Fridge

Four Tet fans may get excited when they learn that one-third of Fridge is Kieran Hebden, the man behind Four Tet, but buyer be advised: The Sun is nothing like his brand of agitated electronica that some listeners might expect. Composed of Hebden, Adem Ilhan (Adem), and Sam Jeffers, Fridge is a collective combo specializing in guitar/bass/drums post-rock, with only slight touches of electronically altered sounds. The Sun consists of ten sparse, wistful, and sometimes pastoral instrumental jams reminiscent of Tortoise during their Millions Now Living Will Never Die era. There are lots of downcast minor-key melodies and moments of chill ambiance, but at times it´s dispelled by free jazz clarinet on songs like ¨Insects¨ or the occasional bursts of raucous guitar á la Mogwai. Only on the impressionistic ¨Clocks¨ does Fridge raise a dissonant ruckus. Hebden´s guitar-playing is mainly trebly/twanging chords on electric, using feedback as judiciously as an artist dabbing paint on a canvas. This particular Sun-rise is likable enough, but at times, it feels like a soundtrack in search of a movie.