Premonition

Out-of-tune guitar strumming, a raspy saxophone replete with flutter tongue, cartoon shuffle percussion on clanging metal, and helicopter flyby swooshes: this is the reception you get from the left coast improv outfit consisting of Ernesto Diaz-Infante, Robert Montoya, Marcos Fernandes, and Rent Romus. This sonic welcome mat, shamelessly titled Premonition, leaves one hard pressed to make any predictions as to how the album is going to progress. Indeed, the initial din of seemingly clashing ideas eventually dissolves into field recording. What’s going on here? No one can be certain, so it’s best to just roll with it. Reverberations From Spring Past culls live and studio recording—made by the quartet during the Spring Reverb ’04 festival in San Diego—into a tapestry of inscrutable, yet enjoyable, journeys. Comes with a coloring book-style tray card: you can doodle while they noodle.

–RN