|
By: Eric Liebetrau
On previous recordings like Rounds (2003) and Everything Ecstatic (2005), Kieran Hebden (aka Four Tet) has displayed a penchant for cutting and looping melodies from a variety of genres - most often jazz, soul and hip-hop - creating a pastiche effect that is usually greater than the sum of its parts. His approach on Ringer (Domino), a 30-minute, 4-track EP, seems a bit more straightforward, marked by fewer samples and a more contiguous delivery.
The title track opens with a bouncy electro figure, soon joined by a darker, circular pattern that continues throughout the track, which, at nearly ten minutes, is overlong by about three. There's very little in the way of a beat, and the pace doesn't pick up until the 8-minute mark, at which point a more organic drum beat joins the mix for a short period before the rhythm dissolves back into the hypnotic opening loop.
"Ribbons" employs a quiet, dull techno beat accented by an ascending synth-harp line conjured from the depths of some murky body of water. As a hi-hat and snare rhythm is added, Hebden chops the harp somewhat, and overlays a skittish melody that jumps across the other elements but doesn't overpower them. This balance reflects one of Hebden's greatest strengths: No matter the amount of aural clutter, everything is moderated at an appropriate level.
Unfortunately, "Swimmer" is the exception to the rule. The drone of the keyboard saturates the track, drowning out the thud of the low-end beat and the intriguing right-to-left swirl of the secondary snare rhythm. Extended to more than eight minutes, it serves as a drawn-out transition to the closer, "Wing Body Wing," which hesitates in the first two minutes before opening up to become the EP's sunniest track, a repetitive but pleasant electronic rendering of Afro-pop.
Ringer is not the best starting point for those unfamiliar with Four Tet, but longtime fans should appreciate a slightly new direction from Hebden and look forward to his next full-length work.
JamBase | Worldwide
Go See Live Music!
|
