Tom Jenkinson aka Squarepusher constructs some of the most incohesive and manic drill n bass on the planet, but unlike most other artists in the same collective he has a sense and love of melody.

Jenkinson was not raised on the rave classics of CJ Bolland and LFO but the infectious jazz Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and the like. This factor takes his music in a whole new direction. It's not exactly acid jazz like The Cinematic Orchestra, and it's not jazz-house like St Germain. It could be called drilljazz, perhaps, or jazzbass, or just drill n bass n jazz.

On most records, Squarepusher uses live instruments, which he may or may not sample 'n' slice afterwards. Trained as a professional drummer and bassist, his skills are enough to match those of Mike Portnoy and Flea. This is very unusual for electronic artists, who usually sample other's recordings or just stick with the synthetic. These things are what make Squarepusher unique in the cluttered "IDM" scene of today.

Squarepusher has been releasing for quite some time - his Warp debut "Feed Me Weird Things" hit stores in 1996 - though he hasn't exactly been noticed by the mainstream of post-grunge and dance-pop. His closest thing to a single was "My Red Hot Car" off the 2001 album "Go Plastic", and even that didn't have a videoclip. Who knows - perhaps we will see a major shift in opinion, and Aphex Twin will become the hero of popular music? I highly doubt it, but we can always hope.

Anyway - as i'm starting to sound too much like an epilogue - onto the album.

Ultravisitor is basically a culmination of everything Squarepusher has done over the years. From frentic breakbeat madness to sombre, moody jazz - it's all here, combined into a record that is arguably up there with his best ("Hard Normal Daddy").

1. Ultravisitor (10/10)
Tom kicks things into action with another one of his Aphex-inspired melodic breakbeat freak-outs, though nothing here verges on the unlistenable. Brooding organs and various types of oscillatiors churn out a rather memorable tune over one of Squarepusher's wanton rhythms. A nice introduction to his style.

2. I Fulcrum (10/10)
As a professional bass player, Tom Jenkinson really shines on this track, where his guitar is the only instrument. His playing is rhythmic and has a very Steely Dan feel to it, showcasing his musical background once again. Towards the end of the track Tom decides to experiment a bit and creates some very unusual noises.

3. Iambic 9 Poetry (10/10)
One of those beautiful gems that pop up occasionally on this album, Iambic 9 Poetry is a mid-tempo jazz piece built on Tom's multi-instrumentalist skills, this time displaying his deftness with the keyboard rather than the guitar, which he has seemingly put down for the moment (though he picks it up again at the end of the track.) As the track flows through various changing tempos and time signatures, almost in the style of Dream Theater, the emotion of Tom's playing progresses until finally it reaches a peak, then the song dies down again.

4. Andrei (10/10)
Sounding almost like a serenade to the person who holds the name of the track, this quiet new age guitar improvisation wouldn't be out of place on a Windham Hill recording. So Squarepusher does have a human side...

5. 50 Cycles (9/10)
Tom's roots in hip-hop, wherever they might be, are showcased on this simply strange track. Syd Barrett-esque twists lurk at every chord; Squarepusher lies in wait to randomly slice up an otherwise run-of-the-mill gangsta rap beat. Bursts of white noise can be likened to the headache inducement of Merzbow, while obscure British hip-hop samples remind the listener of DJ Shadow. This combination of styles makes for an oddly frightening listen.

6. Menelec (7/10)
The spooky vibes segue into the next track, another unpredictable mess. Dark ambience in the style of Amon begins this number, but don't be fooled - soon another typical Squarepusher break fades into the mix backed by jangly noises and his typical undescribable blips and bops. This is pretty much just an effect fest, though it's not the abrasive irritation of later tracks. Not the highlight of the disc, that's for sure.

7. C-Town Smash (10/10)
Tom goes for another crazy bass solo, this one less rooted in jazz than funk and 80's hair metal. It's fast paced, effect-laden and pretty unemotional, but it's an enjoyable listen.

8. Steinbolt (10/10)
Ah. The bane of Ultravisitor. Hated by my entire family. Steinbolt is a noise-fest of pure insanity, fueled by a riff that would be welcome in a death metal song. It's hard to keep up with this song really, as it's always warping itself into a new, noisy conglomerate of unrecognizable samples and sliced-to-death beats. Try playing this for your girlfriend on a romantic evening - It will do "things" for your relationship.

9. An Arched Pathway (9/10)
It's like the apocalypse is over, and this is some kind of world that lives on after it. A world wear Tom Jenkinson and his weird programming rules. Terrifying jazzy bass freak-outs are hidden beneath whirrs of rhythm (almost like Pan Sonic) while a crowd cheers happily in the background. My guess it that they probably didn't hear this track.

10. Telluric Piece (9/10)
Almost like a more blantant dark ambient 'piece', "Telluric Piece" is quiet and cold, with only the occasional rumbling squeak of feedback striking the mix and attacking your speakers. It's only an interlude really, so it's not going to be THAT interesting.

11. District Line Ii (10/10)
Always one of my favorites, "District Line Ii" relies on Autechre-esque abrasive un-notes and some strange vocal samples to move along, while Squarepusher does his usual thing with the f*cked up sh*t that he calls a breakbeat. This song is obviously intended to completely freak out the listener, and it achieves that to some extent. It would fit in an artistic horror movie.

12. Circlewave (11/10)
Tom's bass has dominated the album for the most part, so it's here, on tracks 12 and 13, where his drumming dexterity begins to come out of the musical closet. The track begins with a nice little solo which shows Tom's favoritism towards the snare and ride, just like any jazz drummer. Eventually Tom's mellow organ fades in, laden with atmosphere which makes the song seem introspective and, at some times, almost beautiful. It feels as though the entire album has been building up to this - and it has.

13. Tetra-Sync (10/10)
Things get a little more fast-paced on Tom's second drumkit assault, thanks to his ability to cut-up his only playing. This time the bass and jazz guitars feature prominently, one playing a typical rhythmic freak-out and the other strumming softly in the background. Tom adds his own melodic additions to the track with his aforementioned blips and bops and some foreshadowing keyboard work. The track builds and builds, but doesn't really get anywhere except another nice percussive jam. Ah well, it's the last 'full-length' song on the album and it's a nice way to end both the climax and the album as a whole.

14. Tommib Help Buss (11/10)
Ok, so there are two more tracks, but these are really just afterthoughts. The first of the two is a gorgeous keyboard melody, which sounds almost like a subdued rhapsody; a shy passion. Absolutely brilliant, even though it's only two minutes long

15. Every Day I Love (10/10)
Now THIS was unexpected. Squarepusher adds a final touch of brilliance and beauty to the album with this excellent closer, which is - get this - played on a spanish guitar! I'd definately like to see Tom use one of these again!

Overall, this is definately one of the best albums Squarepusher and IDM as a whole has crafted recently, and it's good to see that the scene is still going strong. Sure, this one isn't up their with Tri Repetae, Kulma and Selected Ambient Works 85-92, but it's a classic in its own right.

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Listening