As the 1990s rolled along, more and more interesting releases from the world of electronic music came in throughout the decade. Squarepusher was one of those artists to create such releases. This is his second album, but how does it sound? Let’s take a look at it.

Coopers World begins this album with a retro feel about it, with some organ style sounds and a very Drum and Bass/IDM feel to the track. It sounds very interesting, and has some funky guitar parts sampled on it. This is a good introduction to this album. The cut up beats here sound really good, and sounds like a good listen which looks back to the 1960s and 1970s. There is some suspense about this too. Samples of wild cheering are here, along with the funky guitar sounds and beats galore. It is remarkably impressive, and a good start to an album like this. A pacing and interesting feel to it, this is a refreshing listen. Good effort by Squarepusher.

Beep Street comes next, with some brilliant beats at the beginning of the track. It sounds superb, and some very good artistic sounds join into the track. It is more or less a continuation of the previous track, with some rather retro sounds included on it. The cut up beats here are really interesting and amazing, Squarepusher is one to push the boundaries of what is accepted musically in the world of music. This is a little darker than what came before it, particularly with some of the sounds included in here. Very well structured and unique delivered, this is quite interesting music nonetheless. The beats rush in and out of the track in a suspenseful way, showcasing a great talent at hand. Squarepusher’s music is refreshingly different, and he does quite a good job here. The outro cuts out the beats and plays some simple electronic melodies, before fading out.

Next is Rustic Raver which has some 8 bit sounding beats, before going into an impressive Acid based EDM/Drum and Bass/IDM piece. It sounds very intelligently and expertly delivered, showcasing a great talent at hand. The beats and melodies here are done superbly well, and sounds very amazing, as though the Amen break has been utilized to a super hyper intelligent state. There is an Acid breakdown in the middle, which is interesting, before the beats and melodies re-emerge to a great effect. A great mixture of somewhat unusual music, Squarepusher does excellently here. Frenetic yet fun, this is an interesting listen. It ends with little warning.

Following is Anirog D9 which is very short for this album, at barely over a minute. Still, it is a good generation of beats and textures that sound really top. This is superb, fading out before you know it.

Chin Hippy comes next, with some strange digital vocal noises at the beginning of the track, before going into some very IDM style beats in a Drum and Bass way. It sounds totally awesome, and proof that one can break boundaries and be inventive with electronic music to full effect. Clever, interesting and definitely listenable, it is a great pastiche of sounds and textures. Squarepusher deserves a lot of credit here for making some great wacky music. This is, indeed, great to hear. Sounds brilliant, and must be heard to be experienced. Good stuff.

Papalon comes along with some intro hi-hats that are well programmed and cut up. Some looped melodies and beats enter, with a clarinet (out of all things) playing a melody with some Jazzy sounding organ sounds being included. This is quite a chilled listen, and evolves gradually into a Jazz inspired piece that sounds like a crossover musical piece. There is some subdued guitar and other instrumentation in here which is very interesting. The whole thing is quite different to most music out there, even today. The melodies gradually build up throughout, and the beats halt, allowing this slice of Jazziness to continue. It is a really fun and interesting listen, showcasing an unique listen throughout. Going into a more IDM breakdown and some interesting bass guitar sounding melodies, this is classy, no doubt. Some great percussive noises enter as well. This is also quite beautiful as well, showcasing a talent that is definitely unbeatable in its own way. It goes back into the main section of beats and melodies, sounding like an electronic Jazz band of sorts. Pretty cool to hear. Giving a very Progressive music feel to it, it goes into a subtle breakdown towards the end that sounds really cool. The clarinet plays on superbly, and we finish off this track with some good processed melodic sounds. Great effort.

