Squarepusher
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Squarepusher | |
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.jpg) Jenkinson performing in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Thomas Russell Jenkinson |
| Also known as | Chaos A.D. The Duke of Harringay Tom Jenkinson |
| Born | 17 January 1975 |
| Origin | Chelmsford, Essex, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instrument(s) |
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| Years active | 1993–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | www |
Thomas Russell Jenkinson, known professionally as Squarepusher, is an English electronic musician, record producer, bassist, multi-instrumentalist and DJ. His music spans several genres including drum and bass, IDM, acid techno, jazz fusion and electroacoustic music. Since 1995, he has recorded for Warp Records as well as smaller labels, including Rephlex Records. He is the older brother of Ceephax Acid Crew (Andy Jenkinson).
Early life
[edit]Tom Jenkinson grew up in Chelmsford, Essex. The first school he attended was affiliated with Chelmsford Cathedral, exposing him to organ music. He took an interest in this, as well as music reproduction equipment. In 1986, Jenkinson went to the King Edward VI Grammar School in Chelmsford. One of his formative musical experiences came from seeing guitarist Guthrie Govan playing in the school's inter-house music competition. He developed a lasting friendship with Govan.[1] Jenkinson joined his first band at 12, a Metallica-influenced thrash metal group consisting of several other pupils from the school. Over subsequent years Jenkinson played bass guitar in various local bands, playing numerous shows around East Anglia and London, and took part in some studio recordings.[2]
In 1991, Jenkinson became interested in house music, hardcore, acid house and techno.[3] He cited hearing the track "LFO" by LFO as an early influence.[4]
Career
[edit]1993–1995: Early career
[edit]In August 1993, Jenkinson recorded a piece named "O'Brien". With his friend, Hardy Finn, he raised enough money to release it with additional material on a vinyl 12". By 1995, he was playing live sets, including a performance at Eurobeat 2000 at Turnmills, and "O'Brien" was part of his setlist.[5]
In late 1994, Jenkinson began pursuing making music in breakbeats into electronic music. The first recordings using Jenkinson's new setup were released on the Spymania label. Two EPs, Conumber and Alroy Road Tracks, were released under the pseudonym "The Duke of Harringay".[3] Jenkinson received an invitation to The Sir George Robey in Finsbury Park.[6] He then placed two songs on Worm Interface releases, "Dragon Disc 2" and the "Bubble and Squeak" EPs.
Jenkinson made a remix for Ninja Tune's DJ Food, which was featured on the EP "Refried Food". The remix led Ninja Tune to offer Jenkinson a record contract, which, along with an offer from Belgium's R&S Records, he declined in favor of a contract offered by Warp Records, which was partially instigated by Richard D. James. James and Jenkinson met up at The George Robey. The resulting meeting led to Jenkinson's first hearing of the Hangable Auto Bulb EP. It went on to form the Feed Me Weird Things album, which was released on Rephlex Records in 1996.[3]
1995–1999: Warp
[edit]Jenkinson accepted a five-album record contract with Warp Records in December 1995.[3] This led him to defer his studies at Chelsea Art College. Early in 1996, James completed the compilation process for Feed Me Weird Things, which was made from over 50 tracks that Jenkinson had given him on DAT, which were recorded from late 1994 to 1995. James and Jenkinson recorded two tracks together, one of which was subsequently edited by Jenkinson and released as "Freeman Hardy & Willis Acid" on the We Are Reasonable People compilation album in 1998. Shortly after the release of Feed Me Weird Things came "Port Rhombus", which was Jenkinson's first release on Warp Records.[3]
Using the same equipment from the sessions that produced the majority of Feed Me Weird Things, Squarepusher worked on the material for his first album for Warp, Hard Normal Daddy. His conception for this record was "to push away from the jazz influence that was being felt at the time to a more soundtrack-type of sound". According to Squarepusher, he was listening to the "Deathwish" soundtrack by Herbie Hancock around this time.[7]
He later released the Burning'n Tree album,[3] which was a compilation of Tom's Spymania releases.
