| Three | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 15 March 2024 (2024-03-15) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:50 | |||
| Label | Text | |||
| Producer | Kieran Hebden | |||
| Four Tet chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Three | ||||
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Three is the twelfth studio album by British electronic musician Four Tet. It was released on 15 March 2024 through Text Records, and had three singles. Hebden collaborated with other musicians before the release of Three. The album is electronica, and takes inspiration from multiple genres. The album received positive reviews from critics and was featured in a year-end list from AllMusic. It charted number one in the UK Dance Albums, number 66 in the UK overall, and number 187 in Belgium.
Background and release
After the release of two solo albums in 2020, the musician collaborated with other artists, including Madlib, Skrillex and Fred Again, and finished a legal battle with the Domino Recording Company.[1] Returning to solo endeavours, Hebden released the lead single "Three Drums" on 27 April 2023.[2] The opening track "Loved" was released on 10 January 2024.[3]
Hebden announced Three on 14 February, and released "Daydream Repeat".[4] Three was released on 15 March through Text Records, Hebden's label.[1] The album artwork was designed by Jason Evans and Matthew Cooper.[5] In promotion of the record, Hebden hosted the "Four Tet & Friends" event in New York on 4–5 May with performances from Floating Points, Ben UFO, and others.[6]
Composition
Three is house, downtempo, and electronica.[7] The album uses many tempos, and keeps a "similarly ruminative mood".[8] The opening track "Loved" features a breakbeat with "sun-seeking tendrils of synth",[8] and contains elements from hip-hop.[9] It utilises shakers, vinyl crackle, and white noise. The track ends with a "gentle ambient outro".[8] The track was produced with a synthesiser gifted by collaborators Floating Points and Dan Snaith.[7] "Gliding Through Everything" contains "glittering ambience",[9] and uses bells and chimes.[8] "Storm Crystals" has a slowed-down breakbeat and a synth for the melody.[8] "Daydream Repeat" uses a guitar with noise alongside a microhouse beat, and fades into a harp.[10] "Skater" is inspired by shoegaze and utilises sub-bass sounds with light drums.[7] It also uses female vocals that "pull the tune away from the darker impulses implied at the beginning".[10] "31 Bloom" is minimal techno, and is similar to Hebden's Ringer (2008).[8] "So Blue" opens with an ambient sound that is broken by a tone with reverb.[8] The albums ends with "Three Drums", and contains "a wall of electronic noise" supported by a "laid back beat" and a hint of "early 90s hip-hop".[2] It opens with a drum loop and a synthesiser, and later adds string instruments, flutes, and distortion. The track closes with a vocal loop.[10]
Reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 77/100[11] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [10] |
| Clash | 8/10[12] |
| Exclaim! | 8/10[9] |
| Pitchfork | 7.8/10[8] |
Three received positive reviews from critics. According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Three received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 77 out of 100 from 8 critic scores.[11] AllMusic's Paul Simpson compared the album to Hebden's album Sixteen Oceans (2020), to say that Three was "more tightly focused" than it.[10] Robin Murray of Clash described the album as "[u]ndeniably impressive", and that it shows "wondrous" aspects of Hebden's career.[12] Exclaim! writer Alex Hudson noted the album's focused variety of sounds, to say that "There's a humbleness to Three that comes across in both its brevity and familiarity, as if Hebden isn't interested in pushing himself or listeners into any uncomfortable territory".[9]
Philip Sherburne for Pitchfork said the album contrasts Hebden's collaborations, and while referring to Three's composition, he said "it takes a master craftsperson's skill to create music that scans so simply on the surface but then opens up to reveal hidden rooms within hidden rooms".[8] The Quietus writer Jeremy Allen described Three as "everything you would expect from the 12th Four Tet record".[13] Reid BG of Resident Advisor said that the album "looks backwards and forwards at the same time", and that "one could make the mistake that Hebden's best years are behind him".[7] Rolling Stone's Jeff Ihaza said it was "a pleasantly surprising addition to the canon of electronic music", and showed similarities of the album to the sounds of Madlib.[14]
The album appeared in AllMusic's list of favourite electronic albums from 2024.[15] "Loved" appeared in Pitchfork's list of the best electronic music,[16] and ranked 51th in its list of the best songs, in which both are year-end lists.[17]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Kieran Hebden.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Loved" | 4:03 |
| 2. | "Gliding Through Everything" | 4:08 |
| 3. | "Storm Crystals" | 6:40 |
| 4. | "Daydream Repeat" | 6:08 |
| 5. | "Skater" | 4:15 |
| 6. | "31 Bloom" | 5:52 |
| 7. | "So Blue" | 5:29 |
| 8. | "Three Drums" | 8:15 |
| Total length: | 44:50 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from Bandcamp.[18]
- Kieran Hebden – writer, producer
- Jason Evans – photography, design
- Matthew Cooper – design
Charts
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[19] | 187 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[20] | 14 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[21] | 66 |
| UK Dance Albums (OCC)[22] | 1 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[23] | 4 |
References
- ^ a b Kelly, Tyler Damara (15 February 2024). "Four Tet announces forthcoming album, Three". Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ a b Murray, Robin (27 April 2023). "Four Tet Returns With New Track "Three Drums"". Clash. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ Duran, Anagricel (10 January 2024). "Four Tet shares immersive new single "Loved"". NME. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ Sacher, Andrew (14 February 2024). "Four Tet details new album Three, shares "Daydream Repeat"". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ Monroe, Jazz (14 February 2024). "Four Tet Announces New Album Three, Shares Song: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ Renshaw, David (14 February 2024). "Four Tet announces new album and party under a New York bridge". The Fader. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d BG, Reid (22 March 2024). "Four Tet - Three". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Sherburne, Philip (15 March 2024). "Four Tet: Three". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d Hudson, Alex (21 March 2024). "Four Tet Leans Into His Strengths on the Masterful 'Three'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Simpson, Paul. "Three Review by Paul Simpson". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
- ^ a b "Three by Four Tet". Metacritic. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
- ^ a b Muray, Robin (14 March 2024). "Four Tet – Three". Clash. Retrieved 23 September 2025.
- ^ Allen, Jeremy (18 March 2024). "Four Tet — Three". The Quietus. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
- ^ Ihaza, Jeff (19 March 2024). "Four Tet Subverts Expectations With 'Three'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
- ^ "Favorite Electronic Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
- ^ "The Best Electronic Music of 2024". Pitchfork. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
- ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2024". Pitchfork. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
- ^ Hebden, Kieran. "Three by Four Tet". Bandcamp. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Four Tet – Three" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 22/3/2024 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart on 22/3/2024 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- ^ "Official Dance Albums Chart on 22/3/2024 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 22/3/2024 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
