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 Moimème 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.