Looking For The Perfect Beat Looking For The Perfect Beat: Episode 3 - Kieran Hebden / Four Tet
Oct 23, 2025
Join acclaimed electronic musician Kieran Hebden, known as Four Tet, as he takes us through his vibrant musical journey. He shares stories of his early influences from jazz and Motown to forming the band Fridge, and transitioning into the realm of electronic music. Collaborations with legends like Pharoah Sanders and Neneh Cherry are explored, as well as his rise in the DJ scene. Kieran discusses navigating the challenges of fair artist royalties, the impact of his monumental Madison Square Garden show, and the creative ethos that fuels his work.
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Naivety Fueled Creative Freedom
- Kieran credits his early naivety and disinterest in commercial success for creative freedom and experimentation.
- He says making music then was driven by ideas and scene respect, not sales or fame.
Trevor Jackson As Mentor And Curator
- Trevor Jackson (Output) mentored Kieran, broadening his taste into post-punk, jazz and sampling culture and curating early Fridge releases.
- Kieran remembers a formative night seeing Boards of Canada, Daft Punk and Roni Size back-to-back with Trevor.
Sampling Jazz Into Electronic Forms
- Dialogue grew from wanting to make jazz-like, sample-based music using computers and wide-ranging source material beyond funk breaks.
- Kieran cites DJ Shadow, spiritual jazz and impulse-era records as blueprints for sampling everything into a new jazz texture.
