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Product Description
Review
Through 14 albums and numerous singles and EPs, Essex boy Tom Jenkinson has endeavoured to make electronic music do things it isn’t supposed to. A virtuoso on bass guitar as well as analogue and digital machinery, his Squarepusher alter ego has consistently brought a freewheeling jazz mentality, a sense of humour and a jaw-dropping technique to that part of the techno world which is aimed at the bedroom and headphones rather than the dancefloor.
Jenkinson’s latest opus sees him return to a solo format after 2010’s so-so Shobaleader One experiment with a band format, and is designed to fit with a new live show involving a space-age helmet and much flashing, strobey, abstract imagery. Clips on YouTube suggest that the show is very reminiscent of Orbital at their stadium rave peak. Which is convenient, because this set sounds like Orbital with a severe case of St Vitus Dance.
Fans who especially love Jenkinson’s astonishing, thumb-plunking bass-playing and droll vocal tracks like My Red Hot Car and The Coathanger will be disappointed. Ufabulum is all synth instrumentals all of the time and, unlike previous albums, doesn’t feature a standout classic that draws you into the album’s less accessible elements. From the fidgety glitch of opener 4001 onwards, the mood is that of an ominous soundtrack for an unmade sci-fi movie.
The Metallurgist may revisit the murky junglism of Squarepusher’s early years, while Red in Blue’s beat-less atmospherics resemble the 70s electro-classicism of Wendy Carlos and Isao Tomita. But the mood is similarly dark, relentless and deliberately irritating to those who like their music with at least a little groove and melody. A few surprisingly wishy-washy string-synths aside, it is, as always, hugely impressive – particularly on the steely car engine cut-ups of Dark Steering and 303 Scopem Hard, which sound like they’re auditioning for heavy usage with Formula 1 coverage – but disappointingly cold and forbidding.
One thing you can always count on with Jenkinson, though, is that whatever he does next will sound little like whatever he did last. Here’s hoping he relocates his bass and his sense of humour next time around.
--Brad Barrett
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Product Description
CD Cd In 6Pp Digi With 12Page Booklet
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Octo7
Format:Audio CD
Hate to start this review on a negative note but this needs to be said: I didn't like Squarepusher's last two albums, not even a little bit. I found the last record unlistenable, vocoder Zap! style vocals saying a whole lot of nothing over some technically accomplished but soulless funk and pop, nothing challenging or dangerous or new about it at all. The record before that, Just a Souvenir, had three decent tracks, the rest just didn't do it for me, I hated the vocals and the faux pop-rock style of it all. I did however enjoy the Numbers Lucent EP.
The new album is a refreshing departure from recent explorations. It's far more electronic sounding, the most all-out electronic Squarepusher album since Selection Sixteen, which is arguably his most solid album to my ears after Music Is One Rotted Note. It's not super-challenging like Ultravisitor, nor is it OTT and grating like Go Plastic. It's also really upbeat! Especially the first half of the record, tunes are downright happy, and although I like when Squarepusher is moody and dark and experimental, he knows how to make really joyful and happy music too. But don't worry for there is a little darkness and experimentation on here too, Drax 2 being a good example of that, and arguably the best song on the record. There are other great standout tunes like the album's opener 4001, the acid madness of Scopem Hard 303, or the amazing soundtrack to some non-existent videogame in Stadium Ice. Dark Steering needs a mention too, a mish-mash of race-car engine sounds, the roland 303, and SP's crazy timing.
So Squarepusher fans, if you really dug his previous two records then you might not like this one so much. If you like his more electonic-sounding stuff, and especially if you're into the 303, you will like this album.... Read more ›
The new album is a refreshing departure from recent explorations. It's far more electronic sounding, the most all-out electronic Squarepusher album since Selection Sixteen, which is arguably his most solid album to my ears after Music Is One Rotted Note. It's not super-challenging like Ultravisitor, nor is it OTT and grating like Go Plastic. It's also really upbeat! Especially the first half of the record, tunes are downright happy, and although I like when Squarepusher is moody and dark and experimental, he knows how to make really joyful and happy music too. But don't worry for there is a little darkness and experimentation on here too, Drax 2 being a good example of that, and arguably the best song on the record. There are other great standout tunes like the album's opener 4001, the acid madness of Scopem Hard 303, or the amazing soundtrack to some non-existent videogame in Stadium Ice. Dark Steering needs a mention too, a mish-mash of race-car engine sounds, the roland 303, and SP's crazy timing.
