Four Tet - 0181 [LP download]

David Bowie, Justin Timberlake, Destiny’s Child: 2013 has been all about shock releases dropping out of nowhere so far. This morning, in keeping with the trend, Four Tet shared a new album entitled ‘0181’, a compilation of works produced between 1997’s ‘Dialogue’ album and 2001’s ‘Pause’. Four Tet, real name Kieran Hebden, began leaking the news by mysteriously tweeting “0181’ (which used to be the dialling code for Outer London, if you can remember that far back) yesterday evening. More social network activity this morning then clarified that an album release was imminent.

After a rapid first listen, ‘0181’ presents itself as a fragmented expansion upon the organic, freeform atmospheres of Hebden’s initial solo works – weaving jazz embellishments and tumbling breakbeat around passages of pure post-rock warmth. Sections emerge as tantalising glimpses into unfinished ideas, and ‘0181’, perhaps refreshingly, maintains them as half-formed experiments – flowing gradually between them. While Hebden has gone on to debatably become one of the most prominent producers of his generation, this release offers intriguing insight into the Four Tet project in its earlier stages of development and realisation.

You can stream and download ‘0181’ below right now, with a vinyl release expected on Hebden’s own Text label.