The needle spins every which way between the poles of the stylistic compass on this uncompromising but utterly exhilarating release.
In the dizzying blur there are moments resembling the experimental angularities heard in early Soft Machine, Can and other improv-friendly outfits. In truth, though, attempting to tether Slobber Pup to the progressive music continuum is probably futile: this is aggressively free-ranging stuff. The fearless sequence of intuitive leaps, queasy tonal spatter and ominous, grudging drones are all played out with a remarkable, frequently devastating ferocity. The original trio of Jamie Saft (keyboards), Joe Morris (electric guitar/acoustic bass) and Balazs Pandi (drums) are joined for this release by saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, best known for his noise-terror improv outfit The Thing. The glowering harmonics and skronking howls that are his trademark add extra layers of peril. Twenty minutes into Bring Me My Desire And Arrows To Shoot, the climatic build-up erupts into a sonic tornado that howls with violence. Such is the density of this unrelenting attack, it’s sometimes impossible to untangle the astringent detonations radiating out of this quartet.
