Though each member of the 13th Assembly is acclaimed in their own right (including Taylor Ho Bynum who has worked extensively with Anthony Braxton) this group is very much a singular musical experience. The Thirteenth Assembly began as a touring collective made up of four musicians and four musically distinct small ensembles: Tomas and Taylor's duo; Mary and Jessica's duo; Taylor's trio with Mary and Tomas; and the collaborative quartet featured on this recording. The group is a microcosm of an exciting community of young New York musicians that is beginning to receive international attention, a new generation of artists comfortable referencing AACM and Morton Feldman, Otis Redding and the Melvins, yet dedicated to finding their own individual and collective voices. While each musician in the Thirteenth Assembly brings a highly varied and diverse set of influences and aesthetics to the table, the shared experiences and long friendships help create a powerfully unified ensemble sound. From the soul-inflected lyricism of Pavone's 'Hate Fields' to the driving jazz energy of Fujiwara's 'Chantal' to the distorted power chords of Halvorson's 'Pinched,' (un)sentimental traverses many stylistic paths, but the album as a whole captures a snapshot of contemporary music at its most exciting.