Thé au Harem d'Archimède continues to build on the nuanced percussion of Villalobos' previous album, Alcachofa, while eschewing melodies in favour for rhythm and groove. On vinyl, "Hireklon" is extended by over five minutes and features a longer guitar solo, while the delay and dub effects on the clapping is toned down significantly. An additional song, "Stereobox," is also present.
Reception was mixed to positive. Andy Kellman, writing for Allmusic, says that Villalobos is "perfectly content with forming luscious, pensively roiling, ten-minute grooves that double as some of the most organic-sounding electronic productions imaginable".[1] A review for Dusted Magazine, by Jon Dale, lauded the album's unusual synthesis of sounds and influences, while noting that it was not as accessible as Villalobos' debut, Alcachofa.[2] Ron Schepper's review for Stylus Magazine had a similarly mixed feel, noting the album's less accessible nature when compared to Alcachofa and stating that "Villalobos dives ever more deeply into percussive gumbo and leaves accessible hooks behind".[3]
Resident Advisor ranked Thé Au Harem D'Archimède 77th on its list of the Top 100 Albums of the '00s.[4]
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