Drukqs#QKThr

James released Drukqs to circumvent a potential leak after he accidentally left an MP3 player containing 180 unreleased tracks on a plane while travelling to Scotland. According to James: "I thought, 'They're gonna fucking come on the internet sooner or later so I may as well get an album out of it first.'" James had no intent to release any of the record's tracks to the public prior to the incident. He intended it to be his final release as part of his contractual obligation to Warp. The album was mastered in early July 2001.{{cite news |title=New Aphex Twin Album Slated for October |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/2001/Music-Week-2001-07-14-IDX-7.pdf|editor-last=Roberts|editor-first=James|location=London|page=7|work=Music Week |publisher=United Business Media Int'l |date=14 July 2001}} It was released as a double CD album on 22 October 2001.{{cite news |last1=Stubbs |first1=David |title=Aphex Twin: Drukqs (Warp) |work=Uncut |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/aphex-twin-drukqs-warp |date=November 2001 |access-date=12 August 2024 |archive-date=30 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240830161451/https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/aphex-twin-drukqs-warp |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Breihan |first1=Tom |title='Drukqs' Turns 20 |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2164888/aphex-twin-drukqs-turns-20/reviews/the-anniversary/ |access-date=30 July 2024 |work=Stereogum |date=22 October 2021 |language=en |archive-date=30 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730183221/https://www.stereogum.com/2164888/aphex-twin-drukqs-turns-20/reviews/the-anniversary/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Horner |first1=Al |title=A decade of Drukqs: Aphex Twin's opus, ten years on |url=https://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4143832-a-decade-of-drukqs--aphex-twin%E2%80%99s-opus-ten-years-on |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027002041/http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4143832-a-decade-of-drukqs--aphex-twin%E2%80%99s-opus-ten-years-on |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 October 2011 |access-date=22 March 2024 |work=DrownedInSound |date=23 October 2011 |language=en }}

The record entered the Dance Albums Chart at No.{{nbsp}}1, remaining in the top 10 for five weeks,{{refn|name=dac|{{cite news|title=The Official UK Charts: Dance Albums|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/2001/Music-Week-2001-11-03-IDX-22.pdf|location=London|editor-last=Scott|editor-first=Ajax|page=18|work=Music Week|publisher=United Business Media|date=3 November 2001|access-date=19 August 2024|archive-date=19 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240819135608/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/2001/Music-Week-2001-11-03-IDX-22.pdf|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=The Official UK Charts: Dance Albums|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/2001/Music-Week-2001-11-24-IDX-20.pdf|location=London|editor-last=Scott|editor-first=Ajax|page=20|work=Music Week|publisher=United Business Media|date=24 November 2001|access-date=30 August 2024|archive-date=30 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240830161312/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/2001/Music-Week-2001-11-24-IDX-20.pdf|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=The Official UK Charts: Dance Albums|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/2001/Music-Week-2001-12-08-IDX-18.pdf|location=London|editor-last=Scott|editor-first=Ajax|page=16|work=Music Week|publisher=United Business Media|date=8 December 2001|access-date=19 August 2024|archive-date=19 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240819135607/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Week-IDX/IDX/2001/Music-Week-2001-12-08-IDX-18.pdf|url-status=live}}}} and entered at No.{{nbsp}}22 on the Albums Chart.

Many track names are written in Cornish—for example, "Jynweythek" ("Machine")—or are coded titles.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/friday_review/story/0,3605,563163,00.html | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Tank boy | first=Paul | last=Lester | date=5 October 2001 | access-date=1 May 2010 | archive-date=17 February 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217071749/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2001/oct/05/artsfeatures3 | url-status=live }} James has stated that the title is not related to drugs, and is "just a word [he] made up." About the album's two-disc length, James said "the way I listen to music now is that I buy a CD, put it on the computer and just take the tracks I want anyway. I'd hope that people would do the same with this CD."

