"Editorial abstract illustration evoking the emotional arc of a song titled "Star Time" by Squarepusher. Dramatic quiet-to-loud arc, stormy climax. dense layered composition, atmospheric complexity. Mood: energetic, intense. Visual style: early-1990s alternative aesthetic, weathered film grain. Painterly, grainy film texture, muted palette with strategic accent colors. The composition should read left-to-right like a timeline — calm on one side, intensifying toward the other. Strictly no faces, no text, no logos, no literal objects, no band imagery. Pure color-field abstraction with emotional weight. 16:9 editorial format."
Real momentum, more energetic than 93% of our 19,209 measured songs — measures out best for party & hype.
170
BPM
Star Time by Squarepusher is 170 BPM — Vivace (lively).
Half-time 85 BPM · Double-time 340 BPM · released 1997
Fan image for "Star Time"
An abstract illustration of what this song feels like. Each image is built from a prompt — the text description fed to the image generator. Listeners submit their own prompts, upvote the ones that fit best, and the top-voted prompt drives the next regeneration. After 100 image votes, we make a new picture.
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Song DNA
Notes: The track features intricate electronic rhythms and a blend of jazzy elements, creating a vibrant yet chaotic auditory experience. Its fast tempo and sudden shifts can be overwhelming for sensitive listeners.
Misophonia Triggers
Recommended for: deep listening energy movement
A frenetic blend of electronic beats and jazz influences, 'Star Time' showcases Squarepusher's innovative approach to music production.
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The right gear changes everything.
Moods: energetic, intense
Traditions: electronic, jazz
Intense — what to expect
"Star Time" is in our intense band.
At least one of our five sensory dimensions crosses the threshold that means "this can be a lot." Most commonly: instrumental or complex texture, or a dynamic range of 8/10. The full breakdown is below. If you arrived here looking for a calmer alternative, our use-case verdicts section flags songs with similar mood but lower intensity.
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 8/10 is in the upper band of our library. This song has a significant quiet-to-loud arc. For sensory-sensitive listening, set the opening volume well below your comfortable top-end; the climax will land harder than the intro suggests.
Sudden changes: present. This song uses surprise as a feature. For focus or background listening, it's likely to pull your attention away; for active listening, that's often the point.
Texture: complex.
Predictability is low — this song does not follow standard verse-chorus form closely, and rewards active listening more than passive listening.
Vocal style: instrumental.
Where this sits in Squarepusher's catalog
We have 20 songs from Squarepusher in the library. Of those, 0 are rated Safe, 0 Moderate, and 20 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 8/10 sits at the artist average of 8.0, making it the #19 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.
Other tracks from Hard Normal Daddy
We have 13 songs from this album. Overall, the album leans intense in sensory profile.
- Tommib — intense DR 8
- Come On My Selector — intense DR 8
- Iambic 9 Poetry — intense DR 8
- My Red Hot Car — intense DR 8
- Beep Street — intense DR 8
- Squarepusher Theme — intense DR 8
- Port Rhombus — intense DR 8
- Vic Acid — intense DR 8
- Plaistow Flex Out — intense DR 8
- Strech — intense DR 8
- E8 Boogie — intense DR 8
- The Modern Bass Guitar — intense DR 8
1997 context
Released in 1997. We have 389 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.6/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 1990s.
Explore by mood and tradition
Guides that may help
low-intensity Workout Music: Energy Without Overwhelm
low-intensity Workout Music: Energy Without Overwhelm — A guide for sensory-sensitive listeners on m…
The Calmest Songs We’ve Ever Measured
Out of 19,144 songs scored for intensity, these measure as the very calmest — the gentlest, steadies…
Even Flow: Pearl Jam’s Song for the Man Everyone Walks Past
Even Flow is Pearl Jam at full throttle — and underneath the riff is a portrait of a homeless man an…
How fast is "Star Time"?
170 BPM — Very fast (intense cardio / drum and bass)
For running
Fast-pace running. Great for tempo runs and speed work.
For workouts
Sprint sets, fast-twitch training, max-effort bursts.
For daily life
Active tasks, getting pumped up, party, anything high-energy.
Browse more songs at 170 BPM.
When "Star Time" works, and when it doesn't
Use-case verdicts computed from the song's tempo, dynamics, and sensory profile.
✗
Focus / studying
No — too dynamic or too many surprises. Save for active listening.
✓
Running / workout
Yes — 170 BPM sits squarely in the running / cardio band. Matches natural stride cadence.
✗
Sleep / winding down
No — contains elements that will keep an awake nervous system engaged.
~
Driving / road trip
Maybe — the intensity / sudden changes are fine for solo highway driving but skip for city or rainy-weather driving.
