594 Aphex Twin - Drukqs (2001)

Studio Album - Drill 'n' Bass & Contemporary Classical

About the Act:

"Aphex Twin" is one of the musical aliases of Richard James, who is also known as AFX, Blue Calx, Bradley Strider, Caustic Window, GAK, Phonic Boy on Dope, Polygon Window, Power-Pill, Q-Chastic, Smojphace, Soit-P. P., The Dice Man, The Tuss, and   user18081971. He is predominantly an experimental electronic music producer. The things he says publicly about his private life are often lies.

About the Album:

This is the fifth album released under the name Aphex Twin, after a decent hiatus from the name. After he lost an mp3 player with 180 unreleased tracks, he decided he needed to get an album from them out quick before they leaked all over the internet. This was that album. Critics were divided on it.

My History with this Album:

None

Review:

This is a double album and pretty long. It has two quite distinct styles, and the tracks mostly alternate between those styles. Let's deal with each in turn.

The "drill & bass" track are mostly non-musical, although there are occasional notes and occasional melodic/harmonic passages. I'd like you to imagine that somebody has got hold of a sequencer (software that allows you to "program" the playing of computer-based or computer-controlled instruments), and a load of drum and sound effect samples, and created an intricate pattern of playing those sounds which is rhythmic, but doesn't so much have repeated patterns, as many, many variations. Also imagine it is being played at 2 or 3 times the speed you would expect to be danceable. This is like a busy wave of rhythm and effect sounds, into which there are occasionally woven notes, even vocal snatches. It's kind of interesting, but also kind of an assault on the senses. It's music for people with extreme ADHD.

The "classical" tracks are also sequenced, apparently, and use piano, and "prepared piano". That's a piano that has had the sound modified, often by adding objects to the strings, wedged between them and so on. These pieces are shorter and are kind of like harmonic/melodic studies, that are quite spacey in nature. Some of the harmonies are straightforward and some are more experimental.

This alternating pattern of gentle and hyperactive lasts for 30 tracks - an hour and 40 minutes. Individually, the tracks are interesting. As an album, this is somewhat relentless, although I have to say I am glad it is not a double album of either of the two styles, there is somewhat balance to it. Apparently, Richard, the creator, does not anticipate people listening to it as an album, he expects people to rip the tracks they like and put them in playlists with other stuff, because that's what he does.

It's really not an album for general consumption, I would say. It's certainly not an album you would put on with guests round. It's not offensive, but it is not easy listening. I found it quite nice in short bursts.

6/10

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1maoQPAmw44bbkNOxKlwsx

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5SMXYhIcZ5IeYo5XP4haf5aJmj9TWs8b

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drukqs