The LP is a double album featuring a variety of styles: rapid, meticulously-programmed tracks utilising exaggerated drum 'n' bass breakbeats, ambient, electroacoustic, and piano and prepared piano pieces inspired by classical music made using computer-controlled instruments such as a modified Yamaha Disklavier and several MIDI-controlled, solenoid-based drum mechanisms made by James.{{cite web|author1=aphextwin|author-link1=Aphex Twin|title=Diskhat ALL Prepared1mixed [snr2mix]|url=https://soundcloud.com/richarddjames/diskhat-all-prepared1mixed-snr2mix|website=SoundCloud|access-date=14 April 2015|date=February 2015|archive-date=18 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118001413/https://soundcloud.com/richarddjames/diskhat-all-prepared1mixed-snr2mix|url-status=live}} Drukqs includes music in the genres of drill 'n' bass,{{cite web |last1=Evans |first1=Nathan |title=The Soft Side of Aphex Twin |url=https://www.keymag.co.uk/features/the-soft-side-of-aphex-twin |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211124084744/https://www.keymag.co.uk/features/the-soft-side-of-aphex-twin |archive-date=24 November 2021 |access-date=6 October 2021 |website=KEYMAG}}{{cite web |last1=Seymour III |first1=Malcolm |title=Aphex Twin – Drukqs |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/225-drukqs/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=21 June 2018 |archive-date=19 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419040028/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/225-drukqs/ |url-status=live }} jungle, classical, electroacoustic, acid, drum and bass, techno, IDM and ambient.{{cite news |last1=Ducker |first1=Eric |title=The Long Tail of Aphex Twin's 'Avril 14th' |work=The New York Times |date=13 April 2021 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/13/arts/music/aphex-twin-avril-14th.html |access-date=6 October 2021 |archive-date=22 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122072110/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/13/arts/music/aphex-twin-avril-14th.html |url-status=live }} It contains tracks dating back "seven or eight years", according to James, though most of the album was relatively new. Keymag described it as "switching restlessly from his most acidic drill 'n' bass yet to incredibly lavish prepared piano pieces inspired by John Cage." NME noted that the album moves through techno, drum 'n' bass, and early-90s rave, while the piano interludes were compared to the work of Erik Satie. Pitchfork also noted "several purely electro-acoustic excursions".

James said that "A lot of [the tracks] are quite old-style sounding, I reckon. I’ve done loads of tracks which are really new in style and which don’t sound like anything else but I didn’t want to release those tracks."{{cite web |last1=Hoffmann |first1=Heiko |title=Aphex Twin Interview |url=http://www.aphextwin.nu/images/interviewsarticles/afx_interview_by_heiko.pdf |access-date=16 October 2018 |archive-date=19 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119032708/http://www.aphextwin.nu/images/interviewsarticles/afx_interview_by_heiko.pdf |url-status=live }} While acknowledging similarities with his past records, James said that "I haven’t done something in so much detail before." Of the album's complex drum programming, he said "it's quite similar to guitar solos, only with programming you have to use your brain. The most important thing is that it should have some emotional effect on me, rather than just, 'Oh, that's really clever.'"

In 2015 James released the EP Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt2, featuring further computer-controlled instrumental tracks, as a sequel to Drukqs.

{{Music ratings

| MC = 66/100{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/drukqs/aphex-twin |title=Reviews for Drukqs by Aphex Twin |website=Metacritic |access-date=26 June 2015 |archive-date=18 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118222943/https://www.metacritic.com/music/drukqs/aphex-twin |url-status=live }}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/drukqs-mw0000591157 |title=Drukqs – Aphex Twin |website=AllMusic |access-date=2 August 2011 |last=Bush |first=John |archive-date=24 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224074611/https://www.allmusic.com/album/drukqs-mw0000591157 |url-status=live }}

| rev2 = Alternative Press

| rev2score = 8/10{{cite journal |title=Aphex Twin: Drukqs |journal=Alternative Press |issue=161 |date=December 2001 |page=78}}

| rev3 = Dotmusic

| rev3score = 10/10{{cite web |last1=Clark |first1=Martin|date=October 2001|title=Aphex Twin: Drukqs |url=http://www.dotmusic.com/reviews/Albums/October2001/reviews22341.asp|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030506172706/http://www.dotmusic.com/reviews/Albums/October2001/reviews22341.asp|archive-date=6 May 2003|url-status=dead|website=Dotmusic |publisher=BT Group}}

| rev4 = The Guardian

| rev4score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2001/oct/19/shopping.artsfeatures1 |title=Aphex Twin: Drukqs (Warp) |work=The Guardian |date=19 October 2001 |access-date=12 February 2016 |last=Simpson |first=Dave |archive-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117112822/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2001/oct/19/shopping.artsfeatures1 |url-status=live }}

