Album Review - Tongues
Kieran Hebden (Four Tet) and Steve Reid release third collaboration
Review of "Tongues," the new album from Kieran Hebden (a.k.a. Four Tet) and jazz drummer Steve Reid available now on Domino
Tongues is the third collaborative effort from Kieran Hebden (better known as Four Tet) and jazz drummer Steve Reid. It follows their first two efforts, The Exchange Session Vol. 1, and Vol. 2, also released on indie label Domino Recording Company. Like the those albums, it is on the short side, a little under 45 minutes. Unlike those albums, the longest track is barely longer than anything on The Exchange Sessions. Hebden stated in a Red Alert interview that this was intentional. They were trying for a different sound than the previous two albums.
And Tongues certainly does sound different. With less melodies, less rhythm, and more focus on pure sonic experimentation, it's also less approachable. If you only know Hebden's work through his Four Tet moniker, this sounds nothing like it. There are very few samples, only "Our Time" approaches the organic interweaving melodies of Pause. There are parts that sound like the more electronic and improvised-sounding moments of Everything Ecstatic, but the resemblance ends there.
Reid's drumming is very basic and isn't as up front in the mix as it was on the previous albums. You can't complain about his drumming, which is very competent, but you can complain that it seems barely there. On their previous efforts, Reid's drumming and Hebden's electro-noodling managed to create a unique wash of sound. On Tongues, the drums often seem merely a backdrop for weird noises from Hebden.
The album has its interesting moments. "Brain" and "The Squid" and "Superheros" are good jams with a rich sound. Though as shorter, improvised pieces, they don't seem to develop to their full potential. "Our Time" sounds the most like Pause-era Four Tet, which is nothing to complain about. "Greensleeves" is a frail, eerie rendition, apparently played by a tiny music box on an electric guitar pickup, judging by the video on their homepage. Almost all the songs seem to lose coherence near the end, devolving into electronic bleeps and squawks.
Still, with half the album composed of even less structured tracks, it's hard to say who this album would appeal to. Probably not Four Tet fans, speaking as one myself. Probably not Steve Reid fans, as there is nary a drum solo to be heard. Fans of random electronic noise will be pleased, though. The duo has been working and performing together for two years. Tongues is a small part of their continuing collaboration and is not a high point. Still, it holds promise for the future work of these two great artists.
You can download the opening track, "The Sun Never Sets," from the Domino Records website. It is a good representation of the album's sound and if it interests you, check out the album, available now.
Links:
Official site of Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid
Kieran Hebden interview on The Red Alert
