Tied + Tickled Trio are actually a septet. They were a trio once, and at their core a trio remains, but some time ago the scope of their musical ideas expanded beyond the original members' abilities. All of which is a rather roundabout way of explaining that Tied + Tickled Trio deliver a lot more than you'll expect.

At the center of T+TT, you'll find Markus and Micha Acher. You may be familiar with the Achers from their work as Notwist, but you'll find none of Notwist's hardcore/metal experimentation here. The Acher brothers' evolutionary aesthetic is the only common thread.

Tied + Tickled Trio attempts to combine electronic music with jazz, but never takes the easy or obvious path. You'll find no techno-acid jazz on EA1 EA2, for instance. Rather, the electronic elements form an eccentric ambient-dub foundation over which the Trio slather a thick, evocative layer of horns, bass and percussion, alternately reminiscent of classic Blue Note landmarks and agressive 70s free jazz. The vibrant energy of the "real" instruments displaces the sterility of the electronic rhythms, such that during your initial trip through EA1 EA2 there's a good chance you won't even notice a lot of the electronic "voices", or will ascribe to them analog origins. It's only later, for instance, that you'll notice the burbling loop that adds backbone to the percussion on "4 pole". "Unwohlpol" puts its digital foundations in clear view, but Micha Acher's sublime horn runs blunt their sharp edges. The eerie "Utrom" exemplifies T+TT's coldest mechanics, then uses aggressive percussion to heat them to a sociable -- but unsettling -- pout.

While horns, bass and piano speak loudly, once voice stands out among them. Saxophone master Johannes Enders doesn't appear on every track, but when he does his work demands full attention. His plaintive sax is EA1 EA2's star vocalist; it alternates between ornate, restrained nods to classical jazz, knowing asides to Miles Davis and wailing, freeform emotional monologues. Micha Acher is no slouch with a trombone, either, and frequently coaxes trumpet and trombone to transformational heights, though never captivating as mercilessly as Enders. If the "horn as female vocalist" metaphor has always eluded you, EA1 EA2 may well be the album that rams the concept home.

You won't need any knowledge of jazz to enjoy EA1 EA2 -- T+TT are thankfully far more interested in exploring their sound than in playing "hide and go seek our oblique references". Find a massive, comfy armchair, some solitude and/or a good pair of headphones, and take a few hours to explore this surprisingly short (33:32) album. You'll be fascinated.