So Squarepusher fans, if you really dug his previous two records then you might not like this one so much. If you like his more electonic-sounding stuff, and especially if you're into the 303, you will like this album.... Read more ›
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Sometimes artists produce their most interesting work when they start to become influenced by the artists who they themselves influenced.
This may or may not be the case with "Ufabulum".
In my opinion, Tom Jenkinson is too clever for his own good sometimes. On this occasion, this sounding-a-bit-like-Daft-Punk-on-the-first-five-tracks business may be part of his cunning plan. Or it may not. As it happens I don't care, because this is perhaps Jenkinson's best LP ever. Unlike some of his other records it is, intentionally or not, a take it as you find it release (i.e. there's little in the way of irony).
"Ufabulum" is, as some previous reviewers have noted, an album of two halves - the first half being Squarepusher's surprising apparent new Judge Jules-friendly (well maybe not that friendly) direction and the second being more recognisably 'pusher in his original (Aphex-influencing?) form, with the (brilliant) final track "Ecstatic Shock" tying the two themes together. Either side of the divide, this is a CD (if you play it enough) whose melodies you will find replaying in the jukebox in your head at odd moments in the day (in my case, "Stadium Ice" on a Tuesday morning visit to the office vending machine).
When Squarepusher's on (clean, crisp, electronic) form, there's nobody to beat him. If you don't know Squarepusher then why not start here?
This may or may not be the case with "Ufabulum".
In my opinion, Tom Jenkinson is too clever for his own good sometimes. On this occasion, this sounding-a-bit-like-Daft-Punk-on-the-first-five-tracks business may be part of his cunning plan. Or it may not. As it happens I don't care, because this is perhaps Jenkinson's best LP ever. Unlike some of his other records it is, intentionally or not, a take it as you find it release (i.e. there's little in the way of irony).
"Ufabulum" is, as some previous reviewers have noted, an album of two halves - the first half being Squarepusher's surprising apparent new Judge Jules-friendly (well maybe not that friendly) direction and the second being more recognisably 'pusher in his original (Aphex-influencing?) form, with the (brilliant) final track "Ecstatic Shock" tying the two themes together. Either side of the divide, this is a CD (if you play it enough) whose melodies you will find replaying in the jukebox in your head at odd moments in the day (in my case, "Stadium Ice" on a Tuesday morning visit to the office vending machine).
When Squarepusher's on (clean, crisp, electronic) form, there's nobody to beat him. If you don't know Squarepusher then why not start here?
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Squarepusher's latest album Ufabulum... It came out about a year ago and I've been listening to it on and off since. As a whole. the album feels very much an album of two halves, split right down the middle, showcasing arguably some of his best work and some of his most uninspiring.
The first track feels very much like it's designed to be euphoric and uplifting, but it fails to strike any sort of a chord with me. The next 2 or 3 songs follow similar suit with soaring synth parts and catchy (annoying) melodies. All of these songs get a similar sort of review from me, the first half of the album honestly sounds like a cross between a soundtrack to the worst Sega Saturn Game you can imagine and the kind of background music you hear when the league tables appear on Eurosport's coverage of the bobsleigh. And I cant stress that enough. Even though there are enjoyable moments hidden in there, I always get those sort of images in my head. I was very much surprised to hear the track 'Unreal Square' make an appearance during the BBC's coverage of the Olympics last year... so I can only imagine a couple of their producers had a similar feeling towards those tracks that I did. It almost feels like those songs were designed for that specifically, which makes for a rather offputting listen as an album.
