Electronica and I have had a love/hate relationship, tilted more towards the latter, ever since I saw Tangerine Dream in concert in the 70s. I shun the vapidity of club music and therefore rarely buy electronic artists, but every few months I’m drawn to try my luck once more. I was told Radiohead cited Four Tet – the bank moniker of Kieran Hebden – as an influence, and I’d listened to an older release, so the rave reviews for this artist’s seventh album unlocked my wallet.
There Is Love in You is tinkly, syncopated, almost ambient music that could be found in a club lounge but is also more interesting than that. Like my heroes Tangerine Dream and Can, Four Tet builds up slowly varying tapestries of rhythm and melody. Tracks that I keep playing while working include the loping, eclectic drum-anchored ‘This Unfolds’; ‘Circling’, which does just that with a simple piano melody; ‘Plastic People’ which layers lovely snippets over a pleasing beat and quiet melody; and the treated female vocals holding up ‘Angel Echoes’.
Imaginative and sonically lovely. 3 stars.