Be Up A Hello

Album review

A return to craftsmanship for Squarepusher. After using the top of the range of technology, one of the figureheads of Warp Records’ first generation is back using older machines for his new album released by the renowned British label, five years after Damogen Furies. Although vintage material has been trending in the production of electronic material for a few years, Tom Jenkinson manages to generate new ideas from it, evidenced by the experimental sounds of this album. The Brit casts aside his (signature) breaks on the opening Oberlove and Hitsonu, which could both feature on the soundtrack of an 80s video game with their dreamy chiptune synths. The tension kicks up a notch with a big kick à la Prodigy with Neverlevers and the drill’n’bass of Speedcrank, before returning to the calm of Detroit People Mover, an almost ambient track of electronica with poignant layers of synths and drawn out guitars via a minimalist flanger. The origins of Squarepusher are apparent on Terminal Slam, a nervous, metallic, bleepy, industrial track, a real exercise in style before the threatening finale of 80 Ondula. As always, Squarepusher takes no notice of styles or conventions and imposes his very own signature on an album written like a personal diary, the musical equivalent of a beautiful film d’auteur. © Smaël Bouaici/Qobuz