Muslimgauze "Hussein Mahmood Jeeb Tehar Gass" Soleilmoon Recordings SOL73 CD 1998 (58:06)
Bilechik Mule (5:37)
Hussein Mahmood Jeeb Tehar Gass (6:55)
Nazareth Arab (6:34)
Sarin Odour (6:46)
Turkish Purdah (7:54)
Minarets of America (:56)
Istanbul (9:27)
Uzi Mahmood 7 (4:23)
Uzi Mahmood 12 (9:34)
Muslimgauze is Bryn Jones.
Overall impression: good. Another month, another Muslimgauze cd. "Hussein.." is, well ... Muslimgauze: repetitive loops of Middle Eastern found sounds/dialogue/wind instruments/percussion, radio waves, static, big bass, effects and electronics. Jones abandons the distorted sound found on "Mazar-I-Sharif" ... this unlimited album concentrates on more of a smooth flowing, somewhat minimal, dub-oriented, percussion driven sound (which is similar to another recent release, the "Re-mixs Vol. 3" limited cd). Most of the tracks are in the mid-tempo range with the exception of the faster paced title track and the frenzied "Nazareth Arab". Beats are the mainstay on this album except for the last four minutes or so of "Istanbul" (a quiet vocal/harmonica/static ambient section). "Sarin Odour" is the harshest song on the album, featuring slightly overdriven bass and percussion. It's a shame that "Minarets.." isn't one of the longer tracks because the one minute is very impressive. The 2 versions of "Uzi Mahmood" (which I believe were previously released on the Uzi Mahmood 12" in 1998) are particularly cool pieces, both have a bit of a hip-hop feel. As with every Muslimgauze cd I own or have seen, the artwork is at important to me as the actual music. The photography and inwork by Shirin Neshat and layout by Plazm is stunning ... always a reminder of Jones' support of the Palestinian quest for sovereignty. There's nothing in particular that sets "Hussein.." apart from the other ~100 releases Bryn Jones put out before (and after) his untimely death this past January, but it's another great one to add to the stack and listen to every now and then. It will probably either annoy you or entrance you ... does the latter for me ...
Official
Muslimgauze site
Islamaphonia
- The Muslimgauze Electronic Mailing List
Where did I get this cd? - mail order via Rioux's Records. Email Jason. (tell him markw@southwind.net sent ya!)