Superelectropreview

Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid
Empty Bottle, Chicago
Wednesday, April 5, 2006

“All tracks are live takes with no overdubs or edits.” This sentence seems to be the mission statement of The Exchange Session Vol.1(Domino). It appears on both the CD insert and press release. A completely improvised, unedited blend of drums, percussion, and electronics, the disc is simply put: electronica in a free jazz format.

The two men responsible for Exchange hail from opposite ends of the musical spectrum. On paper it doesn’t look like Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid can be connected by a game of six degrees of separation, let alone collaborating on a CD together and hitting the road for a U.S. tour. Hebden is known for his role in the post rock band Fridge and his solo project Four Tet. Reid is a drummer who has played with the likes of Miles Davis, James Brown, and Fats Domino. Separately the two have respectable careers but together they aspire to be pioneers.

Exchange is a fascinating assortment of sounds, inspired by the signature music of Krautrock, the popular German sound of the 1970s that combined psychedelic rock with avant garde beats. It’s made all the more fascinating by the mission statement of the album. The significance of the two words unedited and improvised are vital to appreciating the absence of unsuitable breaks and awkward transitions in Exchange.

Fred Anderson & Hamid Drake open.

— Angie Maldonado

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly