The alliance of a master jazz drummer, who commonly practices for 3 hours a day yet see`s little point in rehearsing new tunes, and a musician whose palette drips folk, soul, and jazz sampled textures seems unlikely, but if you haven't heard any fruit from these two musical minds growing together, you really haven`t begun to peel the skin, or smell the coffee. Yet.

Steve Reid and Kieran Hebden started working together in 2005. They released The Exchange Sessions Volume 1, and then Volume 2, in 2006; lengthy and exploratory jams and clashes of vibrant rhythm and sampled sounds, these releases were recorded live, with no overdubs. They were released by Domino Records, and, stand on their own as maps of uncharted musical dialogue and territory. Their originality hasn`t gone unnoticed; in the UK, The Observer Music Monthly commented; "And if there`s anyone there who honestly believes that there`s nothing new under the musical sun, this album might just blow your mind".

That journey continued with testing out their tunes to live audiences and they played "all kinds of mad different shows, from drum`n bass nights in Italy, to The Green Man festival in Brecon", describes Hebden, in their Domino records press release, "so the crowds have been really unprdictable. You get old jazz heads coming out to see Steve and dance kids too".

Steve Reid had popped his recording cherry by drumming on "Dancing In The Street" by Martha and The Vandellas in 1964, at the age of 19. The drum sticks have stayed in his hands ever since, picking up the rhythm for such icons as Miles Davis, Sun Ra, James Brown, Ornette Coleman and Fela Kuti. Hebden started Fridge with friends Adem Ilhan and Sam Jeffers and whilst playing with them, developed his own sampler-based resonances as Four Tet releasing the solo albums; Dialogue, Pause, Rounds and Everything Ecstatic, as well as being sought after for his remixing skills.

The twosome have been writing and recording more songs which were released by Domino on March 19th. You would be wrong to assume that this album follows their previous two. Tongues departs in a tangent that has more focus on shorter, distilled improvisation. Hebden set up a number of sample ideas that Reid had never heard before for the recording session, which took place in February this year, and they have captured, in the moment, the one take, musical responses.

They have toured Europe through March as well as playing some shows in the States. They also have a recording trip planned to Senegal for later on this year. Nigel Godrich`s online programme, From The Basement, has featured them live and they have several short video pieces available to get a taster of their formidable sound.