Am is the debut album from British improv duo Muster. It’s a four-track affair, available as either an ltd screen printed CD or digital download. And I must say it’s a fairly impressive & varied opening shot, with the tracks moving between sinister unease, jagged-at-times fiery discord, and darting playful-ness.

The self release CD is ltd to forty hand-numbered copies- with the disc been packaged inside a screen printed gatefold, featuring abstract and blurred blend of pink, black, and yellow shapes. As far as I can gather they still have copies left- head here to order/ find out more. The digital download album is put out by Slightly Off Kilter, and can be purchased here.

Muster brings together South London based  James O’Sullivan  on guitar, and  Brighton based Dan Powell electronics. James has seemingly been sonically active since around 2009, releasing around eight album release- that collaborations & solo albums.  Dan has been sonically active in the UK improv scene since 2008, putting out a few solo releases as well as been involved with the projects Brambling & The Static Memories- so both are fairly seasoned players.
 
The album was mastered by Mark Beazley, who formed the Trace Recordings label, and is involved with the likes of Band Of Holy Joy and the excellent Rothko- so a good set of ears behind the releases mixing/ mastering.
 
We kick off with the six and a half minutes of “Tine” It opens with a blend of stuck creepy music box tones mixed with moodily forking, baying, & scabbing guitar tones. With later on a more off-kilter/ spaced out wackiness coming into play- though fairly soon we return to the foreboding/ uneasy side of things.  Next up we have come to “Verser” here we find just shy of four minutes of eerier tinkling vibe tones, slow angular forkings, and creepy lo-fi baby doll sounds/ male chatter- all bringing to mind a more guitar based take on the kind of thing the Starving Weirdos used to do.
 
The album is topped off with its longest track “On The Hoof”- this twenty four and a bit minute track moves from blends of hovering organ-like dread, hushed voices, and moodily forking-to-scuttling neck work. Onto tight-at points jarring blends of grainy static grate, eerie music box picks, and moody knocks. Through to seesawing mixes of woozy high pitched elector-texturing, busy neck play, and scrawling-yet-atmospheric feedback.
 
 
If you like your improv with a more unease-to-playful side, I’m certain you’ll get something from Am. And I’ll be certainly keeping an eye out for future work from both Mr Powell & Mr O’sullivan.