Firstly, I want to say Squarepusher has put some guitar only tracks in this album for some reason. For me it seems a bit out of place, and while it’s not bad, it’s not what I’m looking for when I play a Squarepusher record. These tracks are entitled Arkteon 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
Enbounce is the first track that really shines. It builds up both fast yet is weirdly relaxed. An acid synth kicks in, further heightening the suspense, reminiscent of something Ceephax Acid Crew would use. A rolling bass drum adds urgency yet the track lacks a noticeable drop.
Wendorian continues the fast-paced action, with a trippy synth and lush drums. Towards the end of the song things get very tumultuous indeed, a true sonic pleasure for those who enjoy messed up, interweaving sounds.
Duneray has drum n bass roots.
Kronmec is contemplative, yet one of the electronic songs (as opposed to the guitarish ones) and it seems to hit what the guitar songs were aiming for. Smooth strings give it a distinctly orchestral feel yet the 303 is as funky as any squarepusher song. It feels like this song is what the album was aiming for.
The first note of Holorform is a sick, imposing synth. The track seems to attempt merging the guitar-only tracks with an electronic sound, but then rapidly goes back to pure electronic. However it turns out the guitar is retained and the parts featuring it are quite pleasing.
Akkranen is my favourite track on the album. Chill, sonically interesting, and with a fat pad to smooth things out, this track is the perfect blend of classic and novel Squarepusher, crescendoing into Venetian Snares-esque chaos.
Stromcor has a nice reverb and is a fun track. Squarepusher likes to slap the bass.
Domelash is a very fun heavy-paced track with a wide soundstage.
Heliobat is an orchestral track.
Overall the electronic tracks are good, though a few are similar in terms of instrumentation. But you can’t go wrong with the classic Squarepusher sound. I recommend this album, but you might want to skip the guitar-only tracks, unless you’re into that. One of his best.