Even with the knowledge that the Ex has legs in the Dutch free improvising and avant-garde jazz scene, this collaboration with Chicago's Tortoise is an odd one. The Ex are customarily on the unmistakably political, musically spastic side of the fence, while Tortoise revels in complex rhythmic mazes that explore layered rhythms. So you can easily imagine a band as seemingly cerebral and measured as Tortoise getting tugged hard into noisy sloshing when in cahoots with a band like the Ex. And they do do considerable sloshing on this EP, though they always maintain a flooring that varies the rhythms and keeps the Ex grounded. The atmospherics are all Tortoise, with Jeff Parker's guitar making floats over the rumbling, ready-to-pounce bass and creeping drums. No, this isn't typical Ex material and, without a doubt, it's not Tortoise's main fare, but it's also not a far cry from either outfit. Part manic noise, part manic depth, part manic ambiance, it's an intense, demanding session. --Andrew Bartlett
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