My introduction to London's Four Tet (Kieran Hebden) came in 2004, in the form of Radiohead's Com Lag EP. His remix of Hail To The Thief's "Scatterbrain" on said EP happened to have a glitch on most of the first edition of discs released by Capitol Records. Being a rabid Radiohead fan, I had pre-ordered the EP on Amazon and received one such disc. The glitch caused the track, at numerous points throughout the song, to screech out bloodcurdling feedback that ripped through my eardrums.
Needless to say, I haven't listened to that one much.
It wasn't until three years later, when Four Tet offered a lovely remix of The Eraser stand-out "Atoms for Peace" for Thom Yorke that I was able to really give this guy a fair chance. He managed to find the core of that song and expound upon it rhythmically, giving the tune something of an Afro-pop feel, without taking away from the atmosphere of the original.
My curiosity piqued, I got a copy of 2006's Rounds and checked out his original music. It didn't grab me - a little cold and mechanical for me at the time. His collab with Burial, "Moth", however, was a stand-out track last year and cemented him as someone to keep my eye on...
Recently, Four Tet offered a copy of his DJ mix at London venue Plastic People (download here) from a night in December last year. I gobbled it up a few weeks ago and since then, it's been in constant rotation on my iPod. To my delight, I found out that two of my favorite tracks from that mix were from an upcoming full-length - There is Love in You.
The album, released this past Tuesday, does not disappoint. Every track brings the warmth and focus I saw in his "Atoms for Peace" remix, with more emotion and sensitivity than in any of his previous original work. The entire album has a uniquely fuzzy glow.
"Angel Echoes" gets the four-to-the-floor party started right off the bat, using samples from what sounds like a '70s soul jam. "Love Cry" transports you completely to the center of the hottest club with the hottest sound system you've ever heard, in Ibiza - a near-perfect track. "Circling" scales it back a bit, sounding a little more contemplative than the two openers, giving the listener a chance to meditate in space. "Sing", which along with "Love Cry", was a highlight of the Plastic People mix, brings the party back with a playful Nintendo riff throughout coupled with a hot Latin beat. As with all the tracks here, layer upon rich layer is skillfully added to glorious effect - "Sing" is a triumph. Another shining example of the layering technique is the playfully titled "This Unfolds". The track hooks you with its Simple Things-era Zero 7 groove, before slowly morphing into a club-thumper, all the while retaining a gorgeous pop haze. "Reversing", thrusts you into space to once again to reflect on all the awesomeness you've just heard, then back to the club with "Plastic People", a dark and sexy dance-fest. To close, Kieran Hebden chooses the romantic and wistful "She Just Likes to Fight". The song feels like a resolution - a statement of peace, harmony, and love for artist and listener. It's a fitting ending to an emotionally varied journey through this stunning album.
Listen Below.
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