| rev5 = Los Angeles Times

| rev5score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-dec-16-ca-rack16-story.html |title=Aphex Twin 'Drukqs' Warp/Sire |work=Los Angeles Times |date=16 December 2001 |access-date=12 February 2016 |last=Baltin |first=Steve |archive-date=16 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216183210/http://articles.latimes.com/2001/dec/16/entertainment/ca-rack16 |url-status=live }}

| rev6 = NME

| rev6score = 9/10{{cite journal |url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/aphex-twin/5730 |title=Aphex Twin : Drukqs |journal=NME |date=20 October 2001 |access-date=26 June 2015 |last=Needham |first=Alex |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304085600/http://www.nme.com/reviews/aphex-twin/5730 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}

| rev7 = Pitchfork

| rev7score = 5.5/10{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/225-drukqs/ |title=Aphex Twin: Drukqs |work=Pitchfork |date=25 October 2001 |access-date=2 August 2011 |last=Seymour |first=Malcolm III |archive-date=18 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318041833/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/225-drukqs/ |url-status=live }}

| rev8 = Playlouder

| rev8score = {{rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |last1=Heller |first1=Robert|date=26 October 2001|title=Drukqs – Aphex Twin |url=http://www.playlouder.com/review/411aphextwin.html |website=Playlouder|location=London|archive-date=8 May 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030508064236/http://www.playlouder.com/review/411aphextwin.html|url-status=dead |publisher=Playlouder Ltd}}

| rev9 = Q

| rev9score = {{rating|2|5}}{{cite journal |title=Aphex Twin: Drukqs |journal=Q |issue=183 |date=November 2001 |last=Lynskey |first=Dorian}}

| rev10 = Rolling Stone

| rev10score = {{rating|1|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/recordings/review.asp?aid=2043238 |title=Aphex Twin: Drukgs |magazine=Rolling Stone |issue=881 |date=8 November 2001 |access-date=12 February 2016 |last=Blashill |first=Pat |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011111105022/http://www.rollingstone.com/recordings/review.asp?aid=2043238 |archive-date=11 November 2001}}

| rev11 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev11Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Aphex Twin |last=Frere-Jones |first=Sasha |author-link=Sasha Frere-Jones |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |edition=4th |year=2004 |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/21 21–23] }}

| rev12 = Spin

| rev12score = 5/10{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m-qexhnZaukC&pg=PA130 |title=Aphex Twin: Drukqs |journal=Spin |volume=17 |issue=11 |issn=0886-3032 |date=November 2001 |access-date=12 February 2016 |last=Reynolds |first=Simon |author-link=Simon Reynolds |pages=130–32}}

}}

Drukqs is among James's most divisive releases, with Oli Warwick of Crack noting that it provoked "widespread indignation amongst music critics, whose primary criticism seemed to be that James had delivered something reminiscent of previous releases, rather than some bold new mode of electronic expression."{{cite web |last1=Warwick |first1=Oli |title=In celebration of Drukqs, Aphex Twin's most divisive and misunderstood statement |url=https://crackmagazine.net/article/long-reads/in-celebration-of-drukqs-aphex-twins-most-divisive-and-misunderstood-statement/ |website=Crack Magazine |access-date=1 November 2021 |archive-date=1 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211101014837/https://crackmagazine.net/article/long-reads/in-celebration-of-drukqs-aphex-twins-most-divisive-and-misunderstood-statement/ |url-status=live }} At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 66 based on 21 reviews.

On its 2001 release, Alex Needham of NME called it "beautiful" and "bulging with goodies". The review for Playlouder called it "probably his best album to date". For Spin, Simon Reynolds criticised the album as "unimpressive" and "trapped by the potential for infinitesimal tweakage," stating that it "sounds merely like a slight extension of the Aphex sound circa 1996's Richard D. James Album and 1997's Come to Daddy." Pitchfork described the album's "drill'n'bass" tracks as "throwbacks to the past rather than prospects on the future; and for all of their compositional strength, there's an element of the Aphex Twin mystique missing." Dave Simpson of The Guardian stated that "much of Drukqs sounds like weaker echoes of things Aphex Twin has done before, which no manner of hyperactive drum machines or daft titles can disguise." Pat Blashill of Rolling Stone called Drukqs Aphex's "most irrelevant album to date", and added "rumor has it that James merely loaded this record with outtakes that have been eating up space on his hard drive for years, then released the album as a deal-breaker with his label, Warp." In The Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004), critic Sasha Frere-Jones wrote "weirdly dismissed by many, Drukqs is often spectacular".

