Browse by Artist: MUSLIMGAUZE

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	In Search Of The Abraham Mosque
Label:	MUSLIMGAUZE PRESERVATION SOCIETY (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$25.00
Catalog #:	TMPS 005CD

"Listening to Bryn playing was very strange. Hearing him breathing in between the beats and putting his headphones down at the end and getting up and walking out of the room, that was eerie. But again, it was nice at the same time."
"Though it was December in the Manchester recording studio and the room properly heated, nevertheless a shiver went down John Delf's spine when the first tentative taps scurried across the surface of the hand drum, followed by a melodic drizzle of rhythms that flowed from the studio monitors. The source was analog reels of his recording sessions with Bryn Jones from 1993 to 1998. Not commonly known (and elaborated in detail in the forthcoming book, Muslimgauze: Chasing the Shadow of Bryn Jones) is that more than an audio engineer, Delf in a sense could be considered a part of Muslimgauze and that some musical stylings can be attributed to his involvement. When Jones hired Delf at the Cutting Rooms Studio in the Abraham Moss Centre in Manchester (credited as the Abraham Mosque on Muslimgauze releases), he was educated on how to use the recording studio as an instrument. They took turns at the mixing desk and produced such pristine recordings as Vote Hezbollah, Hamas Arc, and Veiled Sisters. Sessions were booked once a month, and lasted between four to eight hours each time wherein numerous versions of each song was composed. Jones distilled tracks from these sessions onto masters to submit to labels. Unused portions remained and Jones later revisited these bits to release later or rework. Late in 1998 Jones stopped booking the studio and it was not until mid-1999 that someone finally took the time to explain to Delf why. Delf kept the reels in storage for well over a decade until he was approached by The Muslimgauze Preservation Society in late 2010. Since Jones' passing, Delf further honed his audio engineering craft to greater, refined levels as he worked for marquee bands while building a studio to rival the Cutting Rooms. Says Delf, 'The reels were always something that I was looking forward to having a go at (once more). It was quite exciting to see whether the tapes would actually work or not usable at all. When I put the first tape on it was 'oh no, it is a complete disaster. Not working! What are we going to do?' But when we put the second tape on we thought, 'oh wow! It's all there!' The sonic quality was still there and it was still really bright and full. It instantly returned me to the sessions that we did. Hearing the beats, then the excitement returned. Once I got the reels going, then I realized, 'hang on, there's more here.' It was an eerie and joyful experience. We (Bryn and myself) worked together for a very long time and it went on for 6 years, once a month for a few hours and so it was a long-term relationship. It was nice to go back and hear it again and to know that there are still people, years after he is gone, interested and still want to hear it.' In Search of the Abraham Mosque has a two-fold meaning; one is a search for the studio where legendary Muslimgauze albums were recorded. The second is a reference to the Abraham Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, the tomb of the patriarchs where prophet Abraham is believed to be buried. On this disc, a musical narrative of this journey unfurls over 67 minutes starting at the fringes of Egypt amidst hip hop rhythms, then wanders off into the desert towards the famed Abraham Mosque. Bryn Jones' hand drumming is intimately showcased while cinematic atmospherics and cinematic ambience compliment his organic rhythms. Melodies, both subtle and overt, float in and out of the narrative much like the myriad of voices that converse and shout in Arabic dialects alongside urban and nature sounds, not unlike a radio play. Some moments are serene, whereas others wander through a dense sandstorm goaded by powerful waves of sub bass that instill a growing sense of fervency in the search. Material here will be familiar to Muslimgauze aficionados, but alternate versions and brought in a new light with surpassing audio quality. The narratives continues to wander through dusty Arab villages and refugee camps, the Islamic call to prayer discernible, implying the Abraham Mosque at last found and hints a second part of the narrative, Return to the Abraham Mosque. Listeners are encouraged to play this disc in a setting with minimal distractions to fully appreciate the artistry and technological craft that went into this release. Packaged with papyrus covers hand printed in liberated Egypt, with fold-open full-color insert, glossy sticker and color-surface CD. Turn out the lights, turn on your stereo or headphones, and prepare a visit from the restless spirit of Muslimgauze. This is TMPS 05, part one of a multi-part series."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	From the Edge
Label:	MUSLIMGAUZE PRESERVATION SOCIETY (CANADA)
Format:	2CD
Price:	$27.00
Catalog #:	TMPS 010CD

