Rephlex Records was a record label started in 1991 by electronic musician Richard D. James (aka Aphex Twin) and Grant Wilson-Claridge. Rephlex coined the term braindance to describe the otherwise uncategorisable output of Aphex Twin and Rephlex Records. The official definition is as follows:
Braindance is the genre that encompasses the best elements of all genres, e.g traditional, classical, electronic music, popular, modern, industrial, ambient, hip hop, electro, house, techno, breakbeat, hardcore, ragga, garage, drum and bass, etc.
In 1989, Grant Wilson-Claridge met Aphex Twin DJing at The Bowgie, a club located just along the coast from Newquay, Cornwall. As Wilson-Claridge points out, back in 1989, "the Bowgie was the best club ever...this was before Newquay turned into the Cornish Ibiza" and it was very difficult to hear new and interesting music. Wilson-Claridge and Aphex Twin used to DJ on alternate weeks. When he noticed that Aphex Twin was playing his own tapes rather than records, Wilson-Claridge suggested that they press up some records. In the beginning, committing Aphex Twin’s recordings to vinyl was a way of making music the duo's friends wanted to hear. Due to their geographical dislocation they did not have access to the music they wanted to hear and so they decided to create their own. And so was born the Rephlex label.
Rephlex has released the music of many notable and influential electronic artists, among them Mike Paradinas, the founder of Planet Mu Records, synth pop revivalist and electro pioneer Ed Upton, prolific dance musician Luke Vibert, and electronic musician and virtuoso bass player Squarepusher. The label has also remastered and re-released the early works of its acid heroes 808 State and The Future Sound of London, and relaunched the career of electronic duo producers Black Devil with a re-release of their first record.
In 2014, James announced the closing of Rephlex Records. James stated that the closure was "something that needed to be done a long time ago. Me and my friend would have drifted apart, but actually the label did keep us together. It got to a point where I’d actually rather be his friend than be in business with him. So I’d rather play those Chicago records and get stoned and not talk about business." Wilson-Claridge's point of view may differ but has not been publicized.
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