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4hero have a unique and at times unenviable position as the doyens of the (myriad of different genres of music that constitute) ‘underground’ music scene. Unique because this highly esteemed duo (whittled down from an earlier incarnation of four members) more or less head up a fractured music scene, due to the high accolades their music attracts. And unenviable, because 4hero cover such a wide range of music that there are always some who feel they are spreading their wares too thinly.

For many, year zero for 4hero (including some reviews I have read) began with the release of Two Pages, a Mercury nominated album released in 1997 on Talkin’ Loud (through Universal Records). However, the beginnings of 4hero actually go back much further. The duo’s first two albums In Rough Territory (1991) and Parallel Universe (1994) tore up the template of what club music should be like and formed a blueprint for how music could be created. Further to this, the band explored different genres under various pseudonyms to increase their cause of making indefinable music. Three of these albums by Jacob’s Optical Stairway, Tek 9 and Nu Era form some of the best music from the Nineties.

Play with the Changes continues 4hero’s brilliant body of work, and though arguably less innovative than previous work, it is no less the worse for it. Bright, soulful infusions and more experimental pieces earmark the album and it is bookmarked by two such pieces. The album’s opener ‘Morning Child’ is a fresh burst of sunshine, with soaring strings, vitamin C injected chorus and infectious vocals by Carina Anderson. I would hazard a guess that the track was influenced by the birth of Marc Mac’s child and his move to Bedfordshire, which is certainly reflected in the music.

The album closes with a funky rock workout called ‘Dedication To The Horse’ with the incredible guitar playing of Dave Okumu. It offers something different and cleverly shows the wide skills and influences of 4hero. Similar is ‘Take My Time’ with the Prince like group Jack Davey. The influence of Prince Roger Nelson hangs over the track, from the slightly off centre vocals, eerie bass line and quirky synths. This is no mere Prince copyist track though, with 4hero giving it their unique twist.

There are many stand out tracks and the album benefits from repeated listens, when the subtle touches and nuances can be fully appreciated. It is an outstanding soul album in a time when the word soul is overused and an album is nothing more than a collection of downloads in iTunes. Ultimately it is the ability to “play with (the) changes” from the norm, the mad jazz of ‘Why Don’t You Talk’ or the sweeping orchestration of ‘Sophia’, which sees the phoenix rising from the ashes of soul music and flying into a clear sky with a message under its wings. The masters are back.