2000–2013: Go Plastic to Ufabulum
[edit] |
In early 2000, Squarepusher called Steve Beckett to play him the record. He played his first shows in America, one of which was at the Coachella Festival. The plans to collaborate with Chris Cunningham were interrupted. In the summer of 2001, Warp cut a one-sided promo for the track "Do You Know Squarepusher". After a brief period during the latter half of 2001, he set up the studio at his new residence.
Squarepusher appeared at Glastonbury and the Glade Festival in the summer of 2005. In November 2005, he toured the UK with Luke Vibert and Cassette Boy.
At the time of the release of Hello Everything, Squarepusher appeared on the BBC's Culture Show, was interviewed by Lauren Laverne, and also performed a short version of what was to become one of the pieces on Solo Electric Bass. In April 2011, Squarepusher played a concert for the Japanese Red Cross during the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
2013–2024: Music for Robots to Dostrotime
[edit]On 13 February 2014, an EP entitled Music for Robots was announced, a collaborative project composed by him and performed by the three robots that comprise the Z-Machines. Squarepusher first started working with the team of Japanese roboticists behind the Z-Machines in 2013, who had commissioned him to write music for robots that were capable of playing beyond the capabilities of the most advanced musicians.[8] Squarepusher went on to compose four more pieces for the robots, which comprise the EP Music for Robots, released on April 7 (8 April in North America) 2014.[9]
On 20 April 2015, a new LP entitled Damogen Furies was released. The EP was made using software that Squarepusher programmed by himself.[10]
In 2018, he provided the ambient soundtrack for CBeebies's hour-long wind-down programme Daydreams.[11] The same year, Jenkinson broke his wrist in Norway and temporarily stopped playing guitar. The incident caused him to re-explore instruments he had previously played in the 1990s, which led to his subsequent album, Be Up a Hello. Squarepusher was influenced by the death of Chris Marshall, his childhood friend, to whom he dedicated the album.[12] The album was released on 31 January 2020. "Vortrack", "Vortrack" (Fracture Remix), and "Nervelevers" were released in the weeks leading up to the album's release.[13][14][15]
On January 21, 2024, Squarepusher sent out an email to his subscribers on the Warp Records email list, linking to a download for a WAV file named "XY.wav". Plugging the WAV file into an oscilloscope and plotting the signal as an XY plot revealed the word "Dostrotime". Dostrotime was released on CD, LP, and digital download on 1 March 2024. The single "Wendorlan" was released to promote the album.[16]
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]| Year | Title | Peak positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [17] |
BEL (FL) [18] |
US Dance [19] | ||
| 1996 | Feed Me Weird Things | — | — | — |
| 1997 | Hard Normal Daddy | 115 | — | — |
| 1998 | Music Is Rotted One Note | — | — | — |
| 1999 | Selection Sixteen | — | — | — |
| 2001 | Go Plastic | 100 | — | — |
| 2002 | Do You Know Squarepusher | 192 | — | — |
| 2004 | Ultravisitor | 90 | — | 9 |
| 2006 | Hello Everything | 89 | — | 16 |
| 2008 | Just a Souvenir | — | — | 17 |
| 2012 | Ufabulum | 101 | 83 | 14 |
| 2015 | Damogen Furies[20] | 110 | 96 | 8 |
| 2020 | Be Up a Hello | 77 | 70 | — |
| 2024 | Dostrotime | 56 | 141 | — |
EPs, singles and promos
[edit]| Year | Title | Notes | Peak positions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [17] |
BEL (FL) [18] | |||
| 1994 | Crot EP | Credited to Tom Jenkinson | — | — |
| Stereotype EP | Credited to Tom Jenkinson | — | — | |
| 1995 | Conumber E:P | Released on Spymania. Partially compiled into Burningn'n Tree. | — | — |
| Alroy Road Tracks | Released on Spymania under the alias The Duke of Harringay, later, all tracks were included in Burningn'n Tree. | — | — | |
