist}}

===References=== {{Refbegin}} * {{cite book |editor-last=Buckley |editor-first=Peter |title=The Rough Guide to Rock |publisher=[[Rough Guides]] |isbn=1843531054 |year=2003 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/roughguidetorock0003unse }} {{Refend}}

[[Category:1996 collaborative albums]] [[Category:Aphex Twin albums]] [[Category:Mike Paradinas albums]] [[Category:Rephlex Records albums]] [[Category:Funk albums by English artists]] [[Category:Funk albums by British artists]] [[Category:Easy listening albums]]