EKG, No sign (CD)

Kyle Bruckmann from EKG has been a friend for years and occasional collaborator along the way. When I think of EKG (his duo with Ernst Karel), I focus on the austerity and tiny palette. These qualities certainly are true of No sign, but subtle characteristics emerge on close listen. Loud or sustained sounds sometimes jump out, and Karel's trumpet is particularly noticeable in places. The breaks from the pure austerity are nice and help to emphasize No sign's character amidst the somewhat cold and sparse palette. The sound is very modern and digital, clean and transformerless, and the stark packaging fits the music perfectly.