Four Tet & Nathan Fake – Tufnell Park Dome, London – 12/2/10
4/5
By: Roxy Fisher
A poorly Joy Orbison is sadly absent tonight, replaced by Norfolk’s answer to progressive techno, Nathan Fake. After skirting around the edges of electronic transcendence for a few years and having released a couple of albums and 7’’s with label Border Community, Fake is about to take on an official supporting role with Four Tet in North America from mid February. He lifts the spirits of an Orbison-withdrawn crowd with the quivering-synths and slightly unruly rhythms of his 2009 LP Hard Islands warming up a particularly open-minded room on a freezing Friday night.
Taking centre stage next (literally on a platform in the middle of the floor), Four Tet goes all out for his final London headliner this winter. Early on the crowd is nodding like the Churchill Dog to the building genius of ‘Love Cry’, accompanied by silhouetted dancers doing the neon hula-hoop at the back of the room. Pushing further into the dense crowd we can really appreciate the visual set-up. Moody lights and Kieran being surrounded by hanging blue spheres gives the impression he’s working within an orbit all of his own.
Regular cheers of recognition rise up and after about half an hour even the most reserved and sober are dancing. We even think we spot Julian Barratt of Mighty Boosh fame in the crowd, but don’t quote us on that!
The experimental and less accessible side of Four Tet’s folktronica seems to deflate a few less assiduous revellers from time to time but ultimately Kieran’s music is for the electronic connoisseurs and will apologise to no one. You get what you’re given and if you’re willing to recognise his genius, you will be rewarded.
Artists in this article: Four Tet, Nathan Fake
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