"The Muslimgauze Preservation Society is proud to offer you a fragment of previously unreleased musical history, vintage Muslimgauze from 1990. It was around this time when a young John Goff wrote a fan letter to Bryn Jones, along with his wishes to release a Muslimgauze track. Jones promptly responded with a cassette master of not only a track, but a whole album. At the time, Muslimgauze was signed to Extreme who were wary of fans who wanted to release music by their marquee artist. On the other hand, Jones was stymied by Extreme's one-release-a-year schedule, but that did not stop him from making more music. At Jones urging, however, Extreme relented and Goff released the exquisitely hand carved single track 7-inch Red Crescent Part 3 (The Way Out, 1993), but the rest of the tape remained unreleased. Not long after Jones' passing on January, 1999, Goff organized a tribute remix album based on fragments from the masters. Many responded, more than the album could accommodate. The results were From the Edge (Chlorophyll, 2003 on vinyl and Azra, 2004 on CD). The unreleased remixes joined the unreleased masters in the vaults, until now in a wonderful two disc set! Disc one has two tracks at twenty minutes each. Track one is 'Muslimgauze live at the Manchunian Turkish Baths' and track two is 'Muslimgauze Unreleased Tracks'. The music was composed not long after Uzi (Parade Amoureuse, 1989) and is a cousin to Intifaxa (Extreme, 1990), only livelier. Tracks are comprised entirely of percussive textures; from machine, to acoustic, and ethno-drums along with cymbals, bells, high-hats, chimes, and gongs among others. The sole treatments are reverb, delay, and echo. Despite the narrow palette, this is still a lush and full recording, rhythms energetic and deeply kinetic. Not quite industrial, not quite IDM, From the Edge straddles the nether-regions between genres; classic Muslimgauze. The cassette master was brought to John Delf for post production and restoration. Together, Delf and TMPS made an aesthetic decision, to focus on the music and not remove the tape hiss for fear of compromising the sound. Hence, there are source limitations, but we feel the beauty of the music more than makes up for this. Cassette culture was a fact of the '80s and we urge fans to approach this recording the way one would a recording of an old blues 78 from the '30s, a psych-rock 45 from the '60s, or an Industrial tape from the '80s. As for the remix disc, some songs will be familiar to those who have earlier editions of From the Edge, but others will be new, including a few from a band Jones loved called Faust. As always, the discs will be packaged in a super-jewel case, with papyrus covers hand printed in Egypt, a fold-open poster with liner notes, and a bonus sticker. This is lovingly restored piece of history and a missing link in the musical development of Muslimgauze. Limited to an edition of 500."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Abu Nidal/Coup D'Etat
Label:	SOLEILMOON RECORDINGS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	SOL 002CD

"Originally released in 1986/1987 in England, these two albums have been out of print for years. Abu Nidal/Coup d'Etat is 72 minutes of rhythmic textures and hypnotic atmosphere, carrying the listener through the mountains and deserts of Islam, through shimmering heat waves and shifting sands. The intricate and mesmerizing textures created by Muslimgauze speak of cultures and peoples in conflict, of a time and place more imaginary than real."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Iran
Label:	SOLEILMOON RECORDINGS
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.00
Catalog #:	SOL 006CD

