Oxide, though named no doubt after some gaseous atmospheric by-product, reminds instead of bits of random puzzle pieces. It's futile to fit any two together; the ends don't mesh despite any number of possible combinations. "Endangered" guitarist Tammen and violinist Irmer come from the broken improv school of dissociative noise, bearing instruments so excruciatingly sharp they make fingernails scraping down a blackboard sound positively charming by comparison.

Perhaps it's the unfortunate merger of string upon string, nylon attacking nylon, that lies at the root of Oxide's troubles; maybe it's simply the method both Tammen and Irmer use to expose us to their madness. All things being equal, their bending of string and spontaneous wilting of frets and bow projects outward in ever-widening, ever-bludgeoning concentric circles; this music must have been truly cochlea-cleaning in a live setting (the collaboration was recorded at Harvestworks Digital Media Arts Center in New York City). Not sure exactly how or why Tammen's guitar is declared "endangered" (processed through laptop and/or soft synths?), though the acid rain sonorities he conjures, combined with scores of ringing gamelan-esque tones (like Terry Riley co-opting guitar) enable the definition somewhat, as experienced on the opening "Desultory", Irmer desperately trying to keep up with the resulting din. The rasping notes of "Breach" seem to travel up and down the fretboard, but once exposed to Irmer's assaultive violin, all bets are off, Tammen's strings truly becoming lost in the ensuing morass. "Fracture" bears no resemblance whatsoever to King Crimson's gnarled tune of the same name, but the artists concerned seem to gravitate towards similar destinations, except that Tammen and Irmer's mousey squeaks and twisted stylings completely discard the barest hint of "melody" in their wayward phraseology. However, the duo let their collective hair down for the closing, brazen "Rare Metal," Irmer coming across like John Zorn on the violin while Tammen tears off shards of emasculated chords as the piece descends into cryptic metal-improv freakout. Wild and wooly for sure, Oxide is nevertheless an acquired taste — do so at your own risk.