Four Tet - 'Rounds' (Domino) Released 05/05/03

'Rounds' is Kieran Hebden third long playing outing as Four Tet, and he has assembled an intriguing collection of organic electronica. Opening track Hands starts with a pulsing heartbeat that slowly mutates into a free form soundscape of cymbals and chiming keyboards. Imagine collecting a host of electronic equipment and saying "right guys, let's play jazz!". That's what this album sounds like.

Although repetitive in nature, the melodies slowly emerge with repeated listens and perfectly complement the up front hip hop rhythms that abound. The recent single She Moves She is a perfect example, with folksy pizzicato strings leading the way only to be interrupted by dirty slabs of noise.

There is a strong folk influence throughout the tracks, with plenty of vaguely recognizable, messed about natural sounds to pick out of the mix. From the sped up mandolins to the squeaky toys, there is a seemingly never ending collection of sounds that only appear with repeated listening. The closing Slow Jam is like a recap of what has come before and demonstrates Four Tet perfectly as electronic music with real heart.