Extreme Records is known for its roster of engaging, experimental artists. Their latest find, Salt Lake City's Ether, is an excellent addition. With song titles given as bombing coordinates, the band creates aural landscape representations which are vivid and engaging. Like an instrumental version of the Swans, the music is somewhat disturbing with its insistent forward momentum.

The opening track, whose coordinates are just southeast of Tokyo, begins with the quiet drone of an airplane which is joined by a buzzing guitar after two minutes. This sound then builds into a thumping wall of sound which mutates and twists back on itself until it again subsides into the droning hum of electricity. Thirteen minutes after it began, this raid closes with the soft, soothing sound of static.

These peaks and valleys mark all of the lengthy works. Structurally, the pieces are solid with a definite form, but there is still more than enough chance and spontaneity to avoid sounding stilted. Highly percussive (the band features two drummers as well as two guitarists and a bass player), the music at times sounds like a tribal ceremony with interweaving rhythms while at other moments the mood is quiet and fragile. Repeated listens yield further connections, both within and between the pieces -- further proof of the skill behind the tracks. This is a very intelligent, interesting and absorbing disc which raises the bar for other experimental artists.