Four Tet – There Is Love In You

by Rick on February 2nd, 2010

Four Tet – There Is Love In You
January 25th, 2010
Domino Records
Score: 7.5

Sometimes when we’re fed up with the daily routine, we desire an escape from life. For some this involves hitting up the bars, others like to catch a movie, or perhaps a brief walk through the neighbourhood suffices. Maybe it’s at night, and maybe you long for the peaceful satisfaction of being alone, having no one to impress. Independence can be fulfilling; no manager spouting off orders, no bus driver taking you where you need to go, just your two feet on the ground. That feeling of power is often enough incentive to wander aimlessly through the streets without a purpose, and Kieran Hebden has offered an impressive soundtrack for such endeavours, proving that sometimes the journey itself can act as the destination.

Everyone likes a good beat, and that’s what makes There Is Love In You so immediately engaging. Hebden’s latest effort is his poppiest, and while it isn’t quite dance floor material, it can provide a perfect atmosphere for the peaceful, late-night walk home from the club. Muted beats thump in and out through distorted female vocals, blending to produce a perpetually soothing result. This charming aesthetic success was delivered through catchy beats and repetition, two resources that this record may be just a little too comfortable with using.

The first time you hear this album, you may be mildly disappointed. You may hear safe drum beats and the predictable “add a layer” structure to the pieces. You may hear harmless synth melodies and tiresomely repetitive tracks. And while all of these qualities are indeed present throughout the record, a closer inspection will show that Hebden is as meticulous as ever. During a second spin, you might notice those warped vocals in the opener are actually urgently shouting “There is love in you”, or perhaps that they can be faintly heard during the introduction, becoming increasingly louder as desperation ensues. Maybe that’s when you’ll realize you are starting to admire Tet’s latest outing and that those recurring rhythms and melodies provide a worthy backdrop for true expression.

The beautifully corrupted crooning is fairly prominent in the opening two tracks ‘Angel Echoes’ and ‘Love Cry’, which also happen to be the standouts. An added level of density can do wonders for a Hebden creation (i.e. Rounds), which is why it was disappointing to discover that those vocals are nearly non-existent for the remainder of the record. This deficiency makes the album feel somewhat underwhelming, especially with tedious numbers like ‘Circling’ and ‘Reversing’, where it’s nearly impossible to find anything to cling to. However, though the album may not be quite as conclusive as one would like, redemption is found in the sheer diversity in sound that ranges from a delightful Super-Mario-nabbing techno jam to the almost exclusively acoustic closer.

Hebden said that this time around, he wanted to make an album with a purpose. For his fifth proper LP, he wanted to create an album experience. He wanted to flesh out those moments of bliss, those moments that assure us that there is love inside. He succeeds at this goal in an almost effortless fashion, making it hard to care that he played it a little safe. This record has plenty of variety as he takes us swaggering across dimly lit city streets. Stop lights are changing colours, cars are sweeping by, apartment buildings tower above you, and pedestrians are glancing as you pass. “One foot in front of the other”, you tell yourself. The destination may not always be clear, but something inside promises us that it’s always there.

Rick Southwick

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