String Theory is a large ensemble, here consisting of eighteen members, unsurprisingly made up of instruments involving strings of one sort or another, ranging from regulation string quartet elements to guitars, zithers, a psaltery and a piano (the latter played inside the body). Musicians include many who have long been involved with the improvisatory scene in Portugal including Ernesto and Guillermo Rodrigues, Abdul Moim�me and Carlos Santos. This is their fifth release.

Krypton is a relatively short (31 minutes) piece, presumably entirely improvised, recorded live at a festival in Lisbon. The playing is generally restrained, seeming to aim at striking a balance between a steady-state flow and a complex, low-key level of burbling activity, layering arco approaches by some against soft pizzicatos from others. The volume, while generally subdued, ebbs and flows within these softer parameters, creating a very natural, unforced feeling while allowing for what might be heard as "climaxes" were there any intent behind the structure. Here, it's more like a slightly stronger gust arriving on an already gently breezy day. The effect is both meditative and a little bit agitative, a fine mix, not "in your face" but also engagingly stubborn. It's approachable enough to draw in the innocent listener but has more than enough integrity not to spoon-feed anything. For more experienced listeners, no new ground is broken but Krypton nonetheless offers a rewarding experience of a large group of excellent musicians making lovely music.