MAYBE it's just a good antidote to all the rock revivalism going on at the moment, but Four Tet's low-key electronica is a breath of fresh air.
Not that it does anything spectacular, or spectacularly original, mind, but it's a very likeable record. Subtle melodies and slow-motion beats revolve and intertwine, and tracks evolve gracefully, mixing the warm tones of sampled acoustic instruments with the electronic loops. The closest reference would be Boards Of Canada, though there are hints of a less frantic DJ Shadow in the cut-up hip-hop rhythm track on Unspoken, while As Serious As Your Life resembles a vastly-stripped-down take on the Chemical Brothers at their Dig Your Own Hole creative peak. They've been opening for the electronica-indebted Radiohead on tour, but Four Tet's music is a ray of sunlight rather than the gathering stormclouds beloved of Thom Yorke and co.
Updated: 11:07 Thursday, June 26, 2003
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