Squarepusher is the stage name of Tom Jenkinson (born 1975, Chelmsford, England), a pioneering figure in IDM (Intelligent Dance Music), drum & bass, jazz fusion, and experimental electronic music. Emerging in the mid-1990s, Squarepusher became known for his virtuosic bass playing, intricate programming, and his ability to blend breakneck rhythms with complex harmonic ideas, influencing electronic musicians worldwide.
Jenkinson’s early releases on Spymania and Warp Records positioned him alongside contemporaries like Aphex Twin and Autechre in shaping the IDM scene. Feed Me Weird Things (1996) is his debut album (released on Aphex Twin’s Rephlex label) introduced his unique mix of drum & bass rhythms, live electric bass, and jazz-inspired harmonies; Hard Normal Daddy (1997) is a landmark album that merged jungle rhythms with funk, fusion, and lush melodies. Its complexity and musicality distinguished it from the darker jungle emerging at the time; Music Is Rotted One Note (1998) — A radical departure: almost entirely live instrumentation, evoking 1970s fusion (Miles Davis, Weather Report) and experimental jazz rather than programmed beats. It showed Jenkinson’s refusal to remain stylistically static.
Go Plastic (2001), is a highly synthetic, aggressive record using Yamaha’s RS7000 sequencer and software to push drum programming to machine-like extremes. The single “My Red Hot Car” became a cult hit; Ultravisitor (2004), is a complex double album blending live recordings, digital manipulation, IDM, noise, and jazz improvisation, testing the boundaries of the album format; Hello Everything (2006) is a more melodic and accessible project, incorporating warm synths and structured compositions; Solo Electric Bass 1 (2009) is a live album showcasing his extraordinary technical ability on the bass guitar, performed without overdubs.
Jenkinson explored multimedia and new performance technologies in Ufabulum (2012), a fully electronic album performed live with synchronized LED visuals and 3D mapped stage setups, emphasizing precision, speed, and visual spectacle; Damogen Furies (2015), recorded in real time using custom software he built himself, merging his virtuosic improvisation with digital manipulation. During this period he also worked on projects like Shobaleader One, a live band blending his electronic material with jazz-fusion performance, further blurring genre lines.
He collaborated with Aphex Twin, Amon Tobin, and Squarepusher × Z-Machines (2014), where he composed for a Japanese robotic band capable of playing at superhuman speeds. He influenced generations of producers in drum & bass, IDM, glitch, and electronic jazz fusion, including Venetian Snares, Flying Lotus, and many in the post-Warp experimental scene. His bass technique—using tapping, rapid arpeggios, and harmonics—is often compared to jazz virtuosos but applied to electronic contexts.