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Richard D James, aka the Aphex Twin, may not be a Fatboy
Slim-sized unit-shifter, but in terms of influence there are
few dance producers to match him. Since effectively
inventing abstract techno with his Selected Ambient Works
album, he has consistently
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Richard D James, aka the Aphex Twin, may not be a
on 2001-10-15 16:35 [#00041387]
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APHEX TWIN Drukqs
** out of *****
Richard D James, aka the Aphex Twin, may not be a Fatboy Slim-sized unit-shifter, but in terms of influence there are few dance producers to match him. Since effectively inventing abstract techno with his Selected Ambient Works album, he has consistently crafted mesmerising, otherworldly electronica, dosed with off-kilter adolescent pranksterism.
In the five years since his last album, the Cornishman's critical stock has soared further still without him having to do much at all. He released just two startling singles, the thrash techno Come To Daddy and twisted Miami bass homage Windowlicker, then pretended to retire. Meanwhile, Radiohead confirmed his standing as the acme of cerebral innovation by releasing a pair of albums clearly indebted to the claustrophobic electronics of 1995's I Care Because You Do and 1996's Richard D James album. Handy. It is, therefore, an unfortunate time for James to run out of ideas. His recent joke that Drukqs is a collection of MP3s posted on the internet by Aphex impersonators is not such a rib-tickler when the album flirts so dangerously with self-parody.
Drukqs comes in just two varieties, both of which are well-worn: pretty Philip Glass minimalism and beat-mangling "drill'n'bass", officially the world's least favourite dance sub-genre. Drukqs' bloated size (over three times as long as its predecessor) is thus self-defeating. There is so little personality or variety that when Lornaderek turns out to be a 30-second birthday ansaphone message from his mum and dad, it is not a gimmick but a touching highlight.
Meanwhile, the burbling beauty of Meltphacc 6 and tender ivory-tinkling of Avril 14th would be better served without cacophonous cobblers like Omgyja-Switch and 54 Cyrmu Beats (yes, the titles do get annoying) butting in. While Radiohead and Boards Of Canada have invested the Aphex template with songwriting and warmth respectively, James is chasing his tail, and that raises a pertinent question. He has always been refreshingly disdainful of dance music's utilitarian worldview, in which music must be either for dancing or for chilling out, but when it offers no creative leaps forward, you have to ask what (i)is(i) this record for? Writing a thesis about? Clearing the house at the end of a party? Perhaps. But in simpler terms – enjoyment and all that – the Drukqs don't work.
Reviewed by Dorian Lynskey
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DblHeLX
from moon on 2001-10-15 16:37 [#00041389]
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DRUKQS GOOD!!!! buy when out!!!!! 12/10 thingies! YAR!!!!!!!!!!!!
by Crunk
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fukyou
on 2001-10-15 16:39 [#00041394]
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Stop making childish comments plseas
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|REFLEX|
on 2001-10-15 16:40 [#00041398]
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too bad dickhead
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DblHeLX
from moon on 2001-10-15 16:44 [#00041413]
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hey ,fukyou grow a sense of humor. all i see of you is bash after bash. and YES i can deal with it.
over
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rediv i der
on 2001-10-15 17:10 [#00041480]
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i actually like drukqs a lot. i don't analyze it, i just enjoy it. who cares what the fuck it is, it's music.
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DblHeLX
from moon on 2001-10-15 17:13 [#00041485]
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drukqs is the shit!! i didnt mean to sound sarcastic at all. i love all aphex twin stuff. im skipping college next tuesday to go buy it!
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fuck these musicians
on 2001-10-15 17:16 [#00041495]
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Yeah. I'm declaring Oct. 23 a national holiday. I requested off work, and I would skip my class that day, but I'm having an essay exam and can't really get out of it.
I have very high expectations. I'm sure I will be satisfied.
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fuck these musicians
on 2001-10-15 17:19 [#00041501]
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Wish I lived in the UK. 24 extra hours of waiting is bullshit.
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balthus
from europe on 2001-10-15 17:32 [#00041533]
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umm, nice, pretty philip glass minimalism, that's what i like.
