Magenta. Road at night. Its probably worth quoting from the sleeve-notes so you get an idea of what the intention is on this disc: “The album consists of music chosen from a pool of recordings made over a time span of 10 years and according to its expression composed ‘together’. All of the music was created through a practice of combining the compositional and performative act. The album making process consists of two levels: the music created in the past functions as material and is put into form through the inspiration it provides. This music witnesses the trust between the creators in the act of doing and on a further step its affirmation to the re-contextualization.”

On “Reciprocum Part 1″, Klaus Janek is joined by Heiner Reinhard (reeds), Willi Kellers (drums), Andy Graydon (field recording, electronics), Nils Ostendorf (trumpet), Biliana Voutchkova (violin), Mark Weaver (tuba) and Christian Pincock (valve trombone). This collage begins free jazz, but very quickly diverts into a kind of pulsating drone emulsion. The saxophonist makes dry periodic comments while someone’s hard-drive crashes in the distance of the left hand speaker. Then: creaky hinges, bass rumbles, wet saxophone embouchure modifications, creeping dread. A high-pitched whine appears and then disappears. A snatch of dialogue? Electronic crunching followed by a cluster of piano notes. A violin in a room sawing eerily. An interesting bunch of ideas thrown together violently.

Turning the platter over to find “Reciprocum Part 2”, there is more free jazz here, at least at first sight, but it transpires that it is in fact a composition by Milena Kipfmüller. An intriguing amalgam of content presents itself, this time from Scott R. Looney (piano), Clayton Thomas (double bass), Milena Kipfmüller herself on electronics, Andrew Lafkas (double bass), Brendan Dougherty (drums), Luca Marini (drums), Barry Weissblad (electronics), Chris Douglas (electronics), Nicholas Wiese (electronics), Robert Schwarz (electronics), William Bilwa Costa (electronics), Wouter Jaspers (electronics), Lukas Matthiaei (voice), Marc Matter (voice). Time to find your favourite armchair and get comfy.