"Iran was the first Muslimgauze recording to be released on CD, and therefore occupies a special place in the hearts of Muslimgauze fans. The year was 1988, and Dutch label Staalplaat had recently been introduced to the music of Muslimgauze through their association with Soleilmoon. At the time, Staalplaat was known for their attractively presented cassette releases. Iran was their first CD release, and signaled the start of the label's transition away from the cassette format. Soleilmoon reissued Iran in America in 1993 after Staalplaat relinquished their rights to the material, although by then more than half a dozen Muslimgauze CDs had been issued by Staalplaat, Soleilmoon and other labels. Iran was available for another five years, until 1998, when it went out of print. The Muslimgauze catalog is profoundly deep, with 200 or more releases, depending on how you count them. Ever the one to love his latest compositions above all others, Bryn Jones, the man behind Muslimgauze, pushed his record labels to issue new product and let older titles go out of print, which for the most part made sense. After all, fans want the newest album, so why keep something old in print? But with the passing of time, the question has been answered: History is relevant, and the old recordings are still important. Thus it is with particularly great happiness and pride that we bring back the first ever Muslimgauze CD. For this reissue the CD packaging has been completely redesigned. The original print films were converted into digital files so that the photographs could be reused, but the essay Breien Met Mist / Zonder Handleiding (Knitting With Fog / Without Manual) written in Dutch by Andrew McKenzie of The Hafler Trio, was deleted, allowing us to put full emphasis on the presentation of the images. The new package is printed entirely on high quality heavyweight papers, and is a work of art in its own right, rivaling the music recorded on the CD it's designed to hold. A sturdy slipcover pocket holds a black-and-white four-page booklet together with a CD slipcase made with scented, metallic gold paper. It is truly an art object to cherish and treasure."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Mazar-i-Sharif
Label:	SOLEILMOON RECORDINGS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	SOL 070CD

2009 repress. "Mazar-i-Sharif is to polite society what a dozen angry Rotweillers are to a cafe full of poodles: An explosion. The diamond collars scatter across the tiles and the fur turns red as the perfectly clipped poodle-butts are torn apart by a pack of rabid Jerry Springer Spaniels. Your politically correct end-of-the-century tea party is officially over, and anyone thinking Muslimgauze is about to make a calculated move to new age radio should call a taxi right now because the missiles are already in the air. From the intense noise-and-rhythm barrage to the shocking cover image of a young boy with amputated arms, there is no part of this compact disc that will not offend someone. Yes, of course there are groovy Middle Eastern beats, and music loops are top notch as usual, and the true die-hard fans of Muslimgauze will not be disappointed, but we expect that there will be fewer of them after they hear this record."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Veiled Sisters Remix
Label:	SOLEILMOON RECORDINGS
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	SOL 105CD

"Veiled Sisters was first released by Soleilmoon as a double CD in 1993 (SOL 20 CD). It was received with great acclaim at the time, and is still enjoying steady sales nearly ten years later. Bryn Jones, AKA Muslimgauze, recorded a follow-up in 1996, in which he reworked and recycled the materials into another album. It was delivered to Soleilmoon more as an afterthought than something he intended us to issue. Veiled Sisters Remix, as the piece was called, was held back from release at Bryn's request, with the reason being given generally that he wanted us to release something else that was 'newer and better', in his words. Now more than three years after his death, and with the continued consent of his family, we are pleased to finally be able to issue this forgotten gem of music. It's typical of its period, a time in which his work was reaching a creative zenith, but it stands out for it's unusual use of a single album as its source. In the time between the original Veiled Sisters and the Remix Bryn acquired and mastered the use of nearly all of the professional studio equipment that was so important to his later works. With this version he felt that he'd finally achieved the true vision of the album that he'd set out to record three years previously. Veiled Sisters Remix was designed by Alexander Baumgardt, the noted German designer who designed Hummus. Both CDs have a similar appearance at first glance, but they are in fact two distinctly different albums."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Alms For Iraq
Label:	SOLEILMOON RECORDINGS
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	SOL 129CD

2009 repress. "Bryn Jones, AKA Muslimgauze, recorded this album in December 1995, just three years before his early and unexpected death at the age of 38. In the last years of his life Bryn acquired as much of the latest technology for his home studio as he could lay his hands on, and the advances and developments in his music reflected his growing proficiency with his new equipment. Alms for Iraq therefore has many of the hallmark sounds of the late-era Muslimgauze recordings already released, with abrupt starts and stops, swooping transitions and layer upon layer of samples and rhythms. There are nevertheless still plenty of surprises. Ever the groundbreaker, Bryn never recorded the same album twice." Comes in an oversized trifold package.

