When you think of a trio - piano, tabla, and electronics - it’s probably not "robots playing inside the piano" that come to mind. Yet, "t" is a trio, and a quartet, in its own futuristic way. It’s not jazz, but improvisation is crucial; it’s not exactly classical either, though the precision in the prepared piano suggests otherwise.

The concept revolves around “Time”, and not in that fluffy, philosophical way - these guys are engineering time. "Waves/flat surface" opens the album with textural interplay, where Strufaldi’s prepared piano dances like it’s caught between decay and endless resonance, while Rosati’s electronics provide a backdrop of mechanized heartbeat pulses. Gherardi’s tabla provides an ancient grounding, all while robots are, quite literally, performing inside the piano. This blend of human and machine time feels... odd, but purposefully so.

Take "hyperclockwise", where mechanical precision from Rosati's algorithms contrasts with the fluidity of Strufaldi's tactile piano, creating a tension between natural and artificial rhythms. It’s an intellectual exercise, sure, but not without emotional resonance - "Boltzmann", a standout track, seems to push against the very fabric of time itself, with tabla rhythms that feel both cyclical and infinite, enveloped by electronic manipulation.

The "Etudes" scattered throughout feel like sketches or moments of quiet reflection - a brilliant contrast to the more sprawling pieces like "deltaX, deltaP of X", where precision is juxtaposed with experimental chaos. It's as if the trio is constantly negotiating the limits of structure and disorder, human and robotic, past and future.

The listening of "t" definitely demands grappling with ideas. But it’s also a strangely meditative experience if you let it wash over you. Comparisons to acts like Autechre for its cold, electronic precision or even avant-garde giants like Alvin Lucier and Conlon Nancarrow feel warranted - but with the added warmth of live improvisation.

"T" is a cerebral experiment, a genre-defying exploration of what it means to play music when half of your ensemble isn’t human. It may not be for everyone, but for those willing to step into its matrix of time, the rewards are otherworldly.