Free Base

This is a studio recording, and thus somewhat different in approach and tone to the group's continuous live sets; an example can be heard on a compilation from the 2003 Freedom of the City festival. Here the emphasis is more on developing specific ideas with a consistent logic than on modulating between passages of tension and climax. On the longest track, the 13-minute Absolute Xero, the logic is sure and compelling; Skzypce is more playful, with Wilkinson vocalising through his reed and Noble, a long-standing associate, producing tiny scratch sounds. Mattos is as sure-footed and intense as ever, making use of electronics to expand his vocabulary. A fine and compelling record from a highly accomplished group whose members all deserve wider exposure.