he frame drum music of percussion improviser Glen Velez exists in an odd netherworld somewhere between “world music” and Western improvisation. Velez plays exclusively on the family of instruments known as frame drums, which comprises all drums and tambourines whose head diameters are greater than their depth. The resulting flattened drums, often equipped with shakers and cymbals for added percussive versatility, have a distinctive hollow sound to their beats, and are well-equipped to produce a surprising array of very un-drum-like sounds. Which is why Internal Combustion (originally released in 1985, and now thankfully brought back in-print by Schematic) is such an enjoyable album, despite its focus on just one man and one drum for most of the nearly hour-long duration.


The frame drums played on this record are all of a non-Western design (except for the traditional Irish drum on the final piece), and Velez is well-versed in the playing styles suited for each in their original contexts. However, Velez is no cultural copycat, and he makes no attempt to play “traditional” or “tribal” music here; though he incorporates hand drumming patterns and styles from the cultures that designed these instruments, he inserts the foreign music into a steadfastly Western approach to improvisation, making for some very interesting clashes.


The opening “Pyramid” gives a good idea of what’s going to be happening for the rest of the album. Played solo by Velez on the doira, an Afghani tambourine, and the adufe, a square Spanish frame drum, this piece hardly sounds like the work of one man with a drum kit. This is partially due to the instruments’ inventive construction -- the doira is augmented by shaking metal rings; the adufe with vibrating bells -- but also certainly to Velez’s restless variation as he improvises on these instruments. The piece switches tacks several times, trading off between the two instruments, and the resulting soundscape is an airy but complex accumulation of pattering beats and tinkling percussion.


Velez revisits a similar sound on “Rain,” improvised entirely on a Middle Eastern tambourine using Arabic playing styles. The rapid, jingling motion of the tambourine provides a near-constant backdrop for Velez’s fascinating explorations on the head of the instrument, tapping out jaw-droppingly virtuosic patterns and dropping in variations to the structure with increasing frequency. The wide array of tonalities that the drum’s head is capable of producing is fully exploited by Velez, who creates a constantly changing tapestry of skipping, grooving beats.


The rest of the album moves into somewhat darker, heavier territory, with no less success. Particularly striking is “Bendir,” which begins by interlocking a series of drones. You’d be forgiven for thinking that this was created on a computer rather than, as is the case, two North African frame drums called bendir and the voices of Velez and his collaborator Layne Redmond. This piece opens with an almost melodic drone, which could have been created by perhaps rubbing the surface of the drum (though I can’t really be sure), since no other instruments are credited on the piece. A moment later, a second drone joins in, the buzzing of Velez and Redmond’s voices in a kind of primal song. There’s an odd ringing melody darting around in the background, and if I didn’t know better I’d swear there was some kind of wind instrument playing it, but more likely it’s a ghostly resonance left behind by the drums. Finally, almost four minutes in, the more recognizable drum sounds enter the mix, both drummers joined in creating a foreboding din of vibrating whirr and fast-paced beats. Interestingly, each drummer is isolated in one stereo channel, and the two very different rhythms meet in the middle to form a hypnotic, multi-layered piece, particularly when their Middle Eastern-inspired singing adds a spectral drone.


Redmond again joins Velez on the title track, a sixteen-minute improvisation around a loose core structure. The drummers are at their peak here, keeping the mood meditative and surprisingly uncrowded, perfectly complementing each other with their constantly shifting sounds. They seem almost supernaturally attuned to each other on this piece, contrasting hollow-sounding beats with sandpapery scrapes. For the final piece, Velez goes solo again, this time on a specially-constructed Irish drum called a bodhran. The mood is very dark, especially with the insectile hum of the drum’s frame hovering sinisterly in the background, and Velez’s quavery drone singing providing occasional counterpoint. As the drummer spits out a cacophony of quick-wristed rhythms and slashing fills, the music rages on to a cathartic finale.


Internal Combustion is, as its name implies, a dense and fiery collection. Its unique aesthetic approach sets it far apart from everything else on the Schematic label -- though its interest in the drone does link it tenuously with both electronic and minimalist music -- and its surprising variety of styles and moods makes it far more than just an extended drum solo. This is improvisation at its most enjoyable and accessible, pushing boundaries and exploring crossovers while reveling in the overdriven glee and excitement of free drumming.