Few things about the synergy that joins Ed Warren with his longest-standing client, Four Tet, have followed a predictable trajectory. Neither of these iconoclastic creatives would likely have it any other way. Even the way they met is, well… different. Both were part of a “contemporary Brazilian choir” in Sa Paolo. Discovering they were the only Brits involved in the group, they struck up a friendship.
That was back in 2008. The two have been riding the same unabashedly creative wave ever since, Warren’s space-shaping lighting providing a soul-twin accompaniment to Four Tet’s genre-smashing electronic music. Both the lighting and music move harmoniously in sync with their shared internal vision, leaving familiar expectations behind and exploring that rarest of all commodities—truly new ideas!
The connection between Warren and Four Tet (aka Kieran Hebden) is remarkably strong and fluid. Designer and client collaborate closely on the visual dimension of a show, feeding off one another’s ideas.
Taking a break from Four Tet’s critically acclaimed 2026 USA warehouse tour, Warren spoke to us about a relationship that entails much more than collaboration, but a deeply shared and extraordinarily original vision.
We understand that Kieran (Four Tet) is very involved in lighting, and you collaborate closely. How do your lighting visions complement each other?
“Kieran and I have always had the understanding — be it conscious or subconscious- that our shows need to be different from what most electronic artists present. For example, we’ve never used video; we rarely do lasers or pyro. We try to avoid chaos and overwhelming the eyes. We have always focused on colour, elegance, and making the lighting breathe with the music. That can sometimes be difficult to achieve live, but for some reason, since day one, we’ve had total and complete synergy with each other during the shows. So much so that whenever we catch up at the end of a show, we can’t believe we topped the last one, again! It’s a very magical place to be with an artist you have collaborated with for so long, and I never take it for granted.”
What is the biggest difference in the way the two of you approach lighting?
“Yeah, as mentioned previously, we try and take people out of the world they would usually expect to be in when watching an ‘EDM’ artist. Kieran certainly presents this in the way he performs/DJ’s. His music knowledge is extraordinary and varied; no two shows are the same. Sometimes he DJs for 5 hours straight, and I have no idea which way it’s going to go. It’s never boring; it’s always interesting and fun, and we definitely vibe off each other as the show progresses. To be on the same wavelength for hours really helps the focus. I started using a new automation and control platform a few years ago so I could at least see what he has cued up on his 4 decks, the BPM and waveforms. It feels a little bit like cheating, but it takes so much guesswork out of the show and allows me to concentrate on crafting and developing the transitions a lot more smoothly.
“There are heavy moments in the show where I ramp up the energy, perhaps try and disorient people, but 10 minutes later, I might turn almost everything off and leave it like that for 10 minutes. It’s not a show of contrasts, as the whole set has to work as one, but it’s a show that breathes & develops and forms itself as it continues. I always structure the way I light the shows with half-hour intervals. If I didn’t give myself rules, I might overwhelm myself with ideas too soon.
“For example, we do nothing usually for the first 45 minutes- 1 hour. Then slowly introduce one set of light. I might not use any colour until 90 minutes in. No strobes until 2 hours. No mirror balls until the final hour. That kind of thing. I always give myself somewhere to go, and something to take away. Recently we’ve been ending the show with a 15-30 minute sound bath style to allow people to wind down while still moving. We try to tickle the eyes, warm the frontal lobes, and slow down the knees via the medium of light. I think the crowd really appreciates it, especially if they’ve been dancing for 4 hours straight.
If Kieran wasn’t a musician, what kind of lighting designer would he be?
“I’m pretty sure Kieran would ignore all the rules to do with lighting; he wouldn’t read the instruction manual but would lock himself away for weeks learning all the syntax, and then do something completely weird yet totally abstract but familiar, which would be looked back on for years from now as a work of groundbreaking genius. For 15 years he’s been obsessed with giving me a ‘lighting solo’ during the set where he turns all the music off, and I do something spectacular with the lights, though this has not happened yet. I’m not particularly comfortable with the idea, as a) it’s not about me, and b) people will just think the PA is broke. He still mentions it now and then, and we’ve come close to something like it a few times. Maybe one day we’ll master it in the correct manner
You’ve done some breathtakingly original designs for Four Tet. What is it about his music that stimulates your creativity?
“It’s the range of possibilities and genres that he spins. You could go from a dark ambient drone to tech house to jungle, to ‘80s punk, to tech house to floating in a gong bath. I need to be ready for anything, but through it all is a line connection that walks the tightrope of stimulation and warmth, togetherness and chaos. For me, a sense of clear geometry is the thing that ties it all together. It’s how my brain makes sense of the whole event and the best way to embody the entire experience for everyone.
What has surprised you about Kieran once you got to know him after you began working together?
“He’s extremely relaxed and open to any suggestion no matter how wild or out of the ordinary. We’ve done some really silly shit in the past that has somehow paid off. Sometimes it hasn’t, but we always laugh about it. We did Terminal 5 in New York in 2014, and in the weeks running up to the show we were going back and forth with some ideas. I sent him a picture of a crystal chandelier with LEDs in it that a local supplier had, and he replied, “YES THIS IS IT,” so obviously I ordered it. He turns up on the day after it’s been rigged and says, “Oh, so you got that chandelier in!?” to which I replied, “Yes, you said go for it,” and he replied, “I was only kidding, I thought you were joking!” Anyway, we went ahead with it, and it was great. Obviously I’m a bit more thorough these days about ensuring we are on the same page!”
Why do you think your relationships have clicked so well?
“Exactly that, it’s all fun and doesn’t feel like work. We combine our brains effortlessly and always try to push the boundaries of the status quo. I’m so fortunate to work with an artist who trusts my visions, who isn’t afraid of trying something different, and who is creatively so flexible. He’s also very relaxed and a pretty good laugh to be around, which helps!”
If you had to sum up the experience of working with Kieran in three words, what would they be?
My Two Dads
