Review: Kieran Hebden, better known by his moniker Four Tet, has graced us with his first full-length album in nearly three years. "Three," released on his own Text Records imprint, is a meticulously crafted exploration of sound, weaving together elements of electronica, downtempo, and folktronica influences. The album strikes a balance between organic and electronic textures. Tracks like "Loved" showcase Hebden's signature ability to manipulate found sounds and samples, creating a shimmering sonic tapestry. "Gliding Through Everything" leans more towards the downtempo side, with its gentle piano chords and woozy atmosphere. However, Four Tet doesn't shy away from exploring the electronic realm. Tracks like "Daydream Repeat" feature driving uptempo rhythms intertwined with ethereal piano melodies, showcasing his talent for building tension and release. "Storm Crystals" injects a dose of ambient energy, while "Skater" leans into playful, almost chiptune-like melodies. The closing track, "Three Drums" (another pre-release single), brings back the energy with its pulsating bassline and infectious groove. Not to miss!
Review: Trip-hop/downtempo veterans The Deadbeats return with what by our reckoning is their sixth album, and their fifth on their own Space Hopper label. 'Butter Notes' opens with the Massive Attack-esque 'I Don't Believe' - all luxuriant strings and looping rap vocal snips - then moves on through six more slices of prime mid-paced chillage, blending influences from Balearica, broken beat, lo-fi hip-hop and funk before concluding with the suitably epic and expansive 'Am I Eternal'. If you've enjoyed any of their previous albums you're highly likely to enjoy this one as well, with the standout for this reviewer being 'Dark Forest', which adds some dubby flourishes to what it otherwise a fairly standardised blueprint. Still, if ain't broke, etc...
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