4treck - Je Me Promenade

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 25 / 4 / 2006

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Review

Sam Callow is a true master in slowing down the pace and under the intriguing moniker of 4tRECk - also rhymes with wreck I suppose - he has produced a gentle mystery of an album. 4tRECk now operates from Reims, but having gone astray by way of moving to Alsace-Lothar in France,this one-man outfit and London ex-Pat has always been inclined to move about. With a few vinyl singles and CDRs already under his belt, and speak of an album on Leicester's renowned Pickled Egg label, 'Je Me Promenade', his debut album, has finally seen the day of light. Sarcasm may not spring to mind whilst listening to this, 4tRECk's debut also for the French 'party ass' Partycul System Éditions. Yet one of the album's highlights for example; 'Socasam', can be pronounced as if there never was anything else but sarcasm. 4tRECk likes a bit of wordplay but always relates this to the mood that goes with the music. It's not even a tad bit tedious though, and I bet he's good at the crosswords in The Guardian or Independent too. 'Je Me Promenade' show cases a grand level in gorgeous, even when disharmonic, workouts on keyboard and percussion instruments.4tRECk's picking of the snares substitutes for the absence of vocals and is primarily used for a wonderful sense of melody. Decades ago he might have done 'musique concrète' or more recently he would volunteer for Mallard. The ease which this pastiche comes with is quite astounding. 4tRECk is one person; not several as you may have felt was the case. 4tRECk hasn't fallen for the muzak trap, unlike say Stereolab on their recent LPs, and has a good deal of piquancy. Jolly, and full of grace, 4tRECk's idiosyncrasy works around themes of waltzes, and of other dances that could be of Bohemian, Austrian, French or whatever origin. 'I Go Walkies', as the album title translates, is proportionally speaking, a mind-shattering experience. Callow tried his wit on punk tracks before, coming out with aloosely performed bonanza but there is little of that on 'Je Me Promenade'. The mayhem comes in the thought behind the recording.

Track Listing:-

1 FrogJig 4b
2 Socasam
3 Folk Sans Mettle Neuf
4 Pong Ping
5 Kitchinois
6 Le Sais Moi
7 Dusty Spring
8 Russians
9 Frankensinatra
10 Kamchatka The 2nd
11 Salsam
12 No No No No
13 Trop Court
14 Stic Vs Tric
15 4/97
16 Cadence
17 Je Me Promenade