Squarepusher
Born: 1975
Location: Chelmsford, Essex, England
Genre: Dance, IDM, Drill & Bass
Years Active: 1993 -
Real Name: Tom Jenkinson
Meaning of the Name: Ladies man. Taken from the novel Ulysses by James Joyce.
Way of Working: Single artistic vision
Essential Releases
Feed Me Weird
Things (1996)
Boundary-smashing debut album that combined the speed of drum & bass with the intricacies of jazz.
Hard Normal
Daddy (1997)
A disorienting follow-up. Frantic jazz fusion. Experimental.
Go Plastic (2001)
A high-speed dystopian foray into breakbeats.
Ultravisitor (2004)
Incorporates live elements and jazz solos.
Tom Jenkinson, better known as Squarepusher, arrived in the mid '90s with a manifesto for a debut album. In an era defined by predictable loops, he produced electronic music with an intricacy so rich it proved the astonishing fact that drums can provide melodic movement ('Squarepusher Theme').
His maverick musicianship began as a jazz-fusion bassist. Eventually, he grew disillusioned with the constraints of traditional instruments and embraced the electronic to satisfy his curiosity; he wanted to know what happens when a drum machine is pushed to its breaking point.
Squarepusher's early gigs featured live drummers, yet he sometimes performs digitally, such as in his Go Plastic era, which incorporated drum patterns impossible for a human to play. At various points, Jenkinson has adapted his bass to include a midi pickup, that he uses to control the electronic elements, blurring the lines between live and synthetic.
This virtuoso approach led venerated bassists such as Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to name Jenkinson as one of the best bass players in the world. It also differentiates him from contemporaries such as Autechre and Aphex Twin.
Eventually, even standard drum machines proved insufficient for his vision. Jenkinson began utilising granular synthesis to fracture drum samples into "microtime," composing beats with a density that defied conventional notation. Tracks such as 'Anstromm-Feck 4' clock in at approximately 202 bpm, a frenetic velocity that exists simply because the technology allowed it.
The complexity of tracks like 'My Red Hot Car' reveals the labour-intensive architecture behind the chaos. These sounds cannot be replicated using traditional instruments alone; they are native to the digital realm. While many of his contemporaries viewed this technological shift as a threat to their livelihoods, preferring to dismiss the digital frontier rather than relearn their craft, Jenkinson saw only potential.
Hindsight proves the validity of his approach. Just as Bob Dylan was compelled to electrify the guitar, and Jimi Hendrix was driven to harness feedback, Squarepusher was obligated to abuse the drum machine. It was an inevitable evolution. The jeers of traditionalists became irrelevant, drowned out by the sound of progress.
Skills
*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.Emotional Impact
70
Mental Impact
100
Originality
100
Artistry
60
Authenticity
15
Live
80
Production
95
Musicianship
80
Textures
80
Songwriting
25
Danceability
55
Fun
50
Consistency
75
Range
50
Cool
65
Charisma
50
Commercial & Critical Success
Awards
Certifications
Charts
Critics >>>
- Pitchfork - Hard Normal Daddy - The 50 Best IDM Albums of All Time: 24th
