Squarepusher "Music is Rotted One Note" Warp / Nothing Records INTD-90294 1998 (48:28)
Chunks-S (2:19)
Don't Go Plastic (4:21)
Dust Switch (4:28)
Curve 1 (2:06)
137 (Rinse) (3:45)
Parrallelogram Bin (2:24)
Circular Flexing (4:57)
Ill Descent (2:38)
My Sound (6:07)
Drunken Style (:46)
Theme From Vertical Hold (4:25)
Ruin (1:56)
Shin Triad (2:27)
Step 1 (1:47)
Last Aproach (4:01)
Squarepusher is Tom Jenkinson.
Overall impression: excellent. The big hype for this, the new Squarepusher album (which, amazingly enough, was actually released domestically by Nothing at about the same time as the import) is that no sequencing was used ... all of the music is live instrumentation written, performed and produced by Jenkinson. As if Squarepusher's past work (see also "Big Loada") hasn't already proven his talent, "Music is.." proves that Tom is equally adept at non-sequenced music via his bass, keys and drum playing. My guess is that he wanted to see if he could make a jazz album, and that he did ... kind of. The end result is a sort of lofi ambient space jazz that has essentially nothing in common with 'IDM' ('Intelligent Dance Music'). A few tracks are tight and funky ("Chunks-S") or tight and relaxing ("My Sound") ... but most sound like loose, improvisational jams by a 3 piece acid jazz band (bass, organ/keys, drums). My knowledge of the history of jazz isn't substantial enough for me to be able to make comparisons, but this album really makes sense to me and has helped open my mind to other jazz records. I for one am pleased to see 'IDM' artists moving away from drill 'n bass, and even more pleased to see artists such as Jenkinson challenge themselves to do something new. It frightens me to think what the 23 year-old has in store for us in the future. Real audio sound files are available for all of the songs at the WarpNet page below ...
"Music
is Rotted One Note" page at WarpNet
Squarepusher
at Warpnet
Squarepusher
fan site
Where did I get this cd? - mail order via Rioux's Records. Email Jason.