Thanks to the pandemic, the notion of remote musical collaboration has become almost a commonplace, even for improvisatory musicians. Athens-based guitarist/producer Marius Mathiszik and London-living drummer Dave de Rose developed their I Work In Communications project in 2020 while ping-ponging tracks for another project. Kiss My Emoji Ring is their second album, this time with UK saxophonist George Crowley as collaborator, and the music has been created from layered single take improvisations initiated by Mathiszik on looped and processed guitar, responded to by de Rose's drumming and then given to Crowley to contribute as he felt appropriate before Mathiszik rounded off the final sound with bass, synths and electronica. As the band and album names suggest this is ultimately an exercise in musical fun for both player and listener whether the disrupted dub reggae pastiche of ‘Take That Drone Off My Lawn’ or the polyrhythmic spree of ‘Mission To Find A Christmas Tree on Mars’.

The most satisfying track is the longest – ‘Nebula’ at around eight minutes has Crowley's warmly enticing sax rolling over crisp drumming, minimal bass pulse and ambient soundwashes. It evokes the gently evolving feel of a happy jam session that could/should have run on much longer, and indeed the principle criticism of Kiss My Emoji Ring would have to be its shortness at 32 minutes (though there is, apparently a bonus track on the cassette).