The NOISE are a revolutionary new music ensemble in that most of what they play does sound new and does sound like music. Too often audiences who courageously venture into the contemporary music auditorium are tortured by "emperor's new clothes" compositions. The NOISE are playful, intelligent and technically excellent musicians not afraid to adhere to strong forms as well as sprinting into uncharted territory of improvisation. Their ability to liberate themselves from conventional parameters creates music that flings open wide doors in the minds of the listeners.

The NOISE construct their sound world by making use of amplifiers, communal composition and tight communication. Percussion is integrated seamlessly into their string playing and the use of electronic effects is sophisticated, not gratuitous.

As the audience settled, the speakers broadcast a heavy string droning – a cross between thick summer flies and psychedelic Pibroch, with the occasional skittering high-pitched violins fluttering across the soundscape. These noises coalesced into a throbbing chord and the live musicians entered, addressing the audience bodily and taking their seats. Stream demanded that the musicians re-purpose their instruments with knocking rattling and creaking over a recorded loop of percussion bells, the whole effect secured by the powerful rhythmic momentum.

Liisa Pallandi's lovely rapid entry and the chording she wove into the rhythmic patterning established an irresistible groove ready for Veronique Serret's soaring entry over increasing syncopation leading back to home chord.

In Ghungroo, the low notes of the cello and viola were amplified to increase the deep hairy sound texture – the violins responding-in a whole rolling onward sound wave in mesmerising layers.

Free improvisation assisted by electrickery from cellist Oliver Miller and James Eccles on the viola opened the second half – creating stylish ragas over looped drones.

A new work by Sydney composer Alex Pozniak completed the concert – and at this point listening became uncomfortable. The piece is an assault by sounds on the senses, beginning with dense warring scalic passages, then scritchings, soft feathery bowing and the breath of the musicians followed by the truly hideous sound of a cello bow on a polystyrene block. Whereas the first half of the evening was remarkable for the sense of discovery created through an elegant economy in the use of different techniques, Pozniak's piece used every device in the new music composer's tool kit, confining the imagination. The work concluded with excessive tremolo, glissandos, chattering that pulled focus from the appropriately cacophonous feedback climax. Intriguing dark modernist he may be, but his message was choked in the clutter of too many densely packed effects.

Apart from my chagrin at what I deemed excessive gimmicks, this was a most exciting concert. The NOISE will bliss you out and make you groan or shout and this is exactly what a contemporary music ensemble should achieve.