"...The music produced by the trio on «23 Exposures» can be said to have a British imprint. Concerned with sounds and silence and prefaced by a quote from John Cage about the fascination of noise, the disc has been compared to a photographic exposures. Showcasing greater or lesser sharpness of aural images, it's part of a series of discs created by Ernesto Rodrigues, who has a background in improv, classical and pop music, on violin and viola in collaboration with José Oliveira and others such as cellist Guilherme Rodrigues and pianist Gabriel Paiuk. Over the course of the 23 so-called exposures, which range in length from a little more than one minute to just over five -- with most in the two and three minute range -- reference points are the experimental tone scientist work done by Brit improvisers. Saxophonist John Butcher, violinist Phil Wachsmann, guitarist Derek Bailey and especially percussionist John Stevens come first to mind. Steven's non-hierarchical Spontaneous Music Ensemble ethos is echoed here, with each musician doing his best to contribute to the overall sound picture. On the longest track, the violinist exhibits a shrill human-sounding shriek that meet scratching, abrasive sandpaper percussion that soon turn to what appears to be the sounds of mice scampering through the studio. Marco Franco dispenses a series of tongue-slaps that appear to have been born in his mouthpiece alone. Producing a modest, elongated sax tone, the finale winds down with violin strings slashed so quickly that the result resembles a tape machine running backwards. With the tracks often melting together into many variations on a theme, the catalogue of varied and extended effects often precludes ascription of any one to any instrument. Marco Franco offers bird-like chirps, percussive tongue slaps, spit-defined reed kisses and rhythmic key pops. José Olivera highlights nagging cymbal pings, the pealing of tiny bells, the rattle of chains, a bow scratching on the cymbal's metallic surface and what appears to be toys rolling on drum heads. On guitar, he seems to go Bailey one better, preferring a single note to a chord and a touch to a lick. What picking and plunking that is heard results from Ernesto Rodrigues' pizzicato work, which at times seems as if he's turned the gut string elastic and is gradually using torsion, stretching and wrenching them until they're on the cusp of breaking. His interest in post-serialism doesn't preclude the odd, minute arco glissando that produces a so-called classical tone. Most of the time, though, the reedist and fiddler proceed in such close proximity that the frequent elongated smears and split tones that define many section could come from either of their instruments. This is a challenging but ultimately satisfying listening experience. [...] it will likely be the vision of [...] Ernesto Rodrigues that will define Portuguese free music for years to come."-Ken Waxman (Jazz Word)