Benthic

An old fashioned duet with no rules: electric guitarist Jason Bivins (Unstable Ensemble) and percussionist Ian Davis (Micro-East Collective, Andrew Voight, Unstable Ensemble) at the crossroads of American Underground Improvisation. Outside the near blazing solos and stuttering riffery, there are the clusters of shiny metal, the rattles of trappings that poke out like shrapnel. Imagine the entire Incus roster growing up on DC hardcore (Bivins) and the South Carolina "chittlin' circuit" (Davis). Using few tricks and slight of hand movements, these two players take their instruments at the base level, volume and technique are pushed back and forth.

"At times furiously in free jazz areas -- for instance in 'Sipunculid' -- which is maybe the sort of thing to expect. But when they turn their hands to more subtle, micro sounding improv things really get nice. Such subtle work is added to 'Eelpout', with just a tiny dash of echo on the guitar and the percussive playing, being the cross-over between research and playing with brushes. Pricewinning piece is the eleven minute 'Bathysphere', which is the perfect blend of the various interests they have." -- Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly