The Octopus gets incredibly excited by new music, and we’re constantly on the lookout to bring you the best of it. In fact, the whole electronic scene is very ‘of-the-moment’, and this can make even the best tracks seem somewhat disposable. Well, no more! EO's taking a stand, and every Thursday, we’ll present to you an album, song or artist that you’ve probably forgotten about. It may be from a few years ago, or even just a few weeks ago, but every Thursday there’ll be some old, forgotten treasure - y’know, the sort of thing that would make you go, “Ahh, I remember that!” if it came up on shuffle. So without further ado, here’s this week’s TBT.
It's a fairly quick one this week, and we're not focussing on an album either, just one particular track. I thought given the hype around Aphex Twin this week (he's got a new album coming out, dontcha know!), now would be a good opportunity to relive what is probably his most well know track - Windowlicker. Watch the NSFW video (there's more than a little profanity) below, and then go further below to read a little bit more.
Aphex Twin isn't particularly known for making music for the dancing masses. His material tends to be more thoughtful and experimental in nature. Yet with 1999's Windowlicker, that changed - it's got a regular beat (mostly), something that resembles a riff or a hook, and you could maybe, just about dance to it. It's by far his most accessible release. Does that make it his most enjoyable? I would argue in some ways, yes it does - it can be enjoyed, and not just appreciated - but bigger fans of Richard D James than myself would very likely disagree with that stance.
Either way, it's an absolutely cracking, if ever so slightly creepy, tune. There's the grumbling, slightly errotic groans permeated throughout, and the singsongy type vocals above that. Don't expect complete accessibility here, mind. There's chopped/skipped beats aplenty, and more than enough quirks to throw you off balance, should you actually try to dance to it.
The whole EP of the same name is definitely worth looking up, but for now, if you've never heard of Aphex Twin before and are wondering what all of the fuss is about, this is a good place to start.
Writer, musician, and all-round top guy. I set up Excited Octopus. Currently, I'm on a one man team. It gets lonely sometimes. But I don't mind, because I love you all.
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