Four Tet

It's been ten years since Four Tet (aka London, UK's Kieran Hebden) gave us Rounds, his emotive slice of crate-digging electronica and follow-up to the equally excellent Pause. Domino is commemorating the occasion with a reissue of the often melancholic, hip-hop-, folk- and jazz-infused masterpiece. Listening now to Rounds, you get a sense of just how much Hebden's music has evolved in the past decade away from the headphones and onto the dance floor, via a period of collaboration with late jazz drummer Steve Reid and a plethora of remixes. The vinyl and CD versions of this reissue present the original album, along with a second disc containing Live In Copenhagen 30th March 2004, previously released only as a limited edition CD-R. In a genre that moves so quickly, Rounds is an album that has withstood the test of time. The odd slightly dated track, such as "Spirit Fingers," is far outnumbered by the presence of classics such as sun-drenched opener "Hands," the upbeat "She Moves She" and the catchy-as-hell "As Serious As Your Life." While the live set may not be enough to justify a second purchase, if you somehow don't own Rounds already, this is an essential album for your collection.