The Xylem

Xylem

Xylem is one of the two types of transport tissue in vascular plants. . The word xylem is derived from the Classical Greek word ξυλον , meaning "wood"; the best-known xylem tissue is wood, though it is found throughout the plant...

 Tube EP is an early EP

Extended play

An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

 by electronic music

Electronic music

Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...

 artist Richard D. James, commonly known by his pseudonym

Pseudonym

A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...

 of Aphex Twin

Aphex Twin

Richard David James , best known under the pseudonym Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born electronic musician and composer described as "the most inventive and influential figure in contemporary electronic music"...

. It was his second release under the Aphex Twin alias on R&S Records

R&S Records

R&S Records is an independent record label. Founded in 1984 in Ghent, Belgium, it is now based in London and managed by Andy Whittaker and Dan Foat.R&S represents the initials of Renaat Vandepapeliere and Sabine Maes, the couple that created the label...

 of Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

, the alias he used for all of his releases on this label.

This album premiered the first use of Aphex Twin title logo. The title logo would then be used again for his album Selected Ambient Works Volume II

Selected Ambient Works Volume II

-Formatting notes:The cassette version of the album featured six songs on each side, barring side three, which contained seven . The vinyl version featured four songs on each side, excluding side four, which contained five ....

albeit in an extremely distorted version.

Xylem Tube EP was released exclusively on vinyl

Gramophone record

A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...

 in June 1992. All the songs on this EP can be found on the 1994 compilation of early Aphex Twin material Classics

Classics (Aphex Twin album)

Classics is an electronic music compilation album by Richard D. James, more commonly known by his pseudonym of Aphex Twin . The album was released in December 1994 ....

, also released by R&S Records following his success on Warp Records

Warp Records

Warp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....

.

The EP consists of four unusual acid house

Acid house

Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed around the mid-1980s, particularly by DJs from Chicago who experimented with...

 songs, including the A-sides "Polynomial-C" with its arpeggios, and "Tamphex", a repetitive dance track featuring a looping sample of a Tampax

Tampax

Tampax is a brand of tampon from Procter & Gamble. It was originally both the name of an independent company for over 50 years, based in Palmer, Massachusetts , and the product itself. Renamed Tambrands, Inc. in 1984, P&G purchased it in 1997...

 tampon

Tampon

A tampon is a mass of cotton or rayon or a mixture of the two inserted into a body cavity or wound to absorb bodilyfluid. The most common type in daily use is designed to be inserted into the vagina during menstruation to absorb the flow of menstrual fluid...

 advertisement.

Track listing

Side A:

1. "Polynomial
   Polynomial
   In mathematics, a polynomial is an expression of finite length constructed from variables and constants, using only the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and non-negative integer exponents...
   
   -C" – 4:42
2. "Tamphex
   Tampax
   Tampax is a brand of tampon from Procter & Gamble. It was originally both the name of an independent company for over 50 years, based in Palmer, Massachusetts , and the product itself. Renamed Tambrands, Inc. in 1984, P&G purchased it in 1997...
   
   (Headphuq Mix)" – 6:28

Side B:

1. "Phlange Phace" – 5:18
2. "Dodeccaheedron" – 6:05