FOUR TO THE FLOOR
For Kieren Hebden, dance is a ball of clay to be molded, mixed and mashed up as he sees fit. His stunning output as Four Tet should tell you as much: conceptual electronic themes sit comfortably beside jazz, folk and hip hop elements, making for highly ingenious and intelligent dance fare. Kieren’s diversification continues on There Is Love In You, on which he multiplies 4/4 with half-step to arrive at a shimmering sea of abstract electronica (“Love Cry”). We wasted no time in getting behind the man and his plan.

Where have you been since we last heard from you, Kieren?
I’ve been caught up with different projects and stuff. My first three records went by really quickly and I just wanted to collaborate with other people, like Steve Reid [legendary jazz drummer whose CV includes stints with Motown, Sun Ra and Miles Davies]. So I’ve been mainly busy with that and making music…

Did you manage to apply all that to There Is Love In You?
I think so, especially rhythmically. The drums have a different feel about them. It’s all very different to how I’ve done it in the past and the impact of it feels very different to me.

Your music also spans so many styles and genres – is it evolution or just different sides of you?
Well, it’s more a musical journey for me. I’ve got quite eclectic tastes and I always see links in music, so I’m always trying to learn more and get interested in different things. Each record is not another side project, but more a continuation for me.

Could you venture a description of your own music?
I always tell people it’s electronic music with live instruments… and I don’t sing or anything. It’s influenced by dance music and hip hop and stuff, but it’s more unusual than that.

Working by yourself, do you ever get stuck for inspiration?
Not really. I’ve always found it more freeing, as I have the ideas and time to make the music just by myself. I’ve always felt like that since I was a teenager and making music. The ideas were always there…

Read the rest of the interview in the February issue of JUICE, now out at these spots.

www.fourtet.net

Text: Min Chen
Interview courtesy of: Domino Records

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