The Essential… Four Tet


09: FOUR TET
RINGER EP
(DOMINO 12″, 2008)


‘Ribbons’

Some of Four Tet’s most satisfying work has occurred when he’s dropped the jazz-tinged breakbeats in further of more linear, techno-style structures. Take, for example, his positively glowing remix of Nathan Fake’s ‘You Are Here’ (the best Kompakt tune that never was), or the ‘minimal’ mix of his own DJ-Kicks cut, ‘Pockets’. Alas these moments were rare and invariably isolated. It was a very welcome surprise, then, when Domino released Ringer – initially as an anonymous white label – an EP comprising three (four on the CD and subsequent official 12″) unique 4/4 confections from the Hebden laboratory.

The title track, a stripped-down, bleepy take on cosmic disco, is just ravishing; ‘Ribbons’ is another melodic gem, this time on more of a techno tip, burbling like deep sea anemones (not that I have any idea what the hell kind of noise a deep sea anemone makes). ‘Wing Body Wing’ is a woodblock-heavy, percussive house track that sounds like a lost Villalobos production (topped with Border Community-style “trendy trance” arpeggios), while ‘Swimmer’ is a dronier piece more in line with regular Four Tet output. One way or another, this might just be Kieran Hebden’s finest ever 12′ release, consummately well-produced and inexhaustibly dense and mysterious.

Next page (10/10)

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 at 4:09 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

  • Simon

    no African Drug???

  • Egon

    Great stuff in there. The major omission for me is Happiness by Fridge. Sublime album. Sevens and Twelves is good enough – Anglepoised being the stand out track for me. Disagree on the Sun which I think is very weak. Amazing musician though who does not deviate from his vision.

  • nr

    his Late Night Tales mix from a few years back is rather good too, and notable for probably the best cover of Black Sabbath’s “iron man” i’ve heard anyway

  • Tom Lea

    Is it the Cardigans version? cos that’s brilliant.

  • Alphonse K Wimplemier

    His Dining Rooms remix should be considered as essential. Four Tet used the McDonald & Giles break for this before it’s re-appearance on Rounds.

  • http://nickaxel.net nick a

    no everything ecstatic. lol. ignoring the peak of his idm?

  • Beatmonkey

    Everything Ecstatic was hugely overshadowed by the glory of Rounds. And rightly so, it doesn’t hold a candle to it.

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