Experimental. Percussion, radio&objects, guitars&devices, laptop&processing. Per wiki, “Tertium Quid refers to an unidentified third element that is in combination with two known ones.” This album was an improv session by trio Bill Horist, Dave Abramson, Daniel Burke who meld industrial, electro-acoustic improvisation, ambient, focus on openness, flexibility, creating something that’s never existed before. Hard to say what’s the known and what the unknown, however Bill and Dave are from Seattle while Daniel hails from Chicago, seeming to make him the third man. Regardless the unsolvable mystery, this is fairly relaxing, music to think to, unpredictable, intentionally opaque. All instrumental. Slow to mid-slow. Faves: 5,7 ~eme o.

1. Within Pocket Reach of Mirth (3:44) Noodly guitar(s). Slow, thoughtful.

2. The Lesson of Conflict (8:52) Ambient, sounds rising out of static (clomps and squeaks). Inconstant percussion. Guitar moan. Foghorn. Feedback.

3. Amboy Trance (7:32) Static, squeebles, undersea sounds, clacking, drone heard through a fan. Drum enters ~3:12, pace becomes urgent.

4. Eclipse Atlas (2:53) Dual/dueling guitar arpeggios. Dragging sounds. Sharp to fuzzy to sharp again.

5. Abyss (11:50) Ambient. Creepy. Space sounds, a rumble just below hearing, crackles, footsteps, a voice too distant to hear. Changes ~2:40. Enter high-pitched whine, coins dropping into a bucket. Intermittent bass. Guitar (or something) like a bird in flight ~9:00. Other sounds drop away, then resurge. Creepiness fallen away, things are quieter now. Fades out, ends with final drum.

6. Kilter (9:18) Fade in, rolling drum, high/mid/low drone. Gets loud ~1:10. Loud drone, drums fade back, guitar sings. Then drone/noodle elements and percussion play back and forth, switching places front to back, quietish to loudish.

7. All Nothingness (2:15) Most straightforward track. Continuous plod of guitar and drum with [relatively] little variation.

8. No Response Necessary (4:30) Rhythmic static, marching band-drum.

9. Vestige (4:47) Acoustic guitar, inconsistent melody. Bassy rumble. Sudden end.