Decision Dream

In his liner note, bassist Jair-Rohm Parker Wells name checks Ayler, Coltrane, Brötzmann, Fripp, Braxton and Stockhausen. But in their nearly hour-long recording, Decision Dream, who seem closer to Milford Graves and Thurston Moore, show themselves to have developed their own aesthetic language that has only passing resemblances to the artists they cite as inspirations. Variations is full-bore improv: thundering drums from Anthony Bianco, searing guitar-istics from Magnus Alexanderson, and pulsating processed bass from Wells. Both the guitar and bass are given plenty of electronic treatments making for interesting shifts in colour. The live-to-two-track recording is a bit muddy, but the music remains audible, in spite of the all-out onslaught with which Dream pummel the listener. Although their approach has much to commend, the four tracks could use shaping via contrasts, as they tend to remain texturally static. For those who love the experience of having their ears skilfully thrashed, Streamroom Variations will do the job quite nicely.