Remixs Vol. 2
release date: 20/11/98
Occasionally Muslimgauze brings us an album of his own remixes. Following a two year break from the first edition in this series, Muslimgauze returns with a limited edition release that presents material recorded in the last 12 months. Like the first version of "Remixs" (note the unusual spelling!), the pieces presented here are drastically reworked, re-edited, and generally twisted beyond the point of recognition. Hard core Muslimgauze fans will enjoy trying to identify the original sources, but even such dedicated followers will agree that this CD is a completely new work. Musically, the sounds on "Remixs Vol. 2" are all over the map, from minimalist techno tracks to chubby noise loops spinning sparks and smoke from the camel's backside.
"Remixs Vol. 2" is limited to 1200 copies, but like the first volume in this series, the price is easy on the pocketbook. Consider it our thanks for your support!
Press release from Soleilmoon.
The following appeared in Vital Weekly.
A young Chicano alpha-male at my former place of work responded quite well to these recordings. The titles meant nothing to him, nor did the
political theses behind these pieces. The events surrounding Bryn Jones'
death - and a certain mesmerising quality to the music - did, however.
What was more captivating? I don't work there anymore - beats me.
And yet the question of "response" is something yet-to-be-examined when it comes to Muslimgauze, and the attendant world he built for himself. What are people responding to, concerning Muslimgauze? Is it the numerous releases? The unusual packaging? Is it the voices from worlds away; the overriding rhythms? Open forums for such things amongst his peers are lacking - fuck, most forums amongst people creating experimental music are few and far-between the cracks. And yes, that's an obscenity you see.
Qualifying the sounds of a Muslimgauze album is a done deal. A bag of adjectives is rife and rifled through; parallel criticisms ensue. But what of the political agenda of Bryn Jones? What do his sounds represent? What do they re-present? There was a time when much was made about the money from these releases going towards pro-Arab organisations - Hamas, Hezbollah, PLO, etc.. Have these claims been substantiated? To what extent was the aid accepted, and was the source of that aid revealed to the recipients? Was there a will, bequeathing subsequent moneys accrued from releases to those pro-Arab insurgencies?
It is rare for music in this field to carry such an openly political slant
- and not have those politics openly questioned. Was Bryn Jones' final
re-mix that of expectations?
by: David Cotner
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Vital Newsletter (Week 6 Number 212 February 11, 2000)Erectile Dysfunction
The following appears in All Music Guide.
What's the essential difference between a Muslimgauze remix of Muslimgauze material and just a new Muslimgauze recording? That's a fair question, and it's one that Jones himself compounds by not identifying the source material for this remix collection. (Not only does he not share any information about the original tracks remixed here, he also, in typically perverse fashion, doesn't even bother to list the names of the tracks on the package. You'll have to put it in the CD player in order to determine that it consists of ten individual tracks.) But if it's impossible to analyze these remixes in relationship to their source material, it's still possible to evaluate their independent musical quality, which is startlingly consistent and high. The North African scales and percussion textures that you'd expect from Muslimgauze are as apparent as ever, but there are also strong reggae and dub accents, particularly on the first, fourth, and fifth (with its Augustus Pablo-ish melodica part) cuts. There's not a ton of melodic interest here, but the rhythms and instrumental textures are consistently complex and attractive enough to maintain interest. Highly recommended.
review by: Rick Anderson
All Music Guide
The following comes from the Muze database.
Remixs Vol. 2 is a limited edition of 1200 copies.
After working in a decidedly autocratic capacity for many years, Bryn Jones cautiously began to invite other musicians to remix his Muslimgauze tracks. The first fruits of these joint ventures, which appeared on scattered 12-inches and on the mighty Occupied Territories, expanded the Muslimgauze palette both directly and indirectly. So taken was Jones with the flavors that outside parties added to Muslimgauze's unique brew of dub bass, Middle Eastern percussion, loops, and variously tempered electronics that he initiated the Remixs series.
The Remixs volumes find Jones radically "remixing, looping, and re-editing" unspecified tracks from his Muslimgauze catalog. These are extended and often unrecognizable dub experiments. Jones employs a magic bag filled with tricks - filters, stereo effects, processing techniques, sequencing sleights - that give Remixs an especially loose and playful feel. Remixs, Vol. 2 contains some of Jones' most frolicsome and delightful studio-play. Endlessly looped percussive tracks collide with twiddly electronics, 101 flavors of dub-warp, and sampled vocal ululations that capture the joie de vivre of Arab celebrations. This delightful solo sound-clash is a must, whether you're a Muslimgauze die-hard, a newcomer, or simply a lover of great music.
Muze
The following appears on Amazon.com.
Usually, the ideal candidate for a remix is a composition that is relatively simple and has a discernible structure. The best remixers take a small chunk of the piece and use it as a departing point for musical exploration. The music of Muslimgauze is intricate, complex, and experimental in nature. On Remixs 2, Bryn Jones remixes his own compositions and in turn reverses the process described above. The music sounds less sparse and erratic (and I mean this as a compliment) than in "non-remix releases". It almost sounds, dare-I-say-it, conventional in comparison to most of Muslimgauze's overwhelming output. However, this is not a negative criticism. In fact, this disc is a breath of fresh air into the Muslimgauze canon. I repeatedly enjoy listening to the tightly-woven beats found here as well as the woofer-killer bass. The music has the trademark Mid-Eastern percussion but it is definitely downplayed in comparison to most of his other discs; more of an ornament than a central structure. At times, if you stretch your imagination a little bit, you might even picture this music as club material. Overall, I would say that while this is not as adventurous as most of Bryn Jones' other releases, it is one of his most consistent, groove-inspiring, and listener-friendly albums.
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