Lake has been an intrepid explorer over some five decades, appearing in a vast array of contexts. His orchestral work is strong and he excels in small groups, but this collaboration with Flux Quartet is a showcase for his smart composing as well as his skill as a collaborator. Three of the seven pieces in the set are performed without him, and it is interesting to hear how much of his own character, above all his extension of the mercurial, jack rabbit jumpiness of his role model Eric Dolphy, permeates the arrangements. Most impressively the writing brings out the individuals in the quartet, each of which has space to improvise on most of the pieces, though some of the unison themes are startling for their alternation of high, slashing zigzags and low brooding rumbles that are as eerie as they are exhilarating. Lake's own playing is on point, and the hard sting of his phrasing suits the company well, especially when he breaks up his lines and skips on the pulse, almost pizzicato-like, as if he was another member of the string group.