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Syrinjia
Label:	SOLEILMOON RECORDINGS
Format:	2CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	SOL 132CD

Regular non-limited jewel box edition. "Although Muslimgauze was never known for making particularly dance-oriented music, Syrinjia was a rare exception to the start-stop noisy feedback-driven assault that defined his style. This change in direction, more a detour, really, was the result of a simple request put to him to make an album that DJs could play for people who might not normally appreciate what he was doing. Rather than look at the request as a demand to compromise or sell out to commercial requirements, Bryn took it as an opportunity to explore a completely different foundation from which to work. While it could be said that the majority of his songs find their inspiration in Arabic or Islamic traditions, Syrinjia breaks the mold by looking west towards Jamaica and its vital reggae scene. The beats are rock steady and a sinuous bass line bubbles underneath at a rolling boil, and it's standing room only once again on Air Palestine flight 132 to Kingston. This regular edition is presented in a standard jewelbox and comes with a friendly price."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Speaker of Turkish
Label:	SOLEILMOON RECORDINGS
Format:	CD
Price:	$16.00
Catalog #:	SOL 138CD

Regular digipak edition. "Speaker of Turkish is the first completely new Muslimgauze album to be released in more than two years. It's one of several albums recorded by Bryn Jones in a final year-long burst of creativity that peaked in the spring of 1998, shortly before his sudden and unexpected death on January 14, 1999. It consists of six long tracks. The first edition of Speaker of Turkish was released in January, in a limited edition hand-made papier-m�ch� case, with a double-sided windowsticker and a hand-numbered 2006 mini-calendar card included inside. This second edition is packaged in a digipak, with new artwork throughout: Colorful Islamic burial banners on the outside, and a mountain of sticky dates...eaten after the daily fast during Ramadan...on the inside. The music is exactly the same on both editions."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Arabbox
Label:	SOLEILMOON RECORDINGS
Format:	CD
Price:	$13.00
Catalog #:	SOL 144CD

"Arabbox was recorded in 1993 following the first Gulf War. 10 years later, following the second Gulf War, Soleilmoon is pleased to finally release this important Muslimgauze album. It's commonly known that Bryn Jones, the late musician behind Muslimgauze, was driven by the passion of the Palestinian people's fight for an independent homeland. What is less well understood is how he found inspiration in other parts of the Muslim world, including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. India, with its dominant Hindu culture, might seem like an odd place to include in the list, until you remember that more than one hundred million Muslims live there. In fact Jones, who loved language and wordplay (consider the name 'Muslimgauze', for example), frequently plundered the south Asian subcontinent throughout his long musical career for song titles and album names, coming up with gems like 'Old Bombay Vinyl Junkie' and 'Tandoori Dog'. So it's not surprising that two song titles on Arabbox can be traced to India. 'Ganges Swimmer', heard in another form on the Staalplaat CD Izlamaphobia, and 'Firozsha Baag', the fictitious Bombay (now Mumbai) setting for a collection of interconnected stories by Indo-Canadian author Rohington Mistry. Thus it is appropriate that the images and packaging of this release are derived from India. But Iraq is very much in the news again, and that country is not neglected here. Track names like 'Kurdish Red', 'Sadaambush', and 'Basra' all come directly from that region. Incredibly, it seems the more things change, the more they stay the same. Stylistically, the songs of Arabbox follow other works recorded by Muslimgauze in the early 1990's. Fans familiar with the Soleilmoon double CD Veiled Sisters will recognize the flowing, humanistic sounds, natural sounding percussion, and gently shimmering keyboards that sent the reviewers running to their dictionaries to search for new words to describe what they were hearing. Now that Bryn is gone we're left to listen to his work and interpret his genius on our own."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Uzi Mahmood
Label:	SOLEILMOON RECORDINGS
Format:	2CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	SOL 161CD

