US composer and musician Dan WEST is a guy I know best from his exploits in Sidewalk Society, a bands I have touched upon now and then when they have released material on UK label Fruits de Mer Records. “Expression Compression” is an EP by Dan West as a solo artist however, and was released by US label Silber Records as part of their ongoing “5 in 5” conceptual series of EPs.

As the opning piece on this EP kicks off, it comes across as rather obvious that West spends part of his time playing in a psychedelic rock band, the twisted dark tones from his guitar literally dripping with psychedelic details. This opening track quickly develops towards some kind of free form jazz affair however. This opening number is followed by three 20 second long constructions, one instance of garage rock inspired sounds, one intense piano and vocals number closer to free form jazz in expression and at last a hammering piano, bass and vocals affair that also have more of a jazz orientation to it.

Concluding this EP is a two minutes long creation that basically takes this EP full circle, opening as some kind of noise infused psychedelic rock creation that quickly shifts to free form jazz, shifting to droning, echoing and disturbing guitar reverbs at the minute mark and heads from there straight into utter chaos.

This is a well made specimen of it’s kind, but I’ll have to admit that it’s not quite my kind of material. But those who may have an interest in a 5 minute long EP that attempts to blend psychedelic rock, noise rock and free form jazz into a complete and consistent whole should find this to be a most intriguing EP.

My rating: 60/100