✗
Cooking / dinner background
No — too active to function as background; will pull attention away from what you're doing.
✓
Emotional release / catharsis
Yes — this is a song for actively feeling what you came to feel, not for background.
Related reading
Editorial guides that cover this song's use cases, moods, or artist.
The 10 Calmest Albums Ever Recorded — A low-intensity Listening Guide
The 10 Calmest Albums Ever Recorded — A low-intensity Listening Guide — A guide for sensory-sensitive listeners on musiciwant.com
A Sensory Guide to Every Radiohead Album — From Safe to Intense
A Sensory Guide to Every Radiohead Album — From Safe to Intense — A guide for sensory-sensitive listeners on musiciwant.com
Classical Music for Sensory Sensitivity: What's Safe, What's Intense, and Why
Classical Music for Sensory Sensitivity: What's Safe, What's Intense, and Why — A guide for sensory-sensitive listeners on musiciwant.com
Why this rating
We rate this song Intense. Our rule is deliberately conservative: any one of high dynamic range, present sudden changes, harsh texture, or a strained/screamed vocal is enough to trigger Intense on its own. Full scoring rubric: methodology.
This song in the Music Studio
77/100 intensity
See how “Star Time” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.
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Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-16. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.
Think this rating is wrong? Contact the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.
By the numbers: how this song compares
Computed from this song’s place among the 19,209 songs we’ve measured.
Where it sits in 19,000 songs
This is one of the more intense things in our library — more energetic than 93% of the 19,209 songs we've measured. Its intensity reading of 77/100 comes from a dynamic range of 8/10, complex texture, frequent shifts, and instrumental. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.
What makes it unusual
What stands out most about this song is a fast, driving tempo: more extreme on that axis than 97% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on near-total stillness — steady volume, no surprises, a slow and unhurried pulse — the kind of track this one is the counterpoint to.
Feels almost identical to
Tommib — Squarepusher · 99%Iambic 9 Poetry — Squarepusher · 99%Beep Street — Squarepusher · 99%Squarepusher Theme — Squarepusher · 99%
Closest matches by feel across all 19,209 measured songs — not by genre or artist, by how they actually move.
What it’s good for
Sleep0/10
Focus3/10
Workout5/10
Dinner4/10
Party / hype8/10
Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.
1997 in context
The 389 songs we’ve measured from 1997 average a dynamic range of 6.6/10. At 8/10, this track is louder and more dynamic than its year.
Mixes smoothly with
Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.
The fingerprint
Intensity77
Dynamics78
Tempo72
Surprise75
Density60
Predictability100
Vocal force0
Trigger load38
The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.
Frequently asked about "Star Time"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the BPM of "Star Time" by Squarepusher?
"Star Time" by Squarepusher has a tempo of 170 BPM (Vivace (lively)). At half-time that is 85 BPM, and at double-time 340 BPM.
What is the sensory intensity of "Star Time" by Squarepusher?
"Star Time" by Squarepusher rates as Intense. Dynamic range 8/10, frequent sudden changes, complex texture, instrumental vocal style. Any one of high dynamic range, present sudden changes, or harsh texture triggers the Intense rating.
How loud is "Star Time" — what is its dynamic range?
"Star Time" has a dynamic range of 8/10. Substantial quiet-to-loud arc. Start at a volume well below your top-end; the climax will land harder than the intro suggests.
Does "Star Time" have sudden or surprising changes?
Yes. "Star Time" uses surprise as a compositional feature. Expect unsignaled transitions.
What is "Star Time" best for?
In our library "Star Time" is recommended for: deep listening, energy, movement. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "Star Time" released?
"Star Time" is from 1997, on the album "Hard Normal Daddy". It appears in our 1990s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "Star Time"?
We tag "Star Time" as energetic, intense. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "Star Time"?
The vocal style is instrumental.
Is "Star Time" good for running?
Yes — at 170 BPM it sits in the running-cadence band (120-180 BPM). Match your stride to the beat and it keeps pace with most recreational runners.
Is "Star Time" good for studying?
Only partially. The song's dynamic range (8/10) means there will be loud moments that break focus during deep work.
Can I use "Star Time" for sleep?
Not recommended for sleep. Too intense overall.
Should I listen to "Star Time"?
"Star Time" is Intense in our ratings — dramatic dynamics, possible sudden changes, or strong vocal or textural energy. Best with intention rather than ambient use. If you are sensory-sensitive, the alternatives section surfaces calmer songs in the same mood family.
Songs with the same DNA
complex texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.
Safer alternatives with a similar feel
These songs share similar moods but with a gentler sensory profile.
What this song means to people
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Where to next?
You know how this one feels — now go find the next one.