Wilst Tongues seeps, bleeps, and tinkles out of the speakers, tunes are beginning to appear with percussion that is humming, propelling and juddering a space craft through random course  changes. I got staccato pulses and pounding morse-code transmitters set to roam. A good time then to ask Kieran Hebden some questions about playing with Steve Reid, their new Domino album and their plans for the coming year.

Kieran, you and Steve got together a few years back, what are some of your favourite tracks he has done?

I find that I enjoy hearing Steve`s drumming on pretty much everything he plays on. Some key tracks that got me into his music are on the albums he released in the 70`s, tracks like "Kai", "Lions of Judah", and "New Life Trio`s Empty Streets".

Following your recent tour, what's it like playing with a drummer of Steve`s stature? What have you learned from him?

Steve is a true master of rhythm and dynamics and he has opened me up as a live musician by showing me that I could achieve a lot more with live electronics than I realized. It's incredible to play with someone who has such great feeling and timing. He always plays just the right beat for the moment. He has got me thinking about rhythm in ways that I didn't understand before. He is showing me what ingredients make music soulful and spiritual.

 
How long did Tongues take to record?

2 days recording and 2 days mixing.

Sheesh, quick then, I guess sometimes you can hit the groove and go. What's different about Tongues then, compared to your earlier releases ? Did you set out to consciously change the vibe or the style?

For Tongues the idea was to make much shorter tracks than we did on The Exchange Albums. We tried to only do pieces that were three to four minutes long, which is a less obvious thing to do with improvised music. The idea was to do something with a more focused energy that would grab you like a soul or punk album. The Exchange Sessions were more about long journeys into cosmic music.

Were there any particular influences that you felt shone through on Tongues?

John Coltrane, Morton Subotnick, Photek, Art Blakey, Derrick May, Curtis Mayfield, Kraftwerk, Elvin Jones, Jimi Hendrix, A Tribe Called Quest, Sun Ra, Pierre Henry Carl Craig and many many more.

Jesus, that's one hell of a mix - Have you ever considered using any vocalists?