The son of a jazz drummer, Jenkinson grew up listening to greats such as Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and Art Blakey, plus dub pioneers King Tubby and Augustus Pablo. He played bass and drums in high school but was frustrated by the limitations of playing with other musicians. Introduced to electronic music through experimental electro-techno artists such as LFO and Carl Craig as well as the local rave scene, Jenkinson soon began assembling these disparate influences into an amalgam of post-bop, avant-garde and progressive jazz with breakbeat techno, making heavy use of the Amen break.
Conumber E:P and another early EP, as Duke Of Haringey, Alroy Road Tracks (1995, Spymania), were initially disregarded as misplaced perversions of jungle's more obvious compositional principles. However, they found a ready audience in fans of post-acid house experimental listening music. Tracks from these EPs were later compiled onto the album Burningn'n tree.
His first album, Feed Me Weird Things (1996, Rephlex - Richard D. James' label) and from there he progressed to Warp Records for the Port Rhombus EP, classic second album Hard Normal Daddy (1997) and all subsequent releases to date - except, as Chaos A.D., an album of old acid techno tracks, Buzz Caner (1998, Rephlex).
For Music Is Rotted One Note (1998), he stopped using sampled drum breaks and instead multi-tracked himself playing drums, bass, and keyboards. The following year, he released two EPs: Budakhan Mindphone and Maximum Priest, plus album Selection Sixteen.
Go Plastic (summer 2001), marked a change of direction with entirely sampled and synthesized sounds. It includes the closest thing to a hit single Squarepusher had seen, "My Red Hot Car". His subsequent releases, e.g. Do You Know Squarepusher (2003) and Ultravisitor (2004), found him refining his fusion of composition, programming and musicianship.
More recently, Just A Souvenir (2008), with a more rock-influenced sound, was followed by Solo Electric Bass (2009), consisting of live recordings of Jenkinson on the titular instrument.
50 Cycles
Squarepusher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
?? dust puppy
respected, respect fo' respect
???? dead body ???? always mom visitors
--chorus
2 points dragging assistance tray
patentio meter inventions
2 points dragging assistance tray
high tension phase, train twice a day
patentio meter inventions
--glitched
semi seti shell shock bout conflict control
face velocity rebels
??pasaryanadabags??
magnetic thrust like circular round histerinometery
eyes pulled back now comprise of radiation
??
subatomic
dust collect across open faces
--chorus
2 points dragging assistance tray
high tension phase, train twice a day
patentio meter inventions
2 points dragging assistance tray
high tension phase, train twice a day
patentio meter inventions
--glitched
optic curves
??? ??? hydro energy
??
conflict for air
??
--bridge
tranformed in a circle, so fast to deny names
a timeless ally in flight
beyond linear noise correction
tranformed in a circle, so fast to deny names
a timeless ally in flight
beyond linear noise correction
--solo(?)
now rearranged into plastic membaranes
tied away so strange by digital forces
trained to remove optic nerve from brain tumors
shouting the vacuum
illness is erased
and re-engaged
in a conflict outside the body
raised copies of the mind logistic rumours
intern standpoint subversed into main location gain extreme
reversal
subsequent immersal
in lost transients
--bridge
force towards absolute zero point
strange reactive force eminates light speed
x formats reality imbrasion
force towards absolute zero point
strange reactive force eminates light speed
x formats reality imbrasion
--chorus
2 points dragging assistance tray
high tension phase, train twice a day
patentio meter inventions
Squarepusher's song "50 Cycles" is a complex and abstract piece that delves into themes of technology, innovation, and science. The song's lyrics are fragmented and cryptic, with references to pseudoscientific terms and theories. The opening lines read, "all great praise, eventually ice, dust puppy, respected, respect fo' respect, dead body, always mom visitors," which could be interpreted as a commentary on the fleeting nature of success and the inevitability of death.
The chorus of the song features the lines "2 points dragging assistance tray, high tension phase, train twice a day, patentio meter inventions," which could be a reference to the intense and repetitive nature of scientific research and innovation. The glitched verses that follow are jumbled and chaotic, with references to magnetic thrust and subatomic particles. The bridge section features the lines "tranformed in a circle, so fast to deny names, a timeless ally in flight, beyond linear noise correction," which could be interpreted as a commentary on the dizzying pace of technological progress.
The song's final solo section features the lines "now rearranged into plastic membaranes, tied away so strange by digital forces, trained to remove optic nerve from brain tumors, shouting the vacuum," which are surreal and unsettling. The lyrics seem to suggest a merging of human and machine, with the removal of the optic nerve implying a loss of individual identity. Overall, "50 Cycles" is a dense and thought-provoking song that leaves much to interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
all great praise, eventually ice
Eventually, all great praise will be forgotten and become cold, distant memories.
?? dust puppy
This line is nonsensical and cannot be reworded.
respected, respect fo' respect
To receive respect, one must also give respect to others.
???? dead body ???? always mom visitors
This line is nonsensical and cannot be reworded.
--chorus
This line is a chorus and repeats throughout the song, serving as a refrain.
