It is with great satisfaction that we write these notes as the final part of a compositional saga, the evolution of which we could never have foreseen at its inception. This project was unusual for us in many ways, most notably in the length of time (4 1/2 years) during which we worked and reworked the material, and in the number of incarnations that resulted from these efforts. The development of the music was closely linked to a parallel evolution in music technology, particularly in digital sampling, sound processing, and computer-driven music sequencers.
From the outset, the project was conceived as a marriage between two contrasting elements, the unique qualities of acoustic instrumental and improvised performance, and the detailed control, precision, and new compositional possibilities offered by rapidly evolving technology. If we have succeeded, this recording will evoke a kind of musical techno-primitivism, a hybrid, utilizing the tools of sophisticated technology to amplify and reshape the rawness, energy, and wonder at the qualities of sound which are at the root of, and the inspiration for, this music. — Ned Rothenberg & Paul Dresher
