Travis & Fripp - Thread

Music performed and composed by theo travis & robert fripp
thread is a collection of nine improvised pieces by Theo Travis (alto flute, soprano sax) and Robert Fripp (guitar, soundscapes). It was recorded at DGM Soundworld by David Singleton, with later editing/mixing and mastering courtesy of Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree).

The collaboration has yielded a very beautiful sequence of recordings that neatly avoid many of the cliches routinely associated with terms such as "ambient" and "improvised", while encompassing the core elements of both forms of music. In common with the best such meeting points between musicians and musical styles, the resulting hybrid defies easy categorisation or pigeon-holing content instead to occupy its own musical space.

The improvisational core of the music gives the performances space to breathe allowing for a sense of movement and change often lacking in the glut of pre-programmed ambient music in the marketplace. The strength of the duo as players and listeners never allows the improvisational base to sound "insular"; the overall sound is expansive and inviting for the listener, the passion and commitment of the players audible from the first moments. Unfashionably, perhaps, in an era where music is often portrayed as ephemeral or disposable, it is an album that rewards repeated listening, revealing new depths with each play.