This is a review of the Caustic Window compilation (cat 009 CD). The comp is
a reissue of the Joyrex J4, J5, and J9 EPs. If you dig back far enough in
the history of the House of IDM, these EPs are, well, not so much the
foundation, more like a musty poorly lit side room in the basement. A room
with walls strong enough to support oh never mind.
Caustic Window is one of Richard D. James' monikers. He is better known as
Aphex Twin and was partial founder of the Rephlex label, which put out the
Joyrex EPs when it was still in its proverbial Pampers. Shut up; it only
took you a second to read that, and a few of us might not have learned their
IDM history yet.
This compilation doesn't do it for me like some of RDJ's later stuff. Most
of the songs are cut from a common template. They are abrasive, quick
tempoed, percussive-heavy, tune-limited, techno-y. Distorted. Repetitive.
4/4. Lo fi. Impersonal. Cold. Dated. The beautiful and haunting ambient
textures of SAW II aren't here. Nor are the crazy programming of the RDJ
album or Boy/Girl or Window Licker. It doesn't swing like I Care Because You
Do, or the Ventolin 12 track CD EP. (Especially that Wagon Christ remix -
whew). This Caustic Window compilation lacks a cleverness that's apparent in
a lot of his other work. Actually, this might be some of my least favorite
RDJ stuff, now that I think about it. Maybe it's closest to the Come to
Daddy song, not in execution, but in mood - they're both mostly dark and
relentless. But I still find myself getting hypnotized now and then by the
frantic beats. I can appreciate the influence this stuff apparently had. And
when I get that new car stereo system, this is one I'll frantically search
for and play at full blast when I particularly want to annoy the guy next to
me at the red light.
Another way to distinguish this comp from most other RDJ styles is that a
lot of it would work (and probably was meant to, and has been used I'm sure)
in a rave/dance type environment.
1. Joyrex J4 - Quick tempoed. Industrial in the sense of clanky
machines-being-banged-on sounds. Some real clichey rave-like keyboards in a
couple spots. Some interesting snare fill sections that I wish were explored
more. The clanky bonky noises hint at the forthcoming Polygon Window track
"Quoth" which stomps like a mofo.
2. AFX 114 - Quicky distorto drum number. Does Squarepusher's "Dimotane Co"
off of Feed Me Weird Things give a respectful nod to the kick drum pattern
in AFX 114? I like to think so. IDM is a big happy family.
3. Cordialatron (sp?) - The third track on the comp introduces a hint of RDJ
tunesmithing. Sort of rhythmatic melodies, like what would later emerge more
fully developed on the "Surfing on Sine Waves" album.
4. Italic Eyeball - whoops, missed it. Ah, didn't miss much.
5. Pigeon Street - RDJ, you tease. "Aphex Twin. The Freshmaker."
Light-hearted, some-might-say-cheesy, aborted 23 second Teletubbies theme
outtake. Happy, straight-forward. Completely out of step with the rest of
the comp. Sounds like Global Goon, another Rephlex recording artist.
6. Astroblaster - Back to the grind. The title says it all. I remember an
RDJ interview where the interviewer said something to the effect of: "RDJ, a
tune. A tune, RDJ." (You know, like they had never met before.) I thought
that was a hilarious way to point out how RDJ at times has a tendency to
focus on percussion, at the expense of melody or harmony. Astroblaster is an
example of what the interviewer was referring to.
7. On the Romance Tip - Handclaps, melancholy synth pads. It's romantic more
in the grand sense, than in the sexy sense.
8. Joyrex J5 - Mid to up tempo robotic repetitive groove. Lots of fwaps and
squelches; flange/phased cymbals and flirps.
9. Fantasia - AAaaarrrrggghhhh. I'd like to read an interview of some of
RDJ's girlfriends. I think that could be an interesting interview.
10. Humanoid Must Not Escape - Intruder alert. Intruder alert. The carpety
smell of the Quaker Bridge Mall (New Jersey) SpacePort video game parlor ca.
1985. Robotron. Castle Wolfenstein on a Radio Shack TSR-80. Are those
samples saying "Jeru"? I saw Jeru the Damaja (sp?) once and I thought he was
pretty boring. He had a cape on though. That was sort of neat.
11. Clayhill Dub - Breaks the mold of the comp a bit. The cymbals are still
ticking away, but the fwips and shonks are less frequent, and more heavily
echoed and reverbed. It's got that dubby steel drum echo going on. Those
steel drums remind me that I love Alberto Balsam.
12. The Garden of Cinmiri - Relentless 4/4 stomper. Abrasive.
13. We are the Music Makers (Hardcore Mix) - Loved the version on SAW I.
This one is appropriately subtitled.
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