Music Is Rotted One Note

Released in 1998, 'Music Is Rotted One Note' represents a radical departure for Tom Jenkinson. After establishing himself as a pioneer of hyper-kinetic drum and bass, Jenkinson famously abandoned sequencers and samplers for this project, opting to play every instrument - drums, bass, and keys - live to multi-track tape. The result is a heavily processed, improvisational work that draws direct inspiration from the 'electric period' of Miles Davis and the avant-garde fusion of the early 1970s. The album is characterized by its lack of overt melody, a deliberate choice by Jenkinson to avoid 'cheap' emotional appeals. Critics at the time were polarized but ultimately fascinated; AllMusic noted its 'dark, claustrophobic' feel, while Pitchfork later recognized it as one of the definitive albums of the 90s. It stands as a bridge between the technical rigidity of IDM and the fluid, unpredictable nature of free jazz, cementing Squarepusher's reputation as a polymath capable of transcending genre boundaries through sheer instrumental prowess and experimental production.