Retaining the experimental edge, but with a stated wish to make the British pop charts, James' next two releases, 1997's Come to Daddy EP and 1999's Windowlicker EP, were acid storms of industrial drum'n'bass. The accompanying videos, both directed by Chris Cunningham, featured the bodies of small children and models (respectively) dancing around, all with special-effects-created Aphex Twin faces grinning maniacally.
Despite James' appearance on the pop charts, his following album Selected Ambient Works, Vol. 2 appeared to be a joke on the ambient-techno community. The album mostly struck out with critics, but hit number 11 on the British charts and earned James a major-label American contract with Sire soon after.