When discussing high-calibre improvisation, much is often made of the seemingly telepathic connections between musicians co-creating in the moment.

But few come as close to fulfilling that ideal as long-time comrades-in-arms John Edwards and Steve Noble. There’s a thrilling moment around half-way through this album’s eight-minute opening jam (presumably originally the encore of a live set recorded at London’s Cafe OTO) when the bass and drums emerge from a roiling churn into an exhilarating, break-neck gallop with single-minded precision, encouraging huge, splay-handed piano chords from Pat Thomas and multiphonic shrieks from US-born, Amsterdam-based tenor-man, John Dikeman. Similarly, at the mid-point of the 32-minute main attraction, the quartet coalesce around Thomas’ sudden two-chord vamp, locking into a deep, irresistibly rolling groove, with Noble holding down a polyrhythmic foundation while simultaneously straining hard against its restricting framework.

In the more free moments, the foursome cover a lot of ground, peeling off into spontaneous trios, duos and solo statements – with Thomas dealing up one of his deliciously melodramatic unaccompanied interludes while the ghost of Sun Ra hovers over the keys. It’s powerful, uncompromising music, navigated with verve and unflagging energy by four heroes of the European free-scene.