The unclassifiable, quirky and original Dirtwire plays the Knitting Factory

There are avant garde bands and then there is Dirtwire. David Satori and Evan Fraser craft unpredictable material in the form dubbed swamptronic, which combines electronic music with instruments from around the world.

West African kamale ngonis, whamola basses, bowed banjos and space fiddles are utilized with modern technology for a sound that’s unparalleled.

“We like trying to combine beats and instruments in ways that feel fresh and fun for us,” Satori said. “Anything sonically is possible.”

That’s evident after a spin of Dirtwire’s latest EP, “Ghostcatcher,” which will be showcased on Friday at the Knitting Factory. The inventive tunes are catchy but quirky.

“We had been working on those tracks for a couple of years in our laptops,” Satori said. “Then we spent a week recording pretty quickly. Briana Dimara, a violinist based in the Bay Area who has played live with us many times, also wrote and recorded string parts for several of the tracks.”

Dimara’s violin adds an extra dimension as Dirtwire continues to push the sonic envelope. The desire to take chances and avoiding complacency has led to each release sounding different than the last.

“Outside the comfort zone is where the magic is,” Fraser said. “Having the courage to explore and try new things usually leads to some interesting places. It’s not always successful, but we learn as we go.

“We try stuff out and build on the data we get from our musical experiments featuring all the different ingredients and combinations. Following our current inspiration of what we’re most excited about in the moment often yields good results and leads to something cool if we’re able to capture the inspiration as it comes by recording it.”

The recording acts that have influenced Dirtwire are across the board .

“We draw inspiration from so many places it’s hard choose just one,” Fraser said. “We’re blessed to have somewhat of an awareness of global music cultures and different genres of electronic production and those are both pretty infinite.

“I keep coming back to Bo Diddley, Led Zeppelin, our friends and contemporaries in the festivals we play, and anything and everything musical from West Africa.”

Even though it seems as if the Dirtwire duo will pick up any instrument, Satori and Fraser, who formed the band in 2012 after meeting at the California Institute of the Arts, have criteria.

“The instrument has to have the versatility to perform a two-song minimum per set and is relatively low maintenance,” Fraser said. “Each instrument has to be able to survive the rigors of the road.”

Considering how offbeat Dirtwire’s sound is, it’s surprising that no one discouraged the duo during its early days.

“Nobody did but that doesn’t mean people didn’t think it (was a bad idea),” Satori said. “Feedback can be really helpful. I love getting feedback, but it has to be grounded in someone’s emotion and experience.

“There is always some truth there, and even if it may be hard to hear, it’s almost always worth considering. But generalized negative feedback always comes from a place of testing. Listen at your own peril.”

Dirtwire will head back to the studio after its tour ends later this month.

“We’re looking forward to making some new beats inspired by all great music coming out now,” Fraser said.