The payoff is the 31-minute “Timo Formosa 3.” The musicians seem to have hit their stride by this point, and the music is much more intriguing as a result. The drone is ever present, but there is now a beat behind it, a rhythmic chugging that recalls the building cadences of a train leaving the station. Various percussion and electronics are introduced, as well as some searing feedback from Ambarchi’s guitar. The piece steadily gains momentum, and Haino’s vocals scream like a banshee. This type of intensity is what I had expected all along from these men, and thankfully they come through.
The music Ambarchi/O’Rourke/Haino created that night is a mixed bag, to be sure. But that is one of the key elements of improvised, experimental music. I think that there is a lot of merit to such uncompromising adventurousness, and for those who feel the same way, Tima Formosa is worth looking into.
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