Transmit are led by Tony Buck of long time Australian improvisers The Necks. His band's second release supplements the template of guitar, bass and drums with the sound of a psychedelic organ and keyboards from Magda Mayas.
Bands such as The Who, Shellac and Swans are cited as influences but, apparently, Global grooves from North Africa, The Balkans and Ethiopia also inform their primarily instrumental music.
Vinyl kicks things off with a drive-time beat tailor-made for an Autobahn commute while the moodier Two Rivers was apparently conceived with the idea of carrying the listener "along on a polymetric sea of tranquility".
The most surprising track is a cover of The Cars Drive which is subjected to a radical jazzy shoegazey makeover. Over the course of 8 minutes all the cheesiness of the original is efficiently removed so that the "who's gonna drive you home" refrain takes more of a hymnal quality.
Drive is followed by the eleven minute Swimming Alone which begins as a slow meditative piece, complete with chimes, but these still waters get decidedly choppier for the second part via some sullen vocals about coming up for air intoned over a grinding rock beat.
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The piano is more prominent on a gentle psychedelic-tinged trip of Right Hand Side while a hint of Eastern promise competes with good old-fashioned R'n'R jamming on Who.
All the tracks have a pleasantly loose feel that one imagines are edited versions of longer improvised pieces.
As part of The Necks, Tony Buck's musical journey follows an ambient take on free jazz. With Transmit, his approach is more direct but, since he and his cohorts resist the easy option of slipping into cruise control, the ride is always full of interest.
Tony Buck/Transmit website
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