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Squarepusher - Feed Me Weird Things CD (album) cover

FEED ME WEIRD THINGS

Squarepusher

 

Jazz Rock/Fusion

3.63 | 18 ratings

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zravkapt
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars Tom Jenkinson is the one-man-band that is Squarepusher. I was surprised to see him added to PA. But what the hell...I get to review his albums now! This was his first full-length album but he had 1 or 2 EPs before this. This was released on the Rephlex label owned by Richard D. James(aka Aphex Twin). Jenkinson actually influenced RDJ. Probably the reason the former got signed to Warp. Squarepusher pushed Aphex Twin into crazy breakbeat territory; previosly Aphex was known as one of the pioneers of ambient techno.

This was my favourite Squarepusher album. Hard Normal Daddy is usually regarded as his best. Music Is Rotted One Note is his most fusionesque album(although I admit I've haven't kept up to date with Jenkinson since about 2002). Tom is a multi-instrumentalist who samples his own playing. On this instrumental album you get both programmed and "real" drums, keyboards and bass. The bass is mostly fretless and there is a little guitar too. This will appeal to fusion lovers who are not allergic to Jungle/Drum'n'Bass. Or more correctly, this will appeal to Jungle/Drum'n'Bass lovers who don't mind jazz fusion.

"Squarepusher Theme" begins with some jazzy acoustic guitar. The rest of the song has strong bass playing, synths and breakbeats. "Tundra" is my fave here. Of all the songs on the album it sounds the most like IDM("Intelligent Dance Music"). "The Swifty" sounds like dub reggae at the beginning and end. In between there is some sampled drumming and fusion-y electric piano and bass. "Dimotane Co" and "North Circular" are the most traditional Drum'n'Bass songs here. "Smedley's Medley" starts with jazzy guitar and bass then goes into breakbeats territory. Some weird vocal noises at the end.

"Windscale 2" has a hip-hop beat played on drums before it goes all Jungle. Some spacey synths and a deep bass synth later on. Some good funky bass in this song. "Goodnight Jade" is an ambient piece with no drums or bass. "UFO's Over Leytonstone" sounds like Boards Of Canada. Generally not very proggy but this was groundbreaking stuff in the mid-90s. Some of his other albums might be a better place to start for Fusion fans. Good but not essential. 3 stars.

zravkapt | 3/5 |

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