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 | xltronic messageboard
 
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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
 

Richard D James, aka the Aphex Twin, may not be a on 2001-10-15 16:35 [#00041387]



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




 

DblHeLX from moon on 2001-10-15 16:37 [#00041389]



DRUKQS GOOD!!!!
buy when out!!!!!
12/10 thingies! YAR!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Crunk


 

fukyou on 2001-10-15 16:39 [#00041394]



Stop making childish comments plseas


 

|REFLEX| on 2001-10-15 16:40 [#00041398]



too bad dickhead


 

DblHeLX from moon on 2001-10-15 16:44 [#00041413]



hey ,fukyou grow a sense of humor.
all i see of you is bash after bash.
and YES i can deal with it.

over


 

rediv i der on 2001-10-15 17:10 [#00041480]



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.


 

DblHeLX from moon on 2001-10-15 17:13 [#00041485]



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!


 

fuck these musicians on 2001-10-15 17:16 [#00041495]



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.


 

fuck these musicians on 2001-10-15 17:19 [#00041501]



Wish I lived in the UK. 24 extra hours of waiting is
bullshit.


 

balthus from europe on 2001-10-15 17:32 [#00041533]



umm, nice, pretty philip glass minimalism, that's what i
like.


 

Quvie from Maltanot (KU) on 2001-10-15 18:42 [#00041628]



sweden : 0ct 22



 

Archrival from NY on 2001-10-15 20:09 [#00041660]



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.


 

Archrival from NY on 2001-10-15 20:11 [#00041663]



This review made me mad as hell, I punching the wall right
now and listening to Afx 237 at max volume.


 

Netlon Sentinel from yurp on 2001-10-15 20:17 [#00041668]



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!


 

zetre on 2001-10-15 20:21 [#00041674]



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...


 

Archrival from NY on 2001-10-15 20:24 [#00041675]



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.



 

Henry from Sweden on 2001-10-15 20:34 [#00041681]



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??


 

zetre on 2001-10-15 20:52 [#00041701]



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.


 

Commado Tony Tuna from Vietnam on 2001-10-15 20:57 [#00041706]



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.


 

Xanatos from NYC on 2001-10-15 21:00 [#00041712]



October 23...October 23...October 23...

If it isn't released on time in the U.S. I will kill devour
three small children.


 

Commado Tony Tuna from Vietnam on 2001-10-15 21:01 [#00041714]



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?


 

Archrival from NY on 2001-10-16 08:34 [#00042048]



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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