Squarepusher presents Shobaleader One

Shobaleader One is a new side-project for the ever-eccentric Tom Jenkinson, who turns away from album-length, solo bass journeys and electronic fusion-jazz hybrids he's been working on for the past few years, instead trying his hand at making a Daft Punk album. Shobaleader One is filled with vocodered vocals, soft-core nu-electro beats and pop hooks. Intro track "Plug Me In" sounds like it could have been lifted from Air's Moon Safari, and what follows is a strange ode to all manner of French Touch, pulling in characteristics of Sebastien Tellier, Kavinsky and a whole roster of French electronic pop to turn in what ― one assumes ― is a concept album, or another one of Jenkinson's tongue-in-cheek experiments. Is it any good? Well, if you're a Squarepusher fan, you might not think so. But if you're a French Touch fan, then d'Demonstrateur is definitely worth a listen.