Gen Z is soundtracking their lives with Aphex Twin. The British DJ’s back catalog has been surging on TikTok, with one 88-second ambient track from 2001, “QKThr,” appearing on 8M TikTok posts alone. The artist didn’t promote it, but users organically paired its eerie accordion-laced chords with everything from fail compilations to nostalgic video collages. Gen Z seems to feel the layered unpredictability of his music adds emotional weight that polished pop can’t always do. The ripple effect has even pushed Aphex Twin past Taylor Swift in monthly YouTube Music listeners, at 448M. For Gen Z, because music is mostly algorithmically served and can feel made just for TikTok trends, Aphex Twin’s decades of obscure aliases and refusal to explain his art style offers them something rare: an artist they have to dig into. (The Guardian)
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