Customer Reviews

Windowlicker

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Windowlicker is Richard D. James' sexiest work. As you've read over and over beforehand, it's comprised of oohs and aahs set to a porno-esque track. What they fail to mention is Aphex Twin's trademark polyrhythms, everchanging song structure and engrossing melodies are present, making this song much more than just unique - it really is one of the greatest electronica songs ever made. AFX certainly sets a very pornographic atmosphere in Windowlicker, right up to the climax of the song, indeed, a musical orgasm. It's one of those rare tracks you can pinpoint and say "This - this right here, this is proof that this Richard D. James is a genius."

The next track, which I will be calling [Complex Mathmatical Equation], is the thematical flip side of Aphex Twin, but musically not very far off. The song pumps and jumps from section to section with ease, but instead of luring you in with lusty moans and sighs, it sharpens its teeth with its abrasive noises, sinks them into your skin, and drags you in, reminicent of Ventolin. This is a cool listen initially, as its harsh qualities are intriguing. Unfortunately, this song doesn't age well, and once the novelty has worn off, it becomes a chore to listen to. This is the only mediocre track on the single.

Nannou is a gentle, yet energetic closer that makes you feel at home with its usage of a music box. Not just for melodies mind you, but the cranking of the box is incorporated as well, most effectively. This really lulls you to the realization that a single - a 15 minute single - indeed CAN have the impact of an album. I'd say this is very close to upstaging the title track, had Windowlicker not been so bizarre. A very pleasing closer to a single with a sultry headliner and a rotten core.

All three tracks have their merit for their own reasons. The title track is a bit of smarmy fun, best heard on quality audio equipment. It even reached top 20 in the UK! The accompanying video, protected with "HyperCD" is a subversive parody of exploitative rap videos, but the HyperCD element might ruin the experience for some (Why must we connect to an internet web site that may no longer be there, just so we can watch a locally-stored video?). Track two, "equation", is an experimental assault on the ears. What most people don't know is that if you run an audio spectrum scan on this track, you will see the devilish smiling face of Richard D. James himself right near the end. There are other images that are debateable. This EP finishes off with a nice melody, "Nannou", which is excellent on technique, but I would have liked to hear an alternate instrumentation for this; A music-box's tinny, un-tuned tines apparently degrades beautiful tunes.

Ah yes, the Windowlicker Single. The first time I was exposed to this was off of the Chris Cunningham music video DVD. Pretty amazing video. Kinda messed up. Then again, so is the other video Cunningham did for Richard; Come to Daddy.

The first track makes me think of what watching a porno would be like if I was having hallucinations. Um, yes. This is a good thing. The track is nothing short of amazing. It starts with a low, gravely groan that promises this song is going to take you home. Right away it throws you into some rough aural sex. But don't worry, it lightens up and gets a little more sensual, a little sleazier. I bought the CD for this track, but was glad to find the other two tracks didn't suck.

This next track isn't something you pop into your CD player for easy listening. It has a good baseline with some messed up everything else. He uses that hallow sound that I love. It's like that feeling when you are falling. Good stuff, but sometimes it sounds like he was just scrolling through the samples on a keyboard while playing a pattern of notes.

I really like the last track. Smart techno meets a child's crib. No harsh sounds, no intense punches, just a nice song.

I had to wait two days from the release date to purchase my copy of Windowlicker and those were the two longest days of my life. The title track is a bit hard to get into at first, but the second song (I call it "Equation" because it looks like an impossible math problem) is classic Richard D. James. Imagine engaging in battle with a saw, yes the tool, in the dark and you have the gist of "Equation". The third song is probably my favorite of the disc, Nannou. It is a beautifully crafted piece along the lines of "Flim" from the Come to Daddy EP or some of the softer songs on Selected Ambient Works Volume II. I was astounded to learn that these songs are over 3 years old! If Richard D. James releases material this amazing now imagine what's to come in the future. A great CD overall, I can't wait for the new album! If you are a fan of Aphex buy this now, if you are not buy it anyway, it's well worth it.

