SQUAREPUSHER
Hello Everything
Warp Records
· Thomas Jenkinson proves he’s too smart for his own ears. Album gets released on October 17.
Well-known for his almost academic interpretation of electronic music, Hello Everything continues to push the boundaries. The lead track "Hello Meow" succeeds almost in spite of its seemingly deliberate attempt to avoid pop hooks or references. Squarepusher’s ability to conjure danceable riffs from bookish leanings suffers some brief missteps, as he appears to get too carried away with his own technical prowess, veering awfully close to navel-gazing wankerism in places. "Bubble Life" comes off sounding like the electronic version of a Les Claypool bass solo, interesting, but not necessarily what fans of electronic music want to hear – "The Modern Bass Guitar" even more so. In almost the same breath "Planetarium" combines old-school analog knob-twiddling synth work with a frantic breakbeat for some solid dance action. The almost-baroque guitar work leads to the surprisingly restrained "Circlewave 2," and "Welcome to Europe" is set to be a classic drum ’n’ bass dance floor staple.
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