The one-man drum'n'bass outfit
Squarepusher (aka
Tom Jenkinson) treads upon more unpredictable terrain on
Music Is Rotted One Note. Although the album still contains elements of his usual drum'n'bass sound, this is by and large a jazz/fusion affair.
Jenkinson does a masterful job playing all the instruments live and by himself, and perfectly re-creates the funky atmosphere of such early-'70s
Miles Davis classics as
Get Up With It and
On the Corner.
Jenkinson's performances throughout the disc are both flawless and inspired -- he obviously realized that if he were to pay tribute to
Miles, nothing but the best would do.
Davis' spirit lives on in such tracks as "Don't Go Plastic," "Dust Switch," "137 (Rinse)," and "Theme From Vertical Hold," while "My Sound" perfectly captures the essence of
Miles' calming and reflective compositions. But don't be misled; this is not a by-the-numbers rip-off of
Miles Davis.
Jenkinson updates these familiar sounds with '90s recording techniques and injects enough of his own style into the mix to keep it recognizable.
Miles would be proud.
–
Greg Prato, Rovi