Aphex Twin
ListenAnalogue Bubblebath · 1991
Aphex Twin — Analogue Bubblebath.
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1991 · Mighty Force
Analogue Bubblebath
A cassette passed across the counter of an Exeter record shop set Richard D. James’s first release in motion. Analogue Bubblebath became both Aphex Twin’s debut EP and the first record on Mighty Force. [1] [2]
| Accession | OMMA-0078 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Aphex Twin |
| Release | 1991 · United Kingdom |
| Label | Mighty Force · MIGHTY 001 |
| Format | 12-inch vinyl EP |
| Issue | Early pressing · blank B-side label |
| Runouts | A: MIGHTY 001 A1 · A Porky Prime Cut B: MIGHTY 001 B1 |
| Recorded grade | E · generic sleeve |
Release history and significance
Mighty Force owner Mark Darby first heard James’s music when customer Tom Middleton brought a tape into the shop. Darby wanted to release it; James initially needed persuading. In Darby’s recollection, the conversation continued for weeks before the project went ahead. [2]
Released in 1991, the EP emerged from the record-shop and rave networks of southwest England. The title track’s melodic electronic sound and the tougher material around it introduced an artist whose records would repeatedly stretch the relationship between dance music and private listening. [1]
This edition has a printed A-side label and a blank white label on the reverse. The label’s attribution of “AFX” to “Schizophrenia” is a distinguishing feature of the early issue. [1]
Market context
The first Mighty Force issue is identified by MIGHTY 001 and its early label configuration. Later editions give the EP a wider physical history, making the labels and inscriptions central to identifying a particular pressing. [1]
A copy listed as a 1991 UK first pressing of MIGHTY 001 sold on eBay for US$83 on 24 April 2020. Face Records NYC graded the disc VG and the cover VG+, noting a small surface tear on the label. [4]
Physical Description
Black vinyl housed in a plain generic sleeve, without inserts. The A-side has a printed Mighty Force label; the B-side label is unprinted white. [1]
Condition
The disc is graded Excellent, with light superficial marks. The labels have minor spindle wear and a small scuff on the white B-side label. The generic sleeve is described as VG+.
Provenance
This copy belonged to Bertram, the Aruba-born, Amsterdam-based electronic musician, producer and DJ. His wife, Dina Maria Farag, described how he encountered Aphex Twin’s music after moving to Amsterdam, alongside the work of Jeff Mills and Richie Hawtin. She gave him the record in recognition of its importance to his own musical development. Bertram later sold it to help fund another music project; it entered the Origins of Modern Music Archive in December 2025. [3]
Farag’s account places the record within an active musician’s collection. Bertram’s releases include Lights Out on Pinkman and Kibra Cadena on Dead Channel Records, as well as contributions to electronic-music compilations. At the time of the acquisition, he was developing Lanta Radio in Amsterdam for Intergalactic FM and planning a related record label. [3]
Sources
- Discogs, The Aphex Twin – Analogue Bubblebath, release 13860. Mighty Force MIGHTY 001; label variation and inscriptions.
- Lanner Chronicle, Interview with Mark Darby of Mighty Force. First-person account of the EP’s origins, 4 September 2021.
- Dina Maria Farag, private correspondence, December 2025. Seller-supplied account of the gift, Bertram’s ownership and musical background.
- Popsike, Aphex Twin – Analogue Bubblebath, MIGHTY 001. Archived Face Records NYC eBay sale; VG disc, VG+ cover, US$83, 24 April 2020.
Catalogue text reviewed 13 September 2026.