"Bryn Jones died January 14, 1999. The man best known as Muslimgauze was 37 years old, and at the peak of his career. During his short life he recorded an astonishing number of albums, some 200 at last count, a great many of them in years immediately preceding his death. Indeed, his output was so great that his labels couldn't keep up with the virtual flood of music he produced. It's no wonder new material continues to surface so long after his passing. Uzi Mahmood was recorded to satisfy a specific request. Soleilmoon wanted a 12 inch single that DJs could play in nightclubs. The idea was to introduce Muslimgauze to a potentially enormous new audience. The request was made in the autumn of 1999, in a phone call lasting less than five minutes; Bryn was never one for small talk. He was all business, and he could record a complete album in three or four days, sometimes faster. Two weeks after agreeing to record a disco album for Soleilmoon, Uzi Mahmood was delivered to the label. But instead of the agreed on two or three tracks, he sent an eleven song compact disc, followed a week later by a 90 minute digital audio tape containing the entire CD plus two more pieces. Four songs were eventually selected for the experiment, and in the spring of 1998 a dirty-and-dubby 12" EP was released. Two more songs were later used to replace a pair of corrupted tracks on the master tape for Hussein Mahmood Jeeb Tehar Gass, released on CD in 1999. The music was well received by fans, but the hoped-for dance floor revolution never happened, and the little record with the unconventional beats went out of print a few years later. Fast forward to the present: The year is 2009 and the four song EP has been out of print for more than five years, seven more songs lie waiting in the vault, still unreleased, and the two tracks tacked onto Hussein Mahmood Jeeb Tehar Gass are the only ones in wide circulation. Which is why Soleilmoon is so very pleased to finally be releasing all thirteen songs together on one record. Uzi Mahmood is 90 minutes of the sexiest, most booty-shakin' Muslimgauze music ever heard. We released a limited edition gatefold triple LP in November (2009). Now it's available as a two CD set. Disc one has the eleven tracks from the original master, disc two has the two extra songs that came on the DAT. The cover art is by plazm design."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Jaagheed Zarb
Label:	STAALPLAAT (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$21.00
Catalog #:	ARCHIVE 002CD

Unreleased material, limited edition of 700 copies. "The Tupac of the experimental world, even some nine years after his death, various labels are still issuing posthumous work from Bryn Jones. However, unlike Mr. Shakur, these aren't ramshackle scraps slapped together to make a quick buck, they're simply the product of one extremely prolific artist. The second volume of Staalplaat's Archive Series (the label that, at one point, was receiving a full length DAT a week of new material), this disc compiles mostly previously released material, including the whole Jaagheed Zarb LP that was issued as one fourth of the Tandoori Dog set, three of the four tracks from the MP3 only Melt EP, and three unreleased tracks." --Brainwashed. Last copies.

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Cobra Head Soup
Label:	STAALPLAAT (GERMANY)
Format:	2LP
Price:	$33.00
Catalog #:	ARCHIVE 008LP

Unreleased material, says "all tracks by Muslimgauze 1997". Gatefold 2LP, black & white cover limited to 500 copies. LP1: 33 RPM; LP2: 45 RPM. Tracklist:
       side 1A
       1. Muslim Brotherhood
       2. Arab United
       3. Kashmiri Queens
       4. Zion Junkie
       side 1B
       5. Egypt Needs More Rain
       6. Cobra Head Soup
       7. Dogheadgod
       8. Gaza Strip
       9. Rabid Zionist Dog Muzzle
       side 2A
       10. Elect Izlamic Jihad
       side 2B
       11. Dimple Kapadia Mumbai

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Madrass Sitar Burner
Label:	STAALPLAAT (GERMANY)
Format:	2LP
Price:	$33.00
Catalog #:	ARCHIVE 010LP

