Four Tet Everything Ecstatic Domino Release Date: 23 May 2005
It’s not easy to define Four Tet’s ‘Everything Ecstatic’.Labelled as one of the most prominent ‘folktronica’ artists, Kieran Hebden’s fourth album is capable to fill minds with doubts. Acoustic guitar licks with electro beats? That’s how music from genre-pioneers like Manitoba has been described. But, maybe as a reaction to pigeonholing attempts from the outside world, Four Tet has finally decided to expand his horizons by producing an album beyond any classification. Among the best tracks shine ‘Sun, Drums and Soil’, a free-jazz-meets-tribal-
drums odyssey blessed with live percussions and delicate keyboard riffs, and first single ‘Smile Around The Face’, a brief encounter between techno vibes, high-pitched vocals (quite remarkable for an almost entirely instrumental album) and disco beats. Needless to say, the tracks’ grand finale of wind chimes and ethnic beats makes a great impact. This is a sunny yet complex record, infused with ambient sounds and free-form art. Just look at the cover and be inspired.
