In 2016, shortly after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, Tom Jenkinson released a plaintive protest song under his Squarepusher alias, titled “MIDI Sans Frontieres.” Though he’s better known for maximalist explosions of breakbeats, hyperactive acid synths and fusion-jazz frippery, the producer and multi-instrumentalist is also capable of moments of utter beauty, and this was one of them.
In addition to offering the song as a free download, he released sheet music and audio tracks for the piece, allowing other artists to create remixes and reworks that he then hosted on his website, in what he described as an “internationalist collaboration.”
It was a small but significant gesture for an artist who has typically been guarded — at least in newspaper interviews — about his opinions on non-musical topics.