Gatefold black and white cover, limited to 600 copies. "Madrass Sitar Burner harbours Muslim-world East-Indian/Pakistani flavours as well as North African/Middle Eastern into what could be described as among the more 'jumping' Muslimgauze releases in the oeuvre. Curiously, sitars surface on only one track, perhaps reduced to ashes before further songs could be composed. Masters for Madrass... were submitted by Bryn Jones to Staalplaat in 1998, while Muslimgauze music was well into the dancehall-reggae-dub-cum-noisy-distortion phase. Those who wish to place the album in the overall context of the discography can do so among the 'ethno-electro' (where traditional music is walked through a hall-of-mirrors of effects, deft panning, then dubbed-out into staggered bits) alongside Silknoose, Uzbekistani Bizzare And Souk, Lo-Fi India Abuse, and Alms for Iraq. Madrass... opens with simmering tablas, the mridangam and santoor for several tracks before the listener is transported to remote dusty villages of North Africa to experience both spirited and serene reed flutes that negotiate through high-voltage electronic rhythms. It is the rhythms that are the most pronounced element of this release as molten, toxic waste bass lines and tectonic strength beats both seep and clamour either like a force of nature or post-apocalyptic fall-out. The non-Indo tracks are familiar as parts were previously released on Dar Es Salaam while one track is straight off the Nommos' Return 10". Jones was not always patient when certain tracks were not released soon enough to his liking and consequently were sent elsewhere without notice. The balance remains dangerously sharp unreleased gems ideal for the dance floor provided a sound system is robust enough to channel the sheer force of Muslimgauze. Despite the near-overwhelming rhythms and bass-ethnic elements along with voices from outskirts of Lahore and Bedouin caravan routes persist like determined insurgents against 'Western occupier' styles. To harness this raw power and beauty, Staalplaat recruited Germany's surpassing audio engineer, Rashad Becker, who specially mastered and spanned these tracks over two pieces of virgin vinyl. Track listings on the inner circles are inscribed in Bryn Jones' own handwriting no less. Madrass Sitar Burner is for Muslimgauze completists who want an artifact and new fans who want to hear an artisan put grime and dubstep proponents to shame." -- Ibrahim Khider, author of Muslimgauze: Chasing the Shadow of Bryn Jones

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Izlamaphobia
Label:	STAALPLAAT (GERMANY)
Format:	2CD
Price:	$24.00
Catalog #:	MUSLIM 001

Restocked, last copies. 2005 re-release in a limited edition of 800. "First in a series of limited-edition subscription-only releases from Staalplaat/Soleilmoon, Izlamaphobia starts with an aggressive blast, 'Hudood Ordinance.' With a rhythm track consisting of extremely tweaked and processed electronic beats and bleeps, with only the gentlest of Arabic string instruments deep in the mix to relate things to a more familiar Muslimgauze sound, the song sets the general mood for the rest of Izlamaphobia. On the one hand, Jones' incorporation of hip-hop and funk beats has never been stronger, providing songs like 'Gilded Madrasa' and 'The Public Flogger of Lahore' with a wickedly fierce kick and drive. On the other, the strained, alien treatments on many of the songs would be well at home on innumerable Warp Records releases of the '90s, with squelching rhythms, undanceable dance tracks and, quite unsurprisingly, a desire to avoid expected techno cliches. With these two strains combined on many songs by Jones, the results are wonderfully slamming..." Ned Raggett, All Music Guide.

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Zuriff Moussa
Label:	STAALPLAAT (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$21.00
Catalog #:	MUSLIM 012

2004 release, last copies restocked. Limited Edition of 800, comes in new cover and special paper. "Instead of the drones and mostly beatless atmospheres of many previous Muslimgauze recordings, Zuriff Moussa presents quite a danceable switch for Bryn Jones. Dedicated to a Palestinian martyr, the album sounds like a cleaner version of Techno Animal, with Eastern influences instead of dub. 'Turkquoize Label' and 'Brazil Marijuana' are surprisingly infectious, with distorted breakbeats and the patented Muslimgauze phased-channel drone. There are 24 tracks spread across more than an hour, so there isn't a large amount of time for each track, though several are presented in suites, like 'Anti Arab America.' For messed-up beat fans who are able to find it, Zuriff Moussa is close to a crucial purchase." -- John Bush, All Music Guide.

