Complete with absurd melodies, speedy jungle beats, and progressive jazz accompaniments, Squarepusher's quirky brand of drum 'n' bass breaks free from the genre's mainstream definition. Considered the father of the "spunk jazz" movement, Squarepusher (Tom Jenkinson) rejects the groovy hip-hop flavor...
[more]Complete with absurd melodies, speedy jungle beats, and progressive jazz accompaniments, Squarepusher's quirky brand of drum 'n' bass breaks free from the genre's mainstream definition. Considered the father of the "spunk jazz" movement, Squarepusher (Tom Jenkinson) rejects the groovy hip-hop flavor of drum 'n' bass and pushes it in a more experimental direction, one that embraces ridiculously rapid breakbeats with adolescent enthusiasm.
As a boy in Essex, Jenkinson gravitated towards jazz fusion and the smooth sound of Weather Report. The son of a jazz musician, he spent his teen years mastering a mess of instruments, including, of course, the bass and drums. In 1995, armed with solid instrumental skills and a lighthearted attitude towards electronica, Jenkinson released a series of EPs that combined daringly complex drum programming with eclectic melodies. Tossed aside by critics who gravitated towards a purer form, the singles nevertheless did secure deals with several record companies, including Aphex Twin's Rephlex. Prior to the release of his first full-length album, Jenkinson dabbled with the industrial and even released a series of jazz singles under the pseudonym Duke of Harringay.
But Jenkinson didn't stop the experiments there. With "Feed Me Weird Things" (1996), he went over the top. A chaotic interweaving of goofy synthesizer arrangements set over spastic breaks on a meth high, the album challenged the safe, monotonous drum 'n' bass that was beating everyone in Europe over the head. Jenkinson's brand of experimental, jazz-informed electronica soon won fans across the continent. A year later he released "Hard Normal Daddy" (1997), in which he toned down his smart-ass front but upped the ante on drum speed and instrumental experimentation.
For his "Music is Rotted One Note" (1998), Squarepusher turned to total abstraction, relying heavily on his own instrumental prowess. However, despite his periodic reconsideration of sound and form, Jenkinson never strays far from his jazzy roots.
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