A French musician and sound designer, Jean-Jacques Birge has spent almost a half-century leaping from one medium to another. An early adapter of samplers and computers he has created music for film, dance and theatre plus electroacoustic ensembles. Exactly what it says, Pique-nique Au Labo 4 features studio or live instant compositions which nine different trios perform in varied genres featuring Birge's contributions on keyboards, synthesizers, jaw harp, harmonicas, sampler and reeds.

Working with a crowd of France's top improvisers, a good number of the tracks include enough sophisticated playing to be slotted into the jazz realm, while others come across as exercises in multimedia or as accompanying sound tracks. "Is It Finished?" for instance sequentially showcases L�a Ciechelski's breathy then squeaky alto saxophone flutters and Fabiana Striffler's harmonica puffs and violin stops before combining with Birge's keyboard groove for a straight-ahead narrative. Birge's jaw-harp twangs and keyboard stabs accompany H�l�ne Duret's clarinet trills and Roberto Negro's piano bounces on "D'une fourchette" before a fork in the exposition ascends to a resonating Belle Epoque melody.

Other tracks are more obviously programmed. Rafaelle Rinaudo's electric harp glissandi matched with Duret's clarion trills, tongue stops and vocalese on "L'offrande" are intercut with radio samples projecting orchestral, vocal and tuning static alongside more Birge keyboard whooshes and piano-like comping. Meanwhile the pseudo-march created by Fanny Meteier's widening tuba snorts and Ma�lle Desbrosses's percussion raps and peeping birdcalls is constantly interrupted by sampled male and female voices muttering in English and French tones just below audibility before reaching a shuddering finale.

Every track offered during on this French picnic can reveal another aural surprise, which is what makes the disc so compelling.