'Red In Blue' acts as a sort of quiet before the storm and a significant turning point. All remaining tracks feel somewhat darker, noisier, more atmospheric, more energetic, chaotic... It's like an entirely different album altogether. Some of it could be described as an uneasy listen, but in a way that feels way more exciting and uplifting than anything the first half had to offer. Definitely 'edge of your seat' music, and each remaining track has an entirely different way off getting that across.... Read more ›
The first track feels very much like it's designed to be euphoric and uplifting, but it fails to strike any sort of a chord with me. The next 2 or 3 songs follow similar suit with soaring synth parts and catchy (annoying) melodies. All of these songs get a similar sort of review from me, the first half of the album honestly sounds like a cross between a soundtrack to the worst Sega Saturn Game you can imagine and the kind of background music you hear when the league tables appear on Eurosport's coverage of the bobsleigh. And I cant stress that enough. Even though there are enjoyable moments hidden in there, I always get those sort of images in my head. I was very much surprised to hear the track 'Unreal Square' make an appearance during the BBC's coverage of the Olympics last year... so I can only imagine a couple of their producers had a similar feeling towards those tracks that I did. It almost feels like those songs were designed for that specifically, which makes for a rather offputting listen as an album.
'Red In Blue' acts as a sort of quiet before the storm and a significant turning point. All remaining tracks feel somewhat darker, noisier, more atmospheric, more energetic, chaotic... It's like an entirely different album altogether. Some of it could be described as an uneasy listen, but in a way that feels way more exciting and uplifting than anything the first half had to offer. Definitely 'edge of your seat' music, and each remaining track has an entirely different way off getting that across.... Read more ›
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Dave
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Squarepusher for me has for a few years been producing albums with occasional standout moments, but nothing coherent in its entirety. Too focused on perverse sonic warfare, without good enough tunes to serve as a valid platform for the constant assault of shifting beats. At his best I've found him to be astonishingly unique and vibrant, but I feel I've been waiting for him to reach those heights again for a while now. For example, Hello Everything had some good moments, but frustratingly few of them and they felt somehow too restrained for my liking. Albums like Ultravisitor I found tedious and unlistenable.
This, on the other hand, comes out of the gate with some serious pace, and holds its own right through to the last track. The constant shifting soundscapes are still there but bent to service actual melodies and coherently structured music. Listening to the entire album in one sitting can get a bit wearing if you're not quite in the right frame of mind for it - it is harsh and relentless, but musical enough to pull it of this time, and I find myself returning to tracks like the phenomenal Dark Steering again and again and again. Highly recommended.
This, on the other hand, comes out of the gate with some serious pace, and holds its own right through to the last track. The constant shifting soundscapes are still there but bent to service actual melodies and coherently structured music. Listening to the entire album in one sitting can get a bit wearing if you're not quite in the right frame of mind for it - it is harsh and relentless, but musical enough to pull it of this time, and I find myself returning to tracks like the phenomenal Dark Steering again and again and again. Highly recommended.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A return to form
After being guttingly dissapointed by the Shobaleader One project, I was prepared for the worst so this album came as a very pleasant surprise. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Red
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good album, but Amazon quality of audio is poor
Good album, but Amazon quality of audio is poor. Tempted to go get it from "elsewhere" (Even though I paid for it) as it really isn't good enough.
Published 11 months ago by Michael Gerrard
3.0 out of 5 stars
Less original then before
I am a big fan of Squarepusher and for me the top albums where Just Souvenir, Hello Everything. Recent Number Lucent was very cool too. Read more
Published 12 months ago by rad88
2.0 out of 5 stars
Vinyl review - nice packaging, what happened to the sound?
This review relates to the VINYL edition.
True, its in a nice box, although unessicary, and a book thing and a CD E.P.
BUT - It sounds horrible. Read more
True, its in a nice box, although unessicary, and a book thing and a CD E.P.
BUT - It sounds horrible. Read more
Published 13 months ago by N. Mcalister
3.0 out of 5 stars
Squarepusher doesn't take the easy route with yet another `difficult'...
Squarepusher returns with his new album `Ufabulum', and as ever Squarepusher doesn't take the easy route with yet another `difficult' album. Read more
Published 13 months ago by dipesh parmar
4.0 out of 5 stars
This isn't just another 'Squarepusher' release..
I haven't heard Squarepusher in this mood since Hard Normal Daddy (1997). The shiny production presented here in Ufabulum of 2012 is truly incredible; a masterclass in timbre... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Dooscah
4.0 out of 5 stars
Welcome back Squarepusher
Latest offering from Squarepusher is a return to form. No more experimental jazz, pure electronic perfection. My favourites are at present 4001, Dark Steering and Ecstatic Shock. Read more
Published 13 months ago by M. Kyst
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