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Mullah Said
Label:	STAALPLAAT (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$19.00
Catalog #:	MUSLIM 018CD

"Much like earlier entrants in the subscription series Sandtrafikar, Mullah concentrates on the softer yet still ominous side of Muslimgauze, coming across as meditative, late-night music which still has an understated edge to it all. The title track sets its mood well, with a synth/string arrangement similar to the dominant one from Veiled Sisters, but darker and more subdued, set against a very low-key drum machine beat and gentle interjections of wind instruments and random vocal bits. The first 'Every Grain of Palestinian Sand' ups the tempos slightly, adding more drones and percussion, including a great acoustic performance about halfway in, along with an attractive central string melody. From there the album continues in the same general vein, adding tweaks and changes as it goes. Both versions of 'Muslims Die India' are a bit more active, while still maintaining the same generally dreamy and drifting feeling (the second concentrates a bit more on percussion interplay throughout its quarter-hour length); and the second 'Every Grain' sneaks in more echo and samples of machines into its quiet though intense groove. 'An End' concludes things on an unexpected note, with a female vocalist singing over a combination of bird sounds and percussion breaks -- an attractive way to end a fine record. Mullah Said displays two aspects of the work of Muslimgauze. Firstly, musically, it is in the delightful drifting ambient vein. The percussion is mainly acoustic hand drums -- providing a rhythm of aural features -- the trademark shimmering string sound heard on a number of releases is much in evidence, rhythms are generally slower, there are lots of samples of people speaking in conversation, markets wherever. 'Mullah Said' opens the disc with the lovely mix of these sounds. 'Every Grain of Palestine Sand' continues the mood, with a slightly faster tempo, and more emphasis on the beat. But it soon locks into a mesmeric lassitude as various effects echo or smear the sounds, drums come in for short moments, different string sounds enjoin the play. 'Muslims Die India' follows the mood though the voices seem darker, sadder, and then comes 'Every Grain of Palestinian Sand' followed by 'Muslims Die India.' Yes, not a typo, these tracks are repeated. This is the second Muslimgauze trend -- to remix himself. On a number of releases there are tracks with the same title, sometimes called part 1 and 2, and usually they are about the same length and listening indicates they are versions of the same song. With the two here, the samples occur at about the same time, the instrumentation is similar, and what we get is subtle variations -- different effects, placement of instruments in the mix etc. This leaves us with a 50 minute suite of prime Muslimgauze middle eastern ambience -- if you like that side you will love this album. The final track is short and different, a crackling ground over which a singer chants a song interrupted by machine-gun percussive bursts -- 'An end.'"

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Iranair Inflight Magazine
Label:	STAALPLAAT (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$21.00
Catalog #:	MUSLIM 021

2003 release, last copies restocked. Limited Edition of 700 copies. "The title Iran Air Inflight Magazine refers to the Iranair civil aeroplane shut down by the American military. For the artwork we used found east European airforce propaganda material and the Iran air logo. This Muslimgauze will be hard to categorise: all is new material, pure Muslimgauze, percussive but not the dance style nor the ambient dub or distorted sound. It's much more a new minimal repetitive and dry sound, most of the music is arranged percussion and some Arab text fragments appear every now and then. This album shows strong links with the first Muslimgauze released on Bryn Jones' own label limited Records, but also clearly shows his way of working shortly before he passed away. Again Bryn has proven to make music in a clear Muslimgauze style which jumps across a wide variety in genres."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	No Human Rights For Arabs Vol. 2
Label:	STAALPLAAT (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$21.00
Catalog #:	MUSLIM 034

