Four Tet - Remixes

  by Benjamin Howarth

published: 3 / 10 / 2006

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At the turn of the decade, there were few things more hip than electronic music. Warp Records was the name to drop, with its anti-hero Aphex Twin leading the charge, followed by Boards of Canada, Squarepusher, Autechre and Pole. When this music became a major influence on one of the most anticipated albums in years - Radiohead’s stunning ‘Kid A’ - it seemed that electronica/brain dance/glitch or whatever you felt like calling it was going to become a central fixture of the music scene. But like post-rock, the other feted genre of that period, its intellectualism and lack of diversity meant that the audience hasn’t been as keen to come back for repeat doses. When Four Tet’s first album, ‘Dialogue‘, was released in 1999 it was one of many names edging its way onto the electronica scene. At that stage, the smart money for grabbing the limelight was on Kid 606 and Bogdan Raczinski. But though Four Tet’s music was less startling it has endured far better than that of its competitors. 2001's ‘Pause’ was an even better album, and showed Four Tet at is most listener friendly. This album was repeatedly described as "folktronica", a tag that has been hard to shake, despite the release in 2003 of ’Rounds’, probably the most enjoyable Four Tet album of all, where the music seemed to reach the blissful state previous work had suggested was possible. At this point, comparisons with other electronica acts started to become irrelevant. Four Tet had found a unique sound. Unlike other electronica acts, Four Tet tracks never seems to be looking at themselves. Even at their most experimental, the listener seems to be accounted for. Before making solo albums as Four Tet, Kieran Hebdon made a number of albums with Fridge. Here, I think, lies the key to his appeal. He isn’t simply interested in exploring the possibilities of electronic sounds, as too many seem to limit themselves too, but works in a broad pallette of popular music. He demonstated this when he effortlessly segued hip-hop rhythms into his sound on his most recent album, last year's ‘Everything Ecstatic’. This trait is demonstrated further on this latest release, a compilation of the best of his remix work. It is remarkable how well Hebdon’s style translates into different artists. He gives the cold harsh electronica of the two Warp artists a warm sheen, without detracting from the original purpose of the music. His remix of Pole’s ‘Heim’ is especially good, as a layer of loud beats contrasts nicely with bells and piano. But Hebdon can also dramatically re-arrange a track, if necessary. After starting with thirteen seconds of silence, Hebdon’s builds up Bloc Party’s ‘So Here We Are’ piece by piece. So, where once we had a radio friendly pop song, (worthy of soundtracking the BBC’s coverage of the Wimbledon fortnight), now what we can hear is the tension and drama at the core of Bloc Party’s music. The result is simply outstanding. Remix albums are rarely anything more than filler. Indeed, since Kieran Hebden has spent this year concentrating on his two 'Exchange Collection' collaborations with drummer Steve Reid, one might argue that it is only out to fill a gap in the release schedules. But never mind, because there are some incredible tracks present,and many would have easily been good enough to appear on a ’real’ Four Tet album. But, with the superb voices of Thom Yorke and Beth Orton, and then the peerless rapping of Madlib, there is more diversity than usual. ’Remixes’ is no waste of energy. It is a fabulous piece of work, and reminds us why Kieran Hebdon is such a vital talent.

Track Listing:-

1 Lars Horntveth- Tics (Four Tet Remix)
2 Radiohead- Skttrbrain (Four Tet Remix)
3 Madvillain- Money Folder (Four Tet Remix)
4 His Name Is Alive- One Year (Four Tet Remix)
5 Sia- Breathe Me (Four Tet Remix)
6 Aphex Twin- Untitled (SAW2 CD1 Track1) (Four Tet Remix)
7 Madvillain- Great Day (Four Tet Remix)
8 Bonobo- Pick Up (Four Tet Remix)
9 Rothko- Roads Become Rivers (Rivers Become Oceans - Four Tet Remix)
10 Beth Orton- Carmella (Four Tet Remix)
11 Bloc Party- So Here We Are (Four Tet Remix)
12 Pole Heim- (Four Tet Remix)
13 Four Tet- A Joy
14 Four Tet- As Serious As Your Life (Jay Dee Remix)
15 Four Tet- Hilarious Movie Of The 90s (Manitoba Remix)
16 Four Tet- Hilarious Movie Of The 90s (Koushik's Funny Flic)
17 Four Tet- A Joy (Remix)
18 Four Tet- My Angel Rocks Back And Forth (Icarus Remix)
19 Four Tet- A Joy (Battles Remix)
20 Four Tet- As Serious As Your Life (Remix)
21 Four Tet- A Joy (Koushik's Quick Mix)
22 Four Tet- Sun Drums And Soil (Sa-Ra Creative Partners Remix)
23 Four Tet- First Thing/Chia (Isambard Khroustaliov Remix)
24 Four Tet- No More Mosquitoes (Boom Bip Remix)

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