| 1996 | Bubble and Squeak | Credited to Tom Jenkinson | — | — |
| Dragon Disc 2 | Split EP, credited to Tom Jenkinson | — | — | |
| Squarepusher Plays... | Both exclusive tracks ("Theme From Goodbye Renaldo" and "Deep Fried Pizza") appear as bonus tracks on the Japanese release of Feed Me Weird Things. | — | — | |
| Port Rhombus EP | Also compiled on the US version of Big Loada on Nothing Records | 182 | — | |
| 1997 | "Vic Acid" | — | 156 | — |
| Big Loada | Also released on Nothing Records in 1998 | 134 | — | |
| 1998 | Remixes 12" | Released under the alias Chaos A.D. on Rephlex | — | — |
| 1999 | — | 183 | — | |
| — | — | — | ||
| Anti-Greylord Protection Scheme Prelude | Included with most copies of Selection Sixteen | — | — | |
| 2001 | "My Red Hot Car" | Reached number 1 on the UK Budget Albums Chart.[17] | — | — |
| "Do You Know Squarepusher" | Single for the album of the same name; no titles appear on this release, just the song "Do You Know Squarepusher". | — | — | |
| 2003 | "Ultravisitor" | Single for Ultravisitor | — | — |
| 2004 | Square Window | Promo for Ultravisitor | — | — |
| Venus No. 17 | Includes "Venus No.17", acid mix of the track and "Tundra 4", which is a reworking of track 2 from the Feed Me Weird Things album. | 103 | — | |
| 2006 | "Welcome to Europe" | Exclusive digital single #1: released 4 September (also available on Hello Everything) | — | — |
| "Hanningfield Window" | Exclusive digital single #2: released 18 September | — | — | |
| "Exciton" | Exclusive digital single #3: released 2 October | — | — | |
| Vacuum Tracks | Released with certain editions of Hello Everything | — | — | |
| "Welcome to Europe" | 12" vinyl single | — | — | |
| 2009 | Numbers Lucent | EP | — | — |
| 2010 | Shobaleader One: Cryptic Motion | Single by Shobaleader | — | — |
| 2012 | Dark Steering | Single from Ufabulum and appeared in the soundtrack of Watch Dogs | — | — |
| 2013 | Enstrobia | Bonus EP with Ufabulum special edition | — | — |
| 2014 | Music for Robots | EP with the Z-Machines | — | 171 |
| 2020 | Lamental | EP following Be Up a Hello | — | — |
Other
[edit]- Burningn'n Tree (1997) – compilation
- Buzz Caner (1998) – as Chaos A.D.
- Solo Electric Bass 1 (2009) – live
- Shobaleader One: d'Demonstrator (2010) – as Squarepusher Presents: Shobaleader One
- Elektrac (2017) – as Shobaleader One
- All Night Chroma (2019) – with James McVinnie; as Tom Jenkinson
Compilation appearances
[edit]| Release date | Released on | Track | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Alt. Frequencies | "Vogon & I" | Song credited to Tom Jenkinson |
| 1996 | Law & Auder Records | "Happy Little Wilberforce" | Avantgardism drum'n'bass |
| 1998 | We Are Reasonable People | "Freeman Hardy & Willis Acid" | Song credited to "Squarepusher/AFX". |
| 2002 | Lo and Behold! Lo Recordings Sampler | "Live 1" | Credited to "Tom Jenkinson and Friends" link |
| 2003 | Lost in Translation | "Tommib" | |
| 2006 | Marie Antoinette | "Tommib Help Buss" | |
| 2006 | A Bugged Out Mix | "My Red Hot Car" |
Remixes
[edit]| 1996 | DJ Food – "Scratch Yer Hed (Squarepusher Mix)" | Appears on Refried Food and various Ninja Tune compilations. |
| 1996 | Funki Porcini – "Carwreck (Squarepusher Mix)" | Appears on Carwreck EP. |
| 1998 | East Flatbush Project – "Tried By 12 (Squarepusher Mix)" | Appears on Tried By 12 Remixes. |
| 2001 | Chaos A.D. – "Psultan (Squarepusher Mix)" | Appears on Rephlex Records The Braindance Coincidence compilation. |
| 2013 | Ghostpoet: "Meltdown (Squarepusher Remix)" | Appears on Meltdown EP. |
| 2020 | Deftones: "Pink Maggit (Squarepusher Remix)" | Appears on Black Stallion. |
| 2021 | GoGo Penguin: "F Maj Pixie (Squarepusher Remix)" | Appears on GGP/RMX. |
| 2021 | Danny Elfman: "We Belong (Squarepusher Remix)" | Released as a single. |
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "The Quietus | Features | A Quietus Interview | Circuits Have A Life Force: Squarepusher Interviewed". The Quietus. 13 January 2020.