Unreleased and extended remix of the original and already sold out of the first volume. Parts originally released as the No Human Rights For Arabs In Israel (EP) (Staalplaat, 1995) & tracks 2-5, 7 & 12 as No Human Rights For Arabs In Israel (EP) (on the Polish label Vivo, 2004). "From the moment I glanced at the horrific cover art of a small Arab child ravaged, bleeding and bandaged I knew this prolific orator of the proletariat is firmly planting his message into the consciousness of the mostly converted. Though, the contents are a mix of atmospheric electronics, somewhat techno, and repetitive, the real message is patented in his direct passion to embed his political passions in a thread of frenetic rhythm, tones and beats. Composed of six tracks, this Psychic TV'esque m�lange of chunky beats and synth-sensation recalls early 80s lower east side day-glo attitudes pigmented with pop-art hooks. This has the feel of a Bootsy Collins or other like Funkadelic spin-off record, not quite 'the same' but experimenting with foundations of something that was once quite miraculous." -- T.J. Norris/Igloo.

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Maroon
Label:	STAALPLAAT (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.00
Catalog #:	STCD 084CD

"In 1995, Staalplaat released Maroon by Muslimgauze and we announced there would be three different editions. A deluxe digipack with an original stamp by the Palestinian Authority (500 copies), a deluxe digipack without the stamp (500 copies) and an unlimited digipack with a new design. The third edition was never released, due to the high output of Muslimgauze at that time -- it was shortly after the release of Maroon that we started our limited edition subscription series. Over the years we believed to have lost the films and artwork for the third edition, another problem in producing it. Recently the films showed up (albeit in a not too best state) and we decided to produce the original third, unlimited edition of Maroon. It is now available. Maroon was the first Muslimgauze of 1995 and brought back the sound of confrontation. Musically Maroon continues Salaam Alekum Bastard (which was a break with the Blue Mosque and Zealot releases) and is dub inspired techno, laid back sounds with taped radio voices from the middle east that appear apparently random in the mix."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Beyond the Blue Mosque
Label:	STAALPLAAT (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$16.00
Catalog #:	STCD 116CD

Repressed. "Since late 1995 Staalplaat has issued limited edition releases by Muslimgauze. Until now 9 of those releases were available, and they are all sold out. To explain once more: the limited editions are for die-hard fans, giving the possibility to collect a lot of Mr. Muslimgauze's music (and imagine: there is still much you didn't hear). Beyond The Blue Mosque is the first in a series of those compilations. Compiled by Berrie Kamer (VPRO's Mort Aux Vaches man) with the best tracks taken from Izlamaphobia, Azzazin, Return Of Black September, Deceiver and the Zealot 10". The music shifts back and forth between aggressive up tempo pieces (from Izlamaphobia and Deceiver) and the dark, moody brooding atmospheres (from Azzazin)."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Observe With Sadiq Bey
Label:	STAALPLAAT (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$16.00
Catalog #:	STCD 131CD

Repressed. "Dedicated to the Naqba, the catastrophe of 50 years ago. This release is not part of the limited edition series. This time an unlimited one. Music-wise more up tempo, distorted beat material, with dashes of trip hop like beats. Muslimgauze find their way round in current dance music trends, but he's not willing to settle down, give in or sell out. Many assorted vocal snippets, from anguished exclamations to persuasive Middle Eastern politispeak, are expertly woven into the straightforwardly ethnic rhythms of State of Palestine. Darker, and infused with various whispers."

Artist:	MUSLIMGAUZE
Title:	Speaking With Hamas
Label:	STAALPLAAT (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.00
Catalog #:	STCD 140CD

"This is the third in our bi-annual series of 'best of Muslimgauze limited edition'. These CD's are intended for those who think that Muslimgauze was an over productive unit, but think that they should still keep up with some of what Muslimgauze was doing. So after a couple of limited editions only, Staalplaat releases a best of. Speaking With Hamas was compiled by Bryn Jones himself early 1997 and he thought it would be nice to include a new, previously unreleased track. In his words: 'It's for people who don't deserve it'."

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