Squarepusher – Just A Souvenir

• 5th Nov 2008

Digital maestro Tom Jenkinson, aka Squarepusher, returns with his 11th album, the roots of which lie, according to the man himself, in ‘a daydream about watching a crazy, beautiful rock band play an ultra-gig’. This slightly bonkers explanation is matched by the obscure and radically contrasting nature of this release.

Part post-rave, dance fusion and part avant-garde jazz, Squarepusher has never been afraid of melding differing musicals styles together into one, a fact that is evident throughout Just a Souvenir’s relatively short 45 minute runtime. The frenetic wall of noise found in tracks like Delta-V and Planet Gear are driven rapidly along by buzz saw guitars and thumping beats and are definitely the funkier end of Squarepusher’s spectrum. Conversely, the jazz-laden Fluxgate or Duotone Moonbeam wouldn’t sound out of place in a trendy lounge bar or if we are brutally honest, a slightly less trendy hotel-lift.

Other tracks such as the bass-heavy Planet Gear or Real Woman with its electronic vocals, provide a more moderate blend of these two opposing dynamics, and also provide a great opportunity for Jenkinson to demonstrate his undeniably great musical ability. By playing all the instruments on the album, whether producing crunching sonic noise or delicately plucked strings, this unique artist is able to stamp his personal touch on all 14 tracks.

Just a Souvenir is by no means easy listening. It is a complex and at times uncomfortable listen that doesn’t allow the listener respite for one minute. It is certainly not for everyone, and is by no means Squarepusher’s best work. There is the odd spot of filler on the album and some of the jazzier elements of the album can get a touch too ‘avant-garde’ for their own good. It is worth a listen however just to admire the artist’s great creativity. Top marks for innovation, if not necessarily for enjoyment.