Squarepusher: Music is Rotted One Note
Warp/Nothing, 1998
Squarepusher’s Music is Rotted One Note is, simply put, incredible. Tom Jenkinson’s music is jazzy and sometimes trippy. This album fuses funky acoustic sounds with spacey, abstract experimentation. Jenkinson manages to create complex Squarepusher-esque rhythms using traditional instruments. The LP begins with “Chunk-s,” a groovy, catchy track. This is followed by “Dont Go Plastic,” which is a satisfying, frantic excursion into chord stabs and drum rolls. My other favorites are “Circular Flexing,” “My Sound,” “Theme from Vertical Hold,” and “Last Aproach.” Many of the compositions on this album are reminiscent of late Miles Davis sessions. If you’re willing to give very strange music more than one listen, give this album a chance. Its innovative intricacies will grow on you.
