Brazilian tenorist Perelman and US pianist Shipp have created a personal, wholly distinctive musical vocabulary over numerous recordings for the Leo label, and this latest offering for SMP is a powerful consolid¬ation of that achievement. It is the art of the duo and also the skill of self-editing and concision without loss of expression and exploration of ideas. A complete or partial Perelman phrase does not fit easily telegraphed structures; the line between rhythm and melody is ever shifting, as if a ballad can be a dance at any juncture; Shipp's forceful forward motion, like a march on an uneven plane, lends much energy to the ambiguity. Perelman's broad dynamic range, from viola-like high hollers to bullish low groans, provides colour as dramatic as Shipp's floods of bass and busy clusters that often have a harpsichord glisten. It is when the two men move as one, locking into scurrying presto or floating legato, that their chemistry really comes into its own.

The music is appropriately entitled ‘Procedural Language’ and is in 12 parts, with many songs being short enough for radio play. In two or three minutes Perelman and Shipp are able to say more than many in twice that duration, and this challenge to the expected model of avant-garde music is greatly stimulating. Instead of extended improvisation it is more a case of hyper-concentrated creativity.

Presented in a handsome folder comprising CD, Blu-ray, DVD and book, Embrace Of The Souls is a fine document by two musicians with an unflagging commitment to new ground.