Windowlicker

"Windowlicker"
Single by Aphex Twin
B-side	"ΔMi−1 = −αΣn=1NDi[n] [Σj∈C[i]Fji[n − 1] + Fexti[n−1]]" (Formula on digital platforms) "Nannou"
Released	22 March 1999 (1999-03-22)[1]
Genre	Electronica[2] R&B[3]
Length	6:07
Label	Warp
Songwriter(s)	Richard D. James
Producer(s)	Richard D. James
Aphex Twin singles chronology
"Come to Daddy" (1997) "Windowlicker" (1999) "minipops 67 [120.2]" (2014)
Richard D. James singles chronology
"Caustic Window Compilation" (1998) "Windowlicker" (1999) "2 Remixes by AFX" (2001)

"Windowlicker" is a song by British

Spectrogram

A spectrogram of "Windowlicker" reveals a spiral at the end of the song. This spiral is more impressive when viewed with an X-Y scatter graph, X and Y being the amplitudes of the L and R channels, which shows expanding and contracting concentric circles and spirals.

The effect was achieved through use of the

A logarithmic spectrogram of "${\displaystyle \Delta M_{i}^{-1}=-\alpha \sum _{n=1}^{N}D_{i}\left[n\right]\left[\sum _{j\in C\left[i\right]}^{}F_{ji}\left[n-1\right]+Fext_{i}\left[n^{-1}\right]\right]}$" (commonly known as 'Equation' or 'Formula') reveals a portrait of James' face near the end of the track, grinning.[13]

Single release

The "Windowlicker" single contains its title track and two B-sides. Track two, commonly known as "[Formula]",^[14] "[Equation]", or, as translated on the Japanese edition, "[Symbol]", due to its actual title being a complex mathematical formula ("${\displaystyle \Delta M_{i}^{-1}=-\alpha \sum _{n=1}^{N}D_{i}\left[n\right]\left[\sum _{j\in C\left[i\right]}^{}F_{ji}\left[n-1\right]+Fext_{i}\left[n^{-1}\right]\right]}$"), has a very experimental sound.^{[citation needed]} Track three, "Nannou", dedicated to his then-girlfriend, is made up of wind-up music box samples.^{[citation needed]}

As of 2001 "Windowlicker" had sold over 300,000 copies.^[15]

Music video

The music video for "Windowlicker" was directed by

James's faces aren't digitally morphed on the women. Masks and make-up were specifically designed by the production, to achieve the desired morphing effect. The cast for the dialogue intro of the clip are Marcus Morris, Gary Cruz, Marcy Turner and Chiquita Martin.^[19] Filming was done in the Los Angeles area. The locations are as follows:

• Intro sequence – East 1st Street (bridge over railroad tracks)
• Aphex Twin dance sequence – Corner of Ducommun Street and North Vignes Street^[20]
• Limo ride externals – Beverly Boulevard
• Final dance sequence – Santa Monica Beach (Barnard Way and Ocean Park Boulevard)^[21]

There are 127 uses of profanity in the dialogue segment of the video (which is under 4 minutes), including 44 uses of the word "

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
Pitchfork	8.5/10[25]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[26]

"Windowlicker" received positive reviews from critics.

"Windowlicker" also featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto V, on the fictional radio station FlyLo FM.

Miss Kittin performed Run Jeremy's remix of "Windowlicker live" at the Sónar festival and included it on her album Live at Sónar.^[31] Elements of "Windowlicker", including its heavily distorted outro, were sampled by American musician Girl Talk on his track "Get It Get It", from his 2010 album All Day.^[32]

The "Windowlicker" cover was featured in a cut scene from the 2000 film High Fidelity.^[33]

A. G. Cook made a "note-for-note" cover of Windowlicker in 2017 as part of the PC Music compilation Month of Mayhem.^[34]

"Windowlicker" is played almost in full in the 2018 Gaspar Noé film Climax.^[35]

The ending section of "Windowlicker" is featured in the 2006 film Grandma's Boy.

Track listing

All tracks written, produced and engineered by

, a special edition Japanese CD and VHS.

CD1 and 12-inch vinyl

WAP105CD/WAP105

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Windowlicker"	6:07
2.	"${\displaystyle \Delta M_{i}^{-1}=-\alpha \sum _{n=1}^{N}D_{i}\left[n\right]\left[\sum _{j\in C\left[i\right]}^{}F_{ji}\left[n-1\right]+Fext_{i}\left[n^{-1}\right]\right]}$" (commonly referred to as "[Equation]" or "[Formula]")	5:43
3.	"Nannou"	4:13
Total length:		16:03

CD2

WAP105CDR

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Windowlicker" (original demo)	2:37

• The "Windowlicker" video is also included in QuickTime format.

Japanese version

WPCR-10328

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Windowlicker"	6:04
2.	"${\displaystyle \Delta M_{i}^{-1}=-\alpha \sum _{n=1}^{N}D_{i}\left[n\right]\left[\sum _{j\in C\left[i\right]}^{}F_{ji}\left[n-1\right]+Fext_{i}\left[n^{-1}\right]\right]}$"	5:43
3.	"Nannou"	4:22
4.	"Windowlicker" (demo version)	1:57
5.	"Windowlicker" (end-roll version)	1:07
Total length:		19:13

Chart positions

References