From his early work with post-rock troupe Fridge to his earthy, folk-toned electronica as Four Tet, London-based sound sculptor Kieran Hebden has built a career on sonic evolution. In early 2006, Hebden found his foil in legendary jazz drummer Steve Reid. Reid, who has collaborated with everyone from Miles Davis and James Brown to Ornette Coleman and Sun Ra, sat in with Hebden for some improvised jams that became The Exchange Session Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.

Exploring textures of rhythm and sound manipulation together, the duo continued their work on last year’s Tongues, and now they bring us NYC. Much more focused than previous records, NYC feels less like sitting in on an improv session and more like hearing some fleshed out ideas. While Reid’s drumming maintains a powerful and tasteful presence, Hebden has broadened his sonic palette, letting melody and cohesion occasionally rear their heads. The result is a heady, abstract album with just enough direction to demand full attention, making for their best collaboration to date.