fire!: without noticing

Rune Grammofon presents (without noticing), the fifth album from Swedish trio Fire!, comprised of Mats Gustafsson (The Thing), Johan Berthling (Tape) and drummer Andreas Werliin (Wildbirds & Peacedrums). This album follows collaborations with Jim O'Rourke, Oren Ambarchi and the gargantuan 30 piece Fire! Orchestra band. Fire!'s latest burnt offering features the trio alone with themselves, lighting up a sonic blaze which smolders, then catches alight under their careful attention. Recorded in Stockholm over the long, harsh winter of 2012-13, and as far from noodling instrumentals as it's possible to get, the tracks are spontaneously combusting rituals with a clear sense of purpose. Each of the three members is gifted with a formidable technique and arsenal of tricks and effects on their respective instruments, but they use these to feed the flames of rock based riffs and rhythms. The album also sees acclaimed saxophonist Mats Gustafsson boosting his already versatile skills, by swapping to keyboards and electronics on selected tracks. Note, for instance, the heavily distorted organ on "Tonight. More. Much more. (without noticing)," and the guttural grunts of a Fender Rhodes electric piano on "Molting Slowly (without noticing)" and "I Mostly Stare (without noticing)." The oddly cut-up titles on (without noticing) are lifted and inspired by Smog founder Bill Callahan's letters to Emma Bowlcut, published in a volume by Chicago label Drag City. The strategy gives an insight into the broadminded frame of reference of this eclectic trio. With all three members pulling in elements from free jazz, ambient improvisation and electronic pop/rock, their music has reached a new confidence and intensity on (without noticing).