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Quvie
from Maltanot (KU) on 2001-10-15 18:42 [#00041628]
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sweden : 0ct 22
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Archrival
from NY on 2001-10-15 20:09 [#00041660]
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That was the fucking weakest AFX interview ever..If I saw that dickhead who made that interview on the streets I would knock him out the box.
What the fuck is he talking about??? 54 Cymru and Omgiyja Switch 7 WACK!????!?! Thats two of my favourite Aphex tracks ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The whole album is consistent at it just got bangers all over it, not a weak track except for that "Father" joint.
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Archrival
from NY on 2001-10-15 20:11 [#00041663]
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This review made me mad as hell, I punching the wall right now and listening to Afx 237 at max volume.
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Netlon Sentinel
from yurp on 2001-10-15 20:17 [#00041668]
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he's right in saying the album isn't an evolution from his previous work at all. but that's logical since richard says he created most songs years ago.
btw, he says he has more new style aphex twin coming up on his new label.
i say drukqs is just a teaser. but a very appetizing one, at that!
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zetre
on 2001-10-15 20:21 [#00041674]
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It´s a review not an interview and I thought it was pretty good. It was really making sense to me, esp the drill´n´bass bit (:)). I´ll probably end up not liking drukqs too much except for the mellow tunes (Avril 14th etc), I love that shit.
I don´t think many people except for the diehard "afx is god!" fans will love this album. Sad but...
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Archrival
from NY on 2001-10-15 20:24 [#00041675]
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Afx is not god. "I don´t think many people except for the diehard "afx is god!" fans will love this album". If you dont like this album you dont like Aphex and thats it, he got all his styles on this one. So if you dont get it, go back to you Vanilla Ice records and slob on your own knob.
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Henry
from Sweden on 2001-10-15 20:34 [#00041681]
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Bad review... Druqks is great.
But honestly im more excited about to hear new stuff from that MEN1 label (u know the new squarepusher/afx label)
the first Men1 12" is great... really cool acid remixes!!!
What do u think 'bout it??
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zetre
on 2001-10-15 20:52 [#00041701]
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Archrival: Chill will you, I wasn´t trying to pick a fight. I do love a lot of afx´s work but I think that the drill´n´bass sound was played out years ago, I loved RDJ album when it was released and I still like it but I wouldn´t like it as much if it was released today ´cause I´m sort of tired of that sound. After hearing Windowlicker I thought Afx had left those fucked up jungle rhythms and I loved what I heard, so I guess I thought Druqks would be like Windowlicker with three years of rapid development added and ten times as many tracks. And it doesn´t seem like that is what drukqs turned out to be so I´m ready to be a bit dissappointed. I must say that I haven´t heard much of it though, so I´m not calling my verdict yet. I´ve heard Cymru 54 Beats( didn´t like it very much), Nanou2 (alright) and Avril 14th (LUSH). I do think you can like Aphex and still be dissappointed with Drukqs since there are so many sides to Afx´s music (there is stuff that I love and there´s stuff that I hate)
I gotta go watch Cool as Ice now, bye homie.
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Commado Tony Tuna
from Vietnam on 2001-10-15 20:57 [#00041706]
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Captain, if you say one more thing to thank me, I'm going to knock you right in the teeth. If you mention me in your fucking orders, I'll resign my rating so fast and leave you here to run this busted-up outfit all by yourself. You understand? Property! Whole fucking thing's about property.
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Xanatos
from NYC on 2001-10-15 21:00 [#00041712]
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October 23...October 23...October 23...
If it isn't released on time in the U.S. I will kill devour three small children.
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Commado Tony Tuna
from Vietnam on 2001-10-15 21:01 [#00041714]
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We were a family. How'd it break up and come apart so that now we're turned against each other, each standing in the other's light? How'd we lose the good that was given us, let it slip away, scattered, careless? What's keeping us from reaching out, touching the glory?
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Archrival
from NY on 2001-10-16 08:34 [#00042048]
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Aiight Zetre, its all good.
I think HAB 1,2 and RDJ album was his best releases before this one so im not dissapointed with this one (I cant get enough of drill n base).
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