Ido Bukelman / Daniel Davidovsky / Ofer Bymel: EFT II

The sophomore release of the Israeli Electro Free Trio—EFT— continues where the impressive debut (OutNow Recordings, 2011) stopped. An aggressive and experimental hybridization of spontaneous, free improvised approaches, real-time electronics who draw inspiration from noise and industrial music, all spiced with references to progressive and metal rock. This tough blend of sounds was solidified in many live gigs during the last year.

Now guitarist Ido Bukelman is the dominant player in the trio. He sketches the loose lines, the level of energy and the desired intensity. Daniel Davidovsky's electronics are more substantial on this release, adding dark colors and mysterious tension while drummer Ofer Bymel's nervous, fractured drumming punctuate the busy commotion.

The trio is at its best when it pushes towards the unknown, simply surrenders to its flowing energy, as on "Trucked" and ""Umpteenth." Bukelman's fierce metallic attacks are lost in the intense electric blizzard of noises that Davidovsky produces and Bymel's muscular hammering on the drums barely manage to contain the volcanic collisions of sounds around him.

When the trio adopts an open-ended approach on "Daniel's Pigeon" and "Plowing an Endless Surface" it loses its focus. There are interesting sonic searches of Bukelman experiences to expand the spectrum of sounds of the banjo and of Bymel who rubs the drums skins and adds objects to his palette of sounds but these abstract experiences pale in comparison with the powerful pieces. The attempt to fuse synthesized, minimalist beats with live drumming on "Just Before a Really Good Meal" survives when Bukelman injects his distorted guitar and wraps this sonic experience with an impressive solo.

No matter what the sonic outcome is, EFT's dynamics and process of music making are always intriguing.