Next is E8 Boogie which begins with some pseudo bass guitar parts by themselves, which is an interesting touch. It is gentle and subtle, but before long, the track kick starts and away we go on this musical journey. Some bongos and other tripped out sounds enter, before breaking into a section of hi-hats and hyper Acid melodies here. More cut up beats and melodies emerge, showcasing an energy and spirit that is not captured in a lot of music before or since. The pacing beats and cool melodies are a genuinely good listen and change from what is on the radio today, excellent to hear. It is well structured and designed for the listener. About halfway through, we have some rather trippy melodies to hear and the beats briefly cut out, only to kickstart again. There are rolling bongo beats here too, and this is excellent listening. The bass part here sounds quirky and insane. This is top notch, with brief breaks and a sense of intellectualism that most music never has. It sounds very impressive and wonderful, and is definitely worth checking out musically. The track goes into a slower section towards the end, but still pulsates with energy, even without beats. Towards the end, it gets progressively darker in tone, before finishing with some awesome cyber melodies to match. Brilliant.

After that is Fat Controller which begins with a great distant sounding melodic piece, before having the sample of an airplane and some metallic sounding beats to match. It goes into a top melodic and rhythmic piece, with some beats that sound a lot like The Chemical Brothers made them. It is a slower, but just as listenable piece from Squarepusher. Sounding brilliant, 8 bit like and futuristic simultaneously makes this track an interesting listen. Some DJ like scratching and funky bass guitar then join in, making this a retro Hip Hop sounding feel to this track. An excellent and clever piece, this is definitely EDM that you can listen to at home, more so than stuff you would hear at your ordinary nightclub. It goes into a well crafted and beatastic finish towards the end, and you should be glad to hear this one. The outro is cool.

Vic Acid begins with some dark basslines and has some excellent crafted Drum and Bass beats. It is a very good listening experience, and sounds brilliantly well done and crafted, particularly with those beats. It is somewhat dark and catchy, but worth your time 100%. It goes into an absolutely brilliant listening experience with some electronic Amen Break style cut up beats, top notch to the end. A nice and short track from Squarepusher, it sounds absolutely mad. Brilliant effort.

Male Pill Part 13 starts with some eerie electronic sounds, which are quite unsettling. It quickly goes into some uber hyper beats that sound very intelligently crafted and delivered. Some moody organ sounds then enter, changing the atmosphere of the track somewhat. The beats become faster and more frenetic throughout, delivering a great piece and effort here. This is more dark and minimal than what has come before, showcasing a different side to Squarepusher’s music here. It goes into an interesting midsection that sounds really awesome, with super hyper fast beats. Some strange male grunting is in the middle, before the track recommences. A funky feel comes along next, which is different. The track evolves gradually, into an electronic wonderland. This is really intelligent and nicely thought out, with a suspenseful feel. Some processed electric guitar style sounds are thrown into the second half of the track, making for a different listen. Towards the end, the track evolves gradually into a head rush that is very much unique and not the sort of thing normally played in nightclubs. A good track, even for eight minutes long. Nice effort.

Next is Rat/P’s + Q’s which starts with some muted sounds, including guitar and bass guitar, before some pacing beats are added to the mix. It sounds like something out of a movie soundtrack for EDM based culture, and is very fast and frenetic, particularly with the bass guitar and cut up beats. It goes into a strange breakdown, before going into a Squarepusher style slow melodic section. Being a great innovator of sound, Squarepusher puts in a solid effort of beats and sound patches here that sound excellent. If this hasn’t been in a movie soundtrack yet, it should be someday soon. It gets very frenetic and dark sounding towards the end, with some awesome sounding beats and textures to match. Nice effort.

The last track here is Rebus which begins with some tripped out sounds, before having some interesting bass sounds and electronically treated melodies come into the track. It then has some subtle warm sounds in the background, in amongst some hyper Drum and Bass hi-hats. Some subdued, almost Hip-Hop beats then enter. This is a nice ending to quite a great listening experience, although this one is very minimal. Some quirky bass noises and a moody melody finish this track off.

This is an excellent album that is in a genre of its own. It is electronic music for those who prefer sitting down and thinking, rather than getting up and dancing. The only real issue with this album is length and in addition, some of the same sounds are used in different tracks on this album. Regardless, an innovative and good listen to hear if you feel like chilling at home to some Drum and Bass/IDM style beats.

Groundbreaking.

8/10