This is the third edition of the album, initially released as alimited 12" (containing only the first nine tracks), subsequentlyreleased as a limited double CD in a silk bag, and now released as adouble CD in a regular jewel case. Typical of a Muslimgauze release,the album is adorned with photos from the Middle East that Bryn Jonesnever actually visited, even though the region's history, culture andpolitics obsessed him for his entire career. Even though Jones changedmusical directions several times throughout his career, from abstractnoise and ambient compositions through to densely layered worldbeat anddance music, there is no absolutely mistaking the Muslimgauze sound:those crisp, powdery beats and ragged, sudden edits; the layers ofburied samples from Arabic music; the extreme, trance-inducingrepetition. Syrinjia is distinguishable from other 'Gauzereleases of this period only because of its unwavering fixation on dubreggae. Jones was, of course, one of the first to draw a straight linebetween Kingston dub production and Middle Eastern breaks, long beforeDJ/Rupture started releasing albums. Muslimgauze's dub is a tenser,more violent beast than the average Augustus Pablo or King Tubby side,coming closer to the type of dancehall dub typified by Rootsman or TheBug's Pressure. Fiercely synthetic machine beats built fromJones' usual sound palette are joined by occasional dancehallshoutdowns, weaving Arabic female vocals and random plunges into theecho chamber. There are several standout tracks here, notable for theirrelative absence of dissonance and aggression, including the thrilling"Detrimental" and "Holy Man." The extra tracks also contain someworthwhile tracks, including the minimal dubwise techno of "Taliban"and "Zindag." Those insane enough to be Muslimgauze completists havedoubtless already tracked this album down, but for the casual Gauzelistener, Syrinjia would still be a worthy purchase. samples:
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