It is time again to introduce you a musical masterpiece.
Today we dive into the world of one of my favorite producer Kieran Hebden aka Four Tet from London. An exceptional musician and sample specialist. His music is so buttery soft, emotional, yet powerful, that it feels partly like magic on some of his tracks.
Furthermore Four Tet is a top remixer in demand with more than 200 remixes in his inventory. He remixed alot of big names in the music industry from different genres such as Radiohead, Blog Party, Aphex Twin, Madvillian, FaltyDL, The XX, Apparatus, Atoms for Peace, Matthew Dear, Caribou, Nathan Fake, Eric Prydz, Steve Reich, Cold Play, Bonobo and so many more just to name a few.
I want to introduce his album “There Is Love in You” from 2009 today, because this is for me his best and most shining album. On the album are tracks great for playing out in a club and great songs to listen at home. It’s just a great mix of rhythm concentrated power and marvelous melodies. Since Four Tet music consists only of samples, partially only millisecond sample shreds, his music sounds analog, very warm and pleasant.
The opening track on the side A1 “Angel Echoes” even the name says everything. As angels would sing. From 10 different vowel samples together quantitative shot tert scraps and samples played backwards Kieran has tinkered his own magical melody. These are master skills and Kieran Hebden can treat samples like no other out there. For all producers, there is a video of Future Music, where Four Tet shows his tricks and techniques. And also shows some basic stuff why his tracks sound so fantastic, I highly recommend it to every producder:
Four Tet in the studio with Future Music
The Album continues with A2 “Love Cry” an incredible song that begins very smooth and mellow. But ignites to a breakbeat thunderstorm with legendary drums, pads, guitar samples and a hypontizing vocal sample.
The whole album is a masterpiece, the easiest way is, you listen to it yourself. The penultimate track on the album called D1 “Plastic People” is even featured on my favorite Home Listening songs ever. In January 2016 I was asked by the infamous DMC World Magazine to share my favorite tracks and records that I like to listen to at home. If you think that is interesting you can see it here, including my song description and Youtube links to the 10 tremendous tracks:
After hours home grooving with Martin Lewis
Back to topic, Four Tet album “There is Love In You” is on vinyl sold out for some years. Funnily enough, the record company “Domino” decided the album should be repressed. So the double LP will be available again soon.
Furthermore Four Tet occasionally plays live sets. By his used techniques and his live equipment, his songs sound different every time he performs his magical set. Only the characteristic features and main melodies of his tracks still remember to the original song when he performs his live versions. The rest will be recorded live by live sampling, live sample manipulation with various analog devices. As host Kieran Hebden uses Ableton on his windows laptop. However, he still has a second small laptop in use where the sample software Cool Edit Pro is running. From Cool Edit Pro he samples live and sents those samples to a BOSS SP-303.
Here are a live version of Kieran Hebden’s song “Sing”:
Link to Discogs:
https://www.discogs.com/Four-Tet-There-Is-Love-In-You/master/220989
You can buy the album on Vinyl, CD or Mp3 here:
Buy Four Tet – There Is Love In You
What’s your favorite track or favorite album by Four Tet?
Let me know in the comments, I’m curious.