The Magic Sound of Fenno'berg [live]
by Brian OlewnickThis trio, wielding an array of laptops and electronics and going heavy on the samples, produces an invigorating and fun set of improvised music. There's a general air of playfulness as various dance rhythms, snatches of pop ephemera, and instructional tapes emerge from the bleeps and glitches though the music gradually becomes denser and more tense as the disc progresses. All the more surprising (and giddily thrilling) then when, on the last track, the romantic, portentous strains of John Barry's soundtrack to Moonraker burst forth, wending its looped way through fields of static, buzzes, and metallic echoes. This is bravura electronic improv near its peak and contributes to making The Magic Sound of Fenno'berg both a superb introduction to the genre as well as a ravishing disc on its own. Highly recommended.

