APHEX TWIN - Drukqs

Aphex Twin releases are often received with a strange mixture of both sceptisism and excitement, through the years we have been treated to albums that verge from unlistenable noise to a talent verging on genius. Thankfully, Richard D James new long player 'Drukqs' is much closer to the latter. It's a 30 tracks monster, running at over 100 minutes in length, so much for his claims of quitting the music scene after his absorbingly brilliant 'Come To Daddy' EP.

As we have come to learn, RDJ is not one to be trusted, either musically or verbally, however, on Drukqs he allows his unique sound to speak for itself. The album swings startlingly in mood between ambient, almost classical piano and synth tracks to hard wired, take no prisoner drum and bass belters. By mixing up the tracks, and therefore denying any real cohesion to the album, RJD succeeds in ensuring that the listener never quite knows what to expect next. Of the two CD's, one would be hard pressed to choose which is the most impressive, it depends on which side of Richard D James you prefer., CD1 kicks off with the gorgeous, clanking tones of 'Jynweythek', in fact all the ambient pieces on this album bring back pleasant memories of Aphex Twin's now legendary 'Selected Ambient Works Vol 1'. On disc one the ambient theme is strong, from the hypnotically classical, 'Strotha Tynhe' and 'Kesson Dalef' to the heart-meltingly pretty Bbbydhyonchord' and 'Avril 14th', one of the only tracks with even a vaguely sensible title.

Even the fast paced tracks have ambient undertones, the mad random beats of 'Vord Hosbn' do not deny melody and neither does the manic brilliance of 'cock/ver 10', although this quickly smashed by the "Come on you c*nt lets have some Aphex Acid" sample that swiftly follows and does not fail to deliver. 'Mt Saint Michel + Saint Michaels Mount' is a particular highlight, with RJD allowing his machines to run riot completely whilst the sinister 'Gwarek 2' is always challenging and probing, through sound and sample. CD2 turns up the heat, beginning with the compute game drum and bass attack of 'Kesson Dalef'. Meanwhile, 'Mettphacc 6' is classic Aphex, bustling drum beat mayhem atop startling experimental lesions of synth and samples, the mans on fire at this point. This is almost matched by 'Taking Control' which is anything other than the title suggests and the plain ridiculousness of 'afx237v.7', where you sometimes wonder if even RJD himself has a clue what he is doing.

You could say that CD2 is a slighty more messy affair, with James donning his super-experimental cap and leaving most of the music to try and explain itself. However, he thankfully regains full control for his final ambient masterpiece, 'Nanou 2'. Anyone who doubted this mans talent, of which there can not be many, can be under no doubt now. Drukqs has it all and will, in-time, become a classic.



	APHEX TWIN - Drukqs
	9.4
	Warp Records ~ WarpCD92
	Aphex Twin releases are often received with a strange mixture of both sceptisism and excitement, through the years we have been treated to albums that verge from unlistenable noise to a talent verging on genius. Thankfully, Richard D James new long player 'Drukqs' is much closer to the latter. It's a 30 tracks monster, running at over 100 minutes in length, so much for his claims of quitting the music scene after his absorbingly brilliant 'Come To Daddy' EP. As we have come to learn, RDJ is not one to be trusted, either musically or verbally, however, on Drukqs he allows his unique sound to speak for itself. The album swings startlingly in mood between ambient, almost classical piano and synth tracks to hard wired, take no prisoner drum and bass belters. By mixing up the tracks, and therefore denying any real cohesion to the album, RJD succeeds in ensuring that the listener never quite knows what to expect next. Of the two CD's, one would be hard pressed to choose which is the most impressive, it depends on which side of Richard D James you prefer., CD1 kicks off with the gorgeous, clanking tones of 'Jynweythek', in fact all the ambient pieces on this album bring back pleasant memories of Aphex Twin's now legendary 'Selected Ambient Works Vol 1'. On disc one the ambient theme is strong, from the hypnotically classical, 'Strotha Tynhe' and 'Kesson Dalef' to the heart-meltingly pretty Bbbydhyonchord' and 'Avril 14th', one of the only tracks with even a vaguely sensible title. Even the fast paced tracks have ambient undertones, the mad random beats of 'Vord Hosbn' do not deny melody and neither does the manic brilliance of 'cock/ver 10', although this quickly smashed by the "Come on you c*nt lets have some Aphex Acid" sample that swiftly follows and does not fail to deliver. 'Mt Saint Michel + Saint Michaels Mount' is a particular highlight, with RJD allowing his machines to run riot completely whilst the sinister 'Gwarek 2' is always challenging and probing, through sound and sample. CD2 turns up the heat, beginning with the compute game drum and bass attack of 'Kesson Dalef'. Meanwhile, 'Mettphacc 6' is classic Aphex, bustling drum beat mayhem atop startling experimental lesions of synth and samples, the mans on fire at this point. This is almost matched by 'Taking Control' which is anything other than the title suggests and the plain ridiculousness of 'afx237v.7', where you sometimes wonder if even RJD himself has a clue what he is doing. You could say that CD2 is a slighty more messy affair, with James donning his super-experimental cap and leaving most of the music to try and explain itself. However, he thankfully regains full control for his final ambient masterpiece, 'Nanou 2'. Anyone who doubted this mans talent, of which there can not be many, can be under no doubt now. Drukqs has it all and will, in-time, become a classic.