Worth five stars, just for the video, created by all round genius Chris Cunningham (who also directed Come to Daddy). It is hilarious, but not in a roll on the floor type way, and is the best example of the attraction/repulsion phenomenon I have seen. The coreography and editing are phenomenal, and their is real artistry throughout the whole production. Make sure you check out all of his other videos (Squarepusher's Come on my selector, Madonna's Frozen, Portishead's Only you too name a few). He has stopped making promo's now, too work on a Feature version of the novel that defined cyber punk, Neuromancer. Ah, the music. Windowlicker without the video took a little time to grow on me. The song has a much more compressed production than any Aphex I have ever heard, which hides some of the musical and production details at first. It's still a twisted, banging tune however. [Symbol] is based around a simple rythym, using ever more bizzare modulations of different sounds in a quite calculated manner. The 'middle eight'(!) is entirely different, using fast fades of layered voices and noize in a startling, and bizarrely enough, moving way. Nannou is archetypical Aphex. A simple, but original premise (the sounds of a music box, using the clockwork and winding noises brilliantly as percussion) is executed to the nth degree. The downside? Too damn short, by about an hour.

Very interesting record with 3 great tracks...all very enjoyable to the average Aphex Fan...I would suggest that you at least take a listen to this before you rule it out all together....Richard has some strange idea's brewing in his head, and he expresses them here..

This album picks up where Come To Daddy left off and gradually bleeds into what was to be Drukqs. The first track, which is also the title track, remains true to the laid-back light-heartedness that was Come To Daddy. It is something that isn't really artistic or emotional. It is not something to scratch your head over and wonder about. The first track is something that almost seems to symbolize the sexual aggression experienced at a college frat party. It is there, but should it really be taken that seriously. It is much more entertaining to go out and dance and talk than to have your heart broken by an untouchable woman that is far out of your league. the song Windowlicker is just a fun little song that you can drive to while bobbing your head...at first. At the end of the first track, it progresses from its light-hearted attitude into one of distorted aggression (much like what would happen at the frat party if you did approach the untouchable girl with a case of alcohol poisoning). The second track picks up on the aggression by continuing with what seems to be a very atonal minimalistic melody supported by ultra-complex ever-changing drum structures. The second track, as the first did, changes. Only this time, the change is into a short peice of abstract ambience that leads into the last track. The last track is truly foreshadowing what Drukqs would be, complex, emotional, and artistic, combining all of the aspects that caused Richard D. James to become such a coveted figure. The last song sounds almost like a toy piano, or perhaps a music box, playing a beautiful childhood melody. After a while, the percussion comes into play. Although the percussion is in the same style as the percussion on James' past albums, the actual percussion sounds are different. Gone are the bass, snare, rides, and hi-hats. These are replaced with the sounds of a music box be wound, sampled, and played percusivly against the joyous melodies of a forgotten childhood.

Each song is contained within the confines of its own universe, yet somehow James has found a way to link the various universes into a coherency. This album truly is the bridge between Come to Daddy and Drukqs.

As with most of James' albums, many people will not like it or simply not "get" what the fuss is about. My suggestion is that you try to listen to a couple of songs from this single to see if you like them. If you are an extreme music buff, here is a word of warning, by downloading these songs, many of the high-ends are cut off in the MP3 encoding process, so much of the intentional background noise is cut off in these tracks (unless it gets above the 128 mark). For everyone else, you probably wouldn't notice anyway. So go ahead and give it a listen.

All three tracks on this disc are beautiful works. I thoroughly enjoyed them all. The other reviews have covered this in detail.

However, the video included on the CD is the censored and edited version. If you desire to see the full, unedited version you'll have to buy the VHS. I'm unsure why they bothered to put an explicit content sticker on the album when they censor out any explicit content.

Besides the very dissapointing inclusion of the edited video, this EP deserves the highest praise.

Admittedly that is my impressions of what this actually is. By all means bizarre ( but not half as weird as that video ). It's enjoyably fun and something you'll probably have a dirty thought too! The second track is a little bit of a noise-fest ( by the way what's the mathematical equation all about ) and the third track Nannou is a lullaby to make you feel sleepy. Having said that the last two tracks just seem like throwaways from the Come To Daddy EP but I suppose we can level at that. And this was retirement part 1 wasn't it.....didn't end up like that as far as we know

i'm at a loss to find the explicit content which the parental advisory sticker on the cover warns. perhaps aphex twin's devilishy grinning face super imposed on a buxom beauty's bod is what the warning is about or maybe the link to chris cunningham's video which would have been naughty if it wasn't so downright disturbingly funny.

windowlicker is by far aphex twin's best and most commercial release without compromising any of his skills that makes him such a talented musical genius. sounding like a warped soundtrack to a porno movie, windowlicker writhes and contorts its way to the fuzzy electric guitar climax. the only track worth the cost of the EP! (formula) or (equation) or a bunch of unpronounceable scribble starts of strong but falls short at the end and we hear more nannou style musicbox twinkling to last us a lifetime on drukqs.

five stars for windowlicker alone.