Forest Swords on ‘Fly Street’ from Budakhan Mindphone (1997)

I probably first listened to Squarepusher in my early 20s, at university. I was aware of the name but never really fully sat down and listened before, and so it took friends to physically put it on the stereo for me to properly engage with it, and it blew my head off as soon as I started digging into his catalogue. Since then I've followed his work closely and become a fan, and I love how he's relentlessly curious he seems to be.

I always have the Solo Electric Bass 1 album on my phone when I'm out playing festivals or on tour somewhere. It's one of my go-to records if I want to disconnect quickly. In a car, on a plane, staring at the ceiling. It's complex and brilliant but also sort of meditative because of the fact it's just a single instrument being played really well.

Budakhan Mindphone was really key in teaching me that electronic music can sound however you want it to and there's all sorts of materials you can pull from. I can't even describe this album: jazz, psychedelic, breakbeat, I've no idea. I like not being able to place how something was made, if it is a sample, even what instrument it is – that's definitely something I've carried forward in my own music. 'Fly Street' in particular I've been obsessed with since I heard it: I love how unforgiving it sounds and it constantly circles in on itself, like it might fall apart at any moment.

Photo by Dense Truth