Muslimgauze — Uzi Mahmood
To give a bit of background: Muslimgauze was highly influenced by the conflicts in the Muslim world. Much emphasis is placed on, and the project born from, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. From 1982 until his death in 1999, Jones gave almost a running commentary to discord and political happenings concerning the Muslim world through album and song titles (although the songs themselves contain no lyrics). With some 200 releases from 1982 until today, the releases Muslimgauze produced are in a word: vast.
The music produced by Muslimgauze is an intoxicating mix of house, trance and hip hop. Most every track on Uzi Mahmood (and other recordings too) is peppered with Middle Eastern traditional music loops and Arabic radio broadcast samples. While the cd has 13 tracks named identically, each song has its own ambience to it.
The combination of hypnotic hip hop beats with a sometimes heavy jazz bass or Kraftwerk-esq electronica is for the most part, body shaking. It’s hard to stand still while listening, there’s a primal almost sexy rhythm to it that makes it infectious. The Middle Eastern loops that are added only enhance this mysterious, tribal vibe.
Why is it so good? It’s good because it’s music done well, combining technology with emotion. It’s easy to listen to because its loose rhythms are primitive and earthy. Yet there’s a message there if you want to look for it, but if not Muslimgauze seemed to be happy that you enjoyed the music.