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Album Reviews
Album Review: Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid – NYC (Domino)
By CMU Editorial | Published on Monday 10 November 2008
Yes, it’s Kieran Hebden, aka Four Tet and one third of Fridge, collaborating once again with Steve Reid, the super amazing jazz drummer who played with Miles Davis, Sun Ra’s Arkestra, James Brown, Fela Kuti and on Motown hits. This should be special, in theory; though I saw them live and it was shit. But good news people, the theory rings true here – ‘NYC’ is not shit. It opens in an outburst of ecstasy rushing space noise acceleration with Reid punishing the cymbals over the electronic drive. Disorientating and brilliant, it builds and builds; cymbals and electronics hissing away over a wobbly dubstep back noise. Subsequently, the album falls back into more standard sax and drums free jazz, with Hebden’s not-taken-his-Ritalin approach to putting random noises that sound like hinges and boiling kettles in the background along with pulsing harmonics. It remains like this through ‘1st & 1st’ up to ’25th Street’ the following track. Next, the highlight of the album, ‘Arrival’ a soft comedown from its antecedents as it undulates over convulsing modulated electronics and throbbing delay guitar on steady drums. Peaceful and beautiful. ‘Between B&C’ follows in a blaxploitation soundtrack meets Trans-Europe Express mode. Finally, ‘Departure’ is folksy and organic, a great counter-point to the previous modern sprawl. This album is really pretty extraordinary. I have always been suspicious of Hebden (read that as jealous), but it may well be the best thing he has ever produced. Reid, it’s harder to say, I know less about his music and previous influence on artists. Yet, it seems his powers of collaboration bring the best out of supremely talented individuals. That would seem to be the case in this instance. Apparently, Reid wanted to evoke his home city New York; it is clearly the work of some one who loves his home and celebrates the exuberant seedy energy that it is supposed/used to have. PG
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