Muslimgauze

Lazhareem Ul Leper by Muslimgauze certainly qualifies for its range of percussion instruments, atypical electronics, skillful de-construction of ethno-traditional music. In turn, said music is re-assembled with urban stylings with a technical deftness akin to the way a Shao-Lin monk wields weapons. Muslimgauze enthusiasts may recognize sounds from Izlamaphobia on the odd track as they were made roughly the same time, only Lazhareem is arranged differently and with more unique elements to form a stand-alone album.

 

Stylistically Lazhareem straddles the line between ethno-electro releases like Silknoose for its pervasive use of Indo-Pak music melded with Persian and Mid-East; along with more Industrial releases like Izlamaphobia and Blue Mosque for its occasionally tight, near-mechanical loops. Fans will be pleased to notice never-before-heard (to this listener, at least) percussive textures layered into lush rhythmic harmonies punctuated by chimes on track five.

 

Track ten is also singular for the way it opens with a clamor not unlike a knocked-over box of tin cans one moment, the next, this seemingly dissonant noise is harnessed and re-edited into a well-crafted rhythm track. Track six flaunts music production standards by rolling three or four tracks into one continuous 20 minute piece, vintage Bryn Jones. Yet another stand-out work is track seven, a piece that is more than its assemblage of rhythms and counter-rhythms and fused together, an underlying pulse takes possession of the track and ultimately the listener.