| Shobaleader One: d'Demonstrator | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 18 October 2010 (2010-10-18) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:39 | |||
| Label | Warp | |||
| Shobaleader One chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Squarepusher chronology | ||||
| ||||
Shobaleader One: d'Demonstrator (or simplyd'Demonstrator) is the first studio album by Shobaleader One, a five-member band founded bySquarepusher. The album was released on 18 October 2010 throughWarp Records. The album followed their first release, asingle titled "Cryptic Motion". The album takes inspiration from various genres, such aselectronic,rock, andR&B. It received mixed reviews from critics, from magazines likePitchfork andDrowned in Sound; some critics said it was accessible, and some found it disappointing. The album peaked at number 36 in theUK Dance Charts.
Squarepusher's previous studio album,Just a Souvenir (2008), was a recreation of one of his dreams where he sees a concert of a band in front of a huge, glowingclothes hanger,[1] which would inspire the creation of Shobaleader One.[2] The Shobaleader One members Strobe Nazard, Sten t'Mech, Arg Nution, and Company Laser mailed Squarepusher about forming a band. After being "impressed by their perseverance", Squarepusher met with the members of the band, and formed Shobaleader One.[3][4] The members of the band, except Squarepusher, had backgrounds inmetal and R&B.[3] Some critics have questioned if Shobaleader One is an actual band, rather than an alias of Squarepusher.[5][1]BBC Music attributed the doubt with Squarepusher's "refusal to name names".[1] The first release of the band was "Cryptic Motion", a single released on 30 August 2010 underEd Banger Records.[6]
Shobaleader One: d'Demonstrator has been described aselectronic,[7]electronic rock,R&B,electro,funk,[5] andIDM.[8] According toAllMusic, it is aconcept album.[5] Most tracks on the album have vocals, which are under avocoder,[2] and amidtempo beat.[5] The opener, "Plug Me In" has been described asslow jam andtechno,[9] composed with snares, acoustic guitars, and a jazz-likecadence and melody.[10] "Laser Rock" has alick that has beenbitcrushed, accompanied with synthesizers.[10] "Megazine" takes inspiration fromsynthpop, and includesdistorted bass anddrum machines.[2][10]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 60/100[11] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [5] |
| Drowned in Sound | 8/10[10] |
| The Independent | [9] |
| MusicOMH |  [2] |
| Pitchfork | 4/10[7] |
| PopMatters | 3/10[8] |
After being released on 18 October 2010 throughWarp,[12] the album received mixed reviews. According to the review aggregatorMetacritic,Shobaleader One: d'Demonstrator received "mixed or average reviews" based on aweighted average score of 60 out of 100 from 10 critic scores.[11]AllMusic writer John Bush said that "the album will have listeners thinking ofDaft Punk one minute and stark '80s television themes the next", and talked about the similarities of Shobaleader One to Daft Punk, an electronic music duo.[5] Writer Alex Denney forBBC Music said it "[e]motionally [is] a bit blank", though "certainly has its endearingly eccentric moments".[1] William Grant forDrowned in Sound said that it "[strikes] a finer balance between the accessible and the surreal than pretty much all of [Squarepusher]'s previous releases".[10]The Independent writer Andy Gill said that "[i]t starts out okay", but "[reached] an unbearable Gothick cacophony" near the album's end.[9] Ben Hogwood forMusicOMH said that it "adds up to a qualified success", though "there is an awful lot to take in".[2]Pitchfork writer Jess Harvell negatively criticised the album, and said that "Shobaleader One just sounds lifeless. There's little thrilling, or perverse, about it".[7] Jason Cook forPopMatters said that it "isn't fundamentally bad. There are playful bass lines, its never-ending vocal pieces sung through some vocoder and harominzed [sic], replete with the least interesting aesthetics that Daft Punk have wondrously given us thus far", and felt disappointed with the album.[8]
All tracks are written by Shobaleader One.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Plug Me In" | 4:49 |
| 2. | "Laser Rock" | 4:43 |
| 3. | "Into the Blue" | 4:46 |
| 4. | "Frisco Wave" | 3:45 |
| 5. | "Megazine" | 4:34 |
| 6. | "Abstract Lover" | 3:46 |
| 7. | "Endless Night" | 5:05 |
| 8. | "Cryptic Motion" | 6:13 |
| 9. | "Maximum Planck" | 6:58 |
| Total length: | 44:39 | |
Credits adapted from AllMusic.[5]
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Dance Albums (OCC)[13] | 36 |
