Squarepusher

★★★★

Feed Me Weird Things WARP. CD/DL/LP

Lavish, remastered edition of electronic gamechanger’s debut marks its 25th.

Having quickly outgrown Chelmsford’s thrash metal scene, Tom Jenkinson started to experiment with sequencers and drum machines. The resulting whirlwind of pelting, drill-like breakbeats allied to his fleetfingered, virtuosic bass skills spun him into creative competition with Aphex Twin, the fellow sonic manipulator who sequenced this bumpy, nonlinear, unrelenting debut. Odd jazzy angularities are at play in the semi-trad affectations of Squarepusher Theme and Kodack, bass-driven workouts that smuggle harps and flutes in the back door. They supply light against the stabbing synths and trebly metallic snares of Dimotane Co and North Circular or the heavy portents and spooked drones of UFOs Over Leytonstone. Appended with B-sides from the same year’s Squarepusher Plays EP, unctuous slap-bass workout Deep Fried Pizza is the love/hate pineapple on top. Andy Cowan