Known primarily for his blistering live hand percussion performances in a red Adidas tracksuit, Andy Ammo's sophomore album asserts that he's not just a cheerleading bongo jockey but, in fact, quite a delicate and sensitive soul who's ready to bear it all. While his debut Bored Ness was an eclectic homage to his 90's-era electronica influences, this release charts a more focused journey into the stylings of his Warp IDM idols, albeit leading with melody over aggressive production. OG Warp nerds may pick up on the cheeky title nomenclature, suggesting it's as much a love letter to Tom Jenkinson (aka Squarepusher) to whom he offers inspirational credit for both the melodies on offer here as well as his live hand percussion rhythms. But don't confuse this as a generic, we-have-90s-Warp-at-home knockoff, as the way he combines break-heavy synthesized production with organic, hand-performed instrumentation is as original as it is familiar and reverential. At times, it's also surprisingly catchy and earwormy, especially with the Postal Servicesque single frontrunner "Just Like I" featuring the haunting vocals of multi-talented musical iconoclast (and label boss) Justin Jay. And while this and many of the other tracks clock speeds in excess of 180 BPM, the juxtaposed melody and feels are soft and comforting, like a gourmet tootsie pop that, in the spirit of his influences, both challenges and rewards the listener.
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