Briggan Krauss: Descending to End

Krauss likes to use visual metaphors to describe his music. Listening to his new disc, that's not hard to understand. Little balls of fire pass through a distorted lunar landscape, skirting howling animals and swirling windstorms. By harnessing the power of electronics, Krauss makes his instrument sound like a guitar, or a cello, or percussion. Concise thought patterns intersect and diverge in very unpredictable ways. On my favorite track, "Lean Loud and Lovely," Krauss emerges from an undulating wave pattern with howling urgency, reeking of overblown overtones, yet sounding entirely metallic. A recorder-like sound creeps in with a pleasant melody, taking the stage for a few moments until the sandblaster re-emerges. It's not easy listening, and not for the weak of heart. Is it jazz as we know it? Hard to tell, though that's clearly where Krauss's origins are. Could it be a link to the jazz of the future? Most definitely yes.