From The Milk Factory:
From his critically-acclaimed, yet timid debut as a side solo project from avant-rock outfit Fridge to his last album ranking as one of the seminal electronic records of this decade, Four Tet has become one of the most recognised names around, reaching far beyond the usual realms of electronic music. In just three albums, he has defined his own recognisable sound, rooted in psychedelic rock, spiritual jazz and contemporary dance music, and spurted hordes of followers.
Hebden’s first solo album, Dialogue, released in 1999, came on the back of his epic debut single Thirtysixtwentyfive, and began to establish his blend of jazz and acoustic-infused electronica, generating cult following. His second opus, Pause, released a couple of years later, consolidated his sound while hinting at far greater things as he seriously expanded his sonic scope and potential. With his solo project becoming more and more prominent, Hebden found himself very much in demand and embarked on a punishing schedule of live appearances at festivals and venues all over the world, while also regularly deejaying. His third album, Rounds, finished establishing him once and for all as one of the influential musicians.
Everything Ecstatic is in many ways a very different record from its predecessors. Right from its title to the bright colours adorning its front cover and the music featured, this fourth album radiates with joy and enthusiasm. If Hebden remains close to the sound that got him where he is, he also explores a whole new range of ambiences and sounds, embracing the dance floor as his terrain of predilection and once again bringing a far more extensive range to the table. From the opening moment of the aptly titled A Joy to the end of You Were There With Me, shreds of free jazz, rock and funk relentlessly poor onto the listener. Comfortably establishing his ground on the opening track, Hebden rapidly changes direction with Smile Around The Face. Using a surprisingly straightforward drumbeat as basis, he introduces a quirky melody, which is then left wandering around while he is busy layering more complex drum patterns in the background. Although instantly recognisable as vintage Four Tet, this takes the listener into rather unusual territory. Sleep, Eat Food, Have Visions follows a similar principal later on, but once again, the backdrop is totally unusual. Firmly asserting the dance floor ascendance of this record, Hebden indulges in an acid squelch-infested sonic bath before adopting a more hypnotic tone for the second half as he appears to be revisiting most of the indie-dance of the early nineties.
Elsewhere, Hebden appears to stick closer to his earlier sound, as on Sun Drums & Soil or the ephemeral Clouding, over which the shadow of Alice Coltrane in particular appears to stop for a bit, yet here again, Hebden is seen frantically refining his sound, tidying up his beats and reinforcing his soundscapes and atmospheric constructions, even daring a touch of melancholy on the superb And Then Patterns, without disturbing in any way the dynamics of this record.
Despite its apparent upbeat attires, Everything Ecstatic is something of a surprising slow burner, revealing more of its contrasted geography with each listen. So detailed and precise is the music on this album that it takes a while to absorb its full impact. Here, Hebden affirms with aplomb his musical identity and redefines once again the Four Tet sound, keeping well ahead of the competition.
Tracklist
- A joy 3:07
- Smile around the face 4:30
- Fuji check 0:23
- Sun drums and soil 6:14
- Clouding 1:43
- And then patterns 4:42
- High fives 5:06
- Turtle turtle up 2:09
- Sleep, eat food, have visions 7:43
- You were there with me 5:52
