I heard the young Swiss guitarist Tomas Korber earlier this year, having previously known nothing of him, and was very impressed with his performance as he, in a way, took some of the ideas initially developed by Fripp & Eno (though I don’t think Korber was particularly cognizant of them) and extended them into more abstract realms, mixing in a bit of sand and grit but retaining the essential fluidity of that approach. On this disc, he’s teamed with maestro Gunter Muller and laptop-wielder Steinbruchel performing one 25-minute improv after which each has the opportunity to create a remix.

The main piece, “Momentan Live”, is very “Muller-esque”, that is to say smoothly undulating, containing subtle pulsations and a near endless stream of detail that may not be apparent on first hearing. It’s impossible to tell who was responsible for what and (not being very familiar with Steinbruchel) perhaps the three are simply on a similar wavelength, but listeners aware of Muller’s own output will note some degree of likeness even as it branches out into its own space. It’s a lovely improvisation, quietly and liquidly flowing as it goes about establishing a natural level of interaction and detail. As in the best of this sort of work, there’s an unhurried and contemplative quality, the three musicians examining angles in varying lights, calmly making directional choices. One gets the impression of the three being sanguinely amused by the surprises that result.

The remixes are far more differentiated, though equally successful. Korber’s version begins in the same fluid atmosphere as the original but soon injects strong, skipping beats, transforming it into a work that wouldn’t be entirely out of place in an especially adventurous dance club. Steinbruchel opts for a further extension into its spacier characteristics, constructing a slightly throbbing lamina of hazy electronics, preserving enough of an edge to keep from lapsing into fluff. Muller’s remix is the strongest, building on the original with layer upon perfectly chosen layer of sound, all distinct and beautiful enough to stand on their own, all abutting and contrasting with each other wonderfully, giving the listener an endless series of possible relationships to concentrate on or allowing one to simply lay back and let the totality wash over. A fine disc, one that shouldn’t escape notice by fans of this area of music.

~Brian Olewnick