French tenor saxophonist Bertrand Denzler and drummer Antonin Gerbal expand their longstanding free improvisation duo Sbatax with electroacoustic musician Jean-Philippe Gross on Lapilli, a ferocious live recording from Instants Chavirés in Montreuil, France. Drawing on more than fifteen years of collaboration, Denzler and Gerbal have developed an intensely physical musical language built on rhythmic propulsion, repetition, and the raw energy of free jazz. Gross adds a new dimension through loops, feedback, and electronic interference, thickening the duo's already formidable sound without diminishing its directness or intensity.

The album consists of two extended improvisations, the 35-minute title track and the nearly 20-minute "Tephra," both characterized by sustained momentum and an extraordinary concentration of collective energy. Denzler's tenor saxophone draws on the muscular traditions of John Coltrane and Peter Brötzmann, developing repeated phrases and forceful melodic gestures that gradually shift and transform within the ensemble's dense sound. Gerbal, also known for his work with [Ahmed], generates a relentless rhythmic foundation, combining driving percussion with sudden changes in emphasis and dynamics.

Gross approaches his electroacoustic device as an extension of the group's collective sound rather than a conventional third instrumental voice. His crackling signals, sustained feedback, and abrasive electronic textures surround and reinforce the saxophone and drums, adding layers of distortion and mechanical turbulence that intensify the trio's improvisational momentum. Rather than introducing harmonic counterpoint, the electronics expand the music's density and physical impact, creating a powerful collision of acoustic and electronic forces.

Throughout Lapilli, the musicians maintain a remarkable collective focus despite the music's considerable volume and velocity. Subtle variations in saxophone phrasing, rhythmic articulation, and electronic texture generate a constantly evolving structure, with each player responding to the others without interrupting the overall momentum. The result is an uncompromising exploration of free jazz and electroacoustic improvisation, transforming the elemental force of saxophone and drums into an overwhelming yet precisely coordinated sonic experience.