Peoplehave grown so accustomed to Kieran Hebden's work as Four Tet that theyhave probably almost completely forgotten what his role as amusician/composer was in Fridge and the directions the trio werebeginning to pursue on their last full-length release, Happiness.The people who are aware and welcoming to more loose sounds will be themore receptive audience for this brand new project, as Hebden hasteamed up with Steve Reid, a seasoned drummer known for his work insoul and jazz circles.While I thoroughly enjoy volume 1 of The Exchange Session, Ican see how some Four Tet fans will clearly miss the point. For years,Kieran Hebden has built an audience through the popularity of hisability to mix samples of jazz records together, grabbing compatibletiny melodies and forming intricate instrumental pop tunes. Sure, hehas been known to inject some more freer approaches, stretching thingsout for singles like "Glasshead"/"Calamine" and "As Serious As YourLife," but when it comes to the masses, most people know him for the3-5 minute long pop tunes.
Hebden and Reid met through mutual acquaintences and the two had amutual appreciation for each other's work. Reid, after years of playingwith seasoned veterans for decades, was most likely afraid of becomingone himself, perhaps growing tired of working in the confines of what'sexpected from mainstays, and looking to play with more people who wereinto experimenting. Hebden, who, like a fairytale princess is alwaysseeking something more, was (and still probably is) searching for theultimate sounds, the ultimate experiences, challenging himself everyday to find it or recreate it.
What they've done on this recording is find a way to harness thepower between each: Reid's pulses and Hebden's sounds marry to make anew type of free jazz duo, where a drummer can exploit rhythmic phrasesand an electronic composer can loop samples and themes. They're notplaying within the confines of a song or melodic theme, however, butReid somewhat remains in the driver's seat, moving the songs throughwith evolving beats. Instead of the screechy wails of a horn section,expect samples of the horns, munged into a digital squelch andreturning to the purer sounds on cue.
Volume 1 begins with the more subtle "Morning Prayer," a song that immediately triggered a nostalgia for the opening of Fridge's Happiness,as it's a very warm-up kind of affair where each contributor stronglyestablishes their roles and doesn't get into an out-muscle-each othercontest. The following "Soul Oscillations" is a 14+ minute long jamwhere the focuses shift back and forth between Hebden and Reid, asthey're each showing off their finest chops from cacophonous to calm and collected. The final song,"Electricity and Drum Will Change Your Mind" is actually where therhythms get more sturdy and solid, things build up and chill out, heat up again, and by the timethey're cooling down, I'm anxious to see whatturn comes next and suddenly the tape stops!
So I look forward to Volume 2, due later this year, picking upexactly where this session dropped us all off, but it will be probablymore interesting to see how studio recordings may develop after themulti-continental touring that Hebden and Reid will embark on this year.
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