- ^ "Squarepusher". www.soundonsound.com.
- ^ a b c d e f Colin Larkin, ed. (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 323. ISBN 0-7535-0252-6.
- ^ Fantano, Anthony (9 June 2021). Squarepusher INTERVIEW. Event occurs at 4:38 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Braindance". wax-poetics.
- ^ Reynolds, Simon (1999). Generation Ecstasy: Into the World of Techno and Rave Culture (1st ed.). Routledge. p. 384. ISBN 978-0415923736.
- ^ Blanning, Lisa (8 August 2012). "Interview: Squarepusher". Red Bull Music Academy. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ Pangburn, DJ. "A 78-Fingered Robot Guitarist Is the Perfect Accompaniment to Squarepusher". Motherboard. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
- ^ Webster, Andrew (16 February 2014). "This robot band has a guitarist with 78 fingers". The Verge. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
- ^ "Squarepusher interview: The Software Behind Damogen Furies". Digital Trends. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ^ Heritage, Stuart (17 April 2018), "Daydreams: can the 'ambient' CBeebies experience really work?", The Guardian, retrieved 4 June 2018
- ^ Keating, Daryl (29 January 2020). "Norwegian Ice Broke Squarepusher, but He's All the Better for It on 'Be Up a Hello'". Exclaim. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ Amin, Tayyab (31 January 2020). "Squarepusher: Be Up a Hello review – devilish, danceable return". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ "The Quietus - Reviews - Squarepusher". The Quietus. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ "Squarepusher Proves IDM Is Still Fresh and Full of Possibilities on 'Be Up a Hello', PopMatters". PopMatters. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ "Squarepusher announces details of forthcoming new album, Dostrotime". 909originals. February 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
- ^ a b c Peaks in the UK:
- All except noted: "Squarepusher | full Official Charts history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- Below top 100 before 2012: "Chart Log UK (1994–2010): DJ S – The System Of Life". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- Ufabulum: "CHART: CLUK Update 26.05.2012 (wk20)" (TXT). Zobbel.de. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- Damogen Furies: "CHART: CLUK Update 2.05.2015 (wk17)" (TXT). Zobbel.de. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- For "Dostrotime": "Dostrotime chart performance". Official Charts Company. 8 March 2024.
- ^ a b "Squarepusher discography". ultratop.be. Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ "Squarepusher Chart History: Dance/Electronic Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^ "Squarepusher Announces Damogen Furies". Pitchfork.com. 18 February 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
External links
[edit]
- Squarepusher – official site
- Squarepusher at Curlie
- Squarepusher discography at Discogs
- Tom Jenkinson discography at Discogs
- Squarepusher discography at MusicBrainz
- Tom Jenkinson discography at MusicBrainz
- Living people
- Braindance musicians
- English bass guitarists
- British male bass guitarists
- English DJs
- English male guitarists
- English drummers
- English keyboardists
- English electronic musicians
- English jazz musicians
- Intelligent dance musicians
- English experimental musicians
- English multi-instrumentalists
- English record producers
- British electronic dance music DJs
- People educated at King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
- People from Harringay
- Warp (record label) artists
- Nothing Records artists
- Rephlex Records artists
- Alumni of Chelsea College of Arts
- Musicians from Essex
- 21st-century British drummers
- 21st-century bass guitarists
- 1975 births