2 points dragging assistance tray
Carrying a heavy load with only two points of contact, like dragging an assistance tray, can be difficult.
high tension phase, train twice a day
Living in a state of high tension, like someone who commutes on a train twice a day, can be mentally and emotionally exhausting.
patentio meter inventions
Inventions that measure tension or stress, such as a patentiometer, can be helpful in understanding and managing these feelings.
--glitched
This line indicates a shift in the music, often accompanied by electronic distortion or static.
semi seti shell shock bout conflict control
Experiencing a shell shock-like feeling about trying to control conflicts or manage difficult situations.
face velocity rebels
Rebels or revolutionaries moving quickly and with determination.
??pasaryanadabags??
This line is nonsensical and cannot be reworded.
magnetic thrust like circular round histerinometery
A magnetic force propelling things in a circular motion, like something being magnetically propelled around a hysteresis loop.
eyes pulled back now comprise of radiation
Having eyes that look sunken due to the effects of radiation exposure.
??
This line is nonsensical and cannot be reworded.
subatomic
Relating to particles or systems smaller than atoms.
dust collect across open faces
Dust and debris accumulating on and around open or exposed surfaces.
--bridge
This line indicates a bridge section of the song, often featuring a change in tone, melody, or instrumentation.
tranformed in a circle, so fast to deny names
Transforming or changing rapidly and repeatedly, so much so that names or labels no longer apply.
a timeless ally in flight
A companion or ally that is always present, even during times of change or turbulence.
beyond linear noise correction
Going beyond simple noise reduction techniques, such as linear filtering, in order to achieve a higher quality or more accurate sound.
--solo(?)
This line indicates a solo section of the song, often featuring extended instrumental or vocal improvisation.
now rearranged into plastic membaranes
Being physically or mentally transformed or re-organized into a more artificial or artificial-like state.
tied away so strange by digital forces
Being constrained or limited in a strange or unexpected way by digital technologies or computer programs.
trained to remove optic nerve from brain tumors
Having specialized knowledge or training in removing the optic nerve from brain tumors.
shouting the vacuum
Making a lot of noise in a space that is empty or devoid of meaning.
illness is erased
Disease or illness is removed or eliminated.
and re-engaged
Re-entered or taken up again after a period of absence or inactivity.
in a conflict outside the body
Experiencing or being engaged in a conflict or struggle that is external to oneself or beyond one's control.
raised copies of the mind logistic rumours
Speculating or creating copies of the mind or thought processes that are based on complex logistical theories or systems.
intern standpoint subversed into main location gain extreme
Changing or subverting one's internal perspective in order to gain a broader and more extreme understanding of a particular location or situation.
reversal
Turning something upside down or reversing its direction or meaning.
subsequent immersal
Being fully immersed or absorbed in something that follows or comes after something else.
in lost transients
In a state of being lost or drifting transiently or without direction or purpose.
force towards absolute zero point
Using force or effort to move towards a state of absolute zero, or the coldest possible temperature.
strange reactive force eminates light speed
A strange and unexpected type of reactive force that moves at the speed of light.
x formats reality imbrasion
A process or method of formatting or structuring reality that causes roughness or abrasion.
Lyrics © WARP MUSIC LIMITED, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LYNN AHRENS, STEPHEN FLAHERTY, TOM JENKINSON, DAVID NEWMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stjepan _
I still haven't heard a track with beats which is as nearly layered and complex as 50 Cycles
From SoundOnSound interview:
"Jenkinson: "The track '50 Cycles' on Ultravisitor is a monster that took me a month to make. I used the Vegas software, made by Sonic Foundry at the time, to assemble literally thousands of edited pieces of audio, and it became something of monstrous complexity. I wanted cutting‑edge digital signal processing and I wanted the most awkward, difficult, angular sounds."
Curtisunit
What kills me every time I hear this is how that first droning oboe is revisited later in the piece. The build to that moment where the speaking voice simply 'gives out' and that rhythm motif drops around that creepy drone is so damn ominous. Great composition.
thedogisclosed
There is no electronic piece which blows my mind like this. All the different layers, breaks and build ups.. absolutely amazing. On some points it sounds almost like an atonal classical piece.
aikighost
Its my favourite squarpusher track of all time, so layered.
Trzk
The entire Ultravisitor album is a gorgeous slur melodies, techniques, various genres and passion all put together by a man who's only reason on this planet is to create this symbiotic music. BUT, this song takes the cake for being the greatest, as for it represents all that can be done. It be idiotic to go against this belief.
aikighost
My favourite Squarepusher track by a country mile. Electronic jazz at its finest.
mickjc75
As random as it sounds, there is still a steady beat ti it. If you make a conscious effort to listen to every sound played in the track, the instant you hear anything it tears your attention away to something else. It's an awesome experience.
Morgan Dunn
I have always been amazed by this song. I’ve written a lot of electronic music, I’ve listened to all kinds of music, but this track always leaves me wondering “What is this? Where did it come from? Is the musician trying to communicate something?” I especially like the more repetitious part that starts around 6:25. It’s amazing.
I have a question for the person who posted the song. What is the accompanying image?
Skinny E Media
The ultimate record. Very jazzy, sinister opening moment in the song with the jazz guitar.
John Hall
Yeah, it’s a masterpiece what else can you say about it.