The piano composition "Avril 14th" became one of James's most popular tracks, later being used in a Saturday Night Live skit and the Kanye West song "Blame Game". As of April 2017 the track was James's most streamed track on Spotify, with approximately 124 million streams. By this metric, it is his best-known composition. "Avril 14th" has also been used in films such as Marie Antoinette (2006). "QKThr" has also seen widespread use as a TikTok sound, primarily in relation to the 'subtle foreshadowing' trend, where a video's unfortunate ending is slowed down and spliced throughout the video itself.{{cite magazine |last1=Rutherford |first1=Kevin |title=Yeah Yeah Yeahs Top TikTok Billboard Top 50 Again, While Akon & Aphex Twin Make Moves |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/yeah-yeah-yeahs-maps-tiktok-billboard-top-50-akon-aphex-twin-rise-1235808788/ |magazine=Billboard |date=24 October 2024}}

All songs composed by Richard D. James.

{{Track listing

| headline = Drukqs track listing

| title1 = Jynweythek

| note1 = also known as "Jynweythek Ylow"

| length1 = 2:23

| title2 = Vordhosbn

| length2 = 4:51

| title3 = Kladfvgbung Micshk

| length3 = 2:06

| title4 = Omgyjya-Switch7

| length4 = 4:52

| title5 = Strotha Tynhe

| length5 = 2:12

| title6 = Gwely Mernans

| length6 = 5:08

| title7 = Bbydhyonchord

| length7 = 2:33

| title8 = Cock/Ver10

| length8 = 5:18

| title9 = Avril 14th

| length9 = 2:05

| title10 = Mt Saint Michel + Saint Michaels Mount

| length10 = 8:10

| title11 = Gwarek2

| length11 = 6:46

| title12 = Orban Eq Trx 4

| length12 = 1:35

| title13 = Aussois

| length13 = 0:13

| title14 = Hy a Scullyas Lyf Adhagrow

| length14 = 2:14

| title15 = Kesson Dalek

| length15 = 1:21

| title16 = 54 Cymru Beats

| length16 = 6:06

| title17 = Btoum-Roumada

| length17 = 1:58

| title18 = Lornaderek

| length18 = 0:31

| title19 = QKThr

| note19 = also known as "Penty Harmonium"

| length19 = 1:27

| title20 = Meltphace 6

| length20 = 6:24

| title21 = Bit 4

| length21 = 0:25

| title22 = Prep Gwarlek 3b

| length22 = 1:19

| title23 = Father

| length23 = 0:57

| title24 = Taking Control

| length24 = 7:14

| title25 = Petiatil Cx Htdui

| length25 = 2:11

| title26 = Ruglen Holon

| length26 = 1:49

| title27 = Afx237 v.7

| length27 = 4:23

| title28 = Ziggomatic 17

| length28 = 8:35

| title29 = Beskhu3epnm

| length29 = 2:10

| title30 = Nanou2

| length30 = 3:25

| total_length = 100:41

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = aphextwin.warp.net tracks

| title31 = dRuQks Prepared uN 1

| length31 = 3:01

| title32 = avril 14th half speed alternative version [re-recorded 2009 Nagra]

| length32 = 5:07

| title33 = avril 14th reversed music not audio [re-recorded 2009 Nagra]

| note33 = {{efn| Released on Soundcloud as "avril 14th, notes played backwards, not the audio."}}

| length33 = 2:12

| title34 = Mangle 11

| length34 = 5:55

| total_length = 116:55

}}

• Aphex Twin – music, photographs{{cite AV media |people=Richard David James |date=22 October 2001 |title=Drukqs |type=Album liner notes |publisher=Warp Records }}

{{certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Drukqs}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|artist=Aphex Twin|title=Drukqs|award=Silver|certyear=2021|relyear=2001|id=17019-2691-2|access-date=13 February 2021}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20041229084637/http://www.drukqs.net/ Drukqs.net] – The official Drukqs Web site: free MP3s and information (Flash Player-enabled browser required for access).
• {{Metacritic album}}
• [http://warp.net/records/releases/aphex-twin/drukqs Drukqs at the Warp Records discography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615093557/http://warp.net/records/releases/aphex-twin/drukqs |date=15 June 2009 }}
• [http://www.discogs.com/release/13965 Drukqs on Discogs]

{{Aphex Twin}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Aphex Twin albums

Category:Warp Records albums

Category:Sire Records albums

Category:2001 albums

Category:Compositions for prepared piano