It's interesting to see that the same dilemma Tom Jenkinson had at the beginning of his career as Squarepusher is that which continues to detain him 12 years later. Namely, should this be techno? Or should it be jazz? Among his contemporaries on Warp records - most significantly the Aphex Twin and Autechre - Jenkinson's situation is unique. A virtuoso on the bass guitar, it's not uncommon for him to confound fans expecting a torrent of eye-watering drill'n'bass with a terrifying display of his jazz-fusion bass chops. On his latest album, Just A Souvenir, however, Squarepusher has come down on one side, with what is effectively a concept album about a live band. Duly consigning his more hectic processed beats to the background, the album provides a display of his instrumental virtuosity, while offering no hint of an end to the conundrum of his music-making.
• Corsica Studios, SE17, New Year's Eve
