Muslimgauze - Arabbox (2003) 1/30/2009

Another Muslimgauze post. This material was recorded 6 July 1993 in Manchester, but didn't get a release until 2003, when Soleilmoon put it out as a limited edition of 500 CDs packaged in a handmade tin box from India, then in another less-limited edition of 1000 CDs in a normal jewel case. I own the metal box one, so be jealous. This was the first Muslimgauze album I ever heard, and although I don't think it's the best to start with, it is probably top fifteen or so. Not very abrasive at all, very droney with a lot of shimmering keyboards and water samples. Long, hypnotic jams, with a very smooth electronica feel that you don't get on many other Gauze releases. When I first heard it as a dumb kid, I fell asleep to it a bunch of times, I liked it but didn't really get into the music until I heard Lo-Fi India Abuse. I was pretty dumb back then though, I thought psytrance was the pop of the future and that My Bloody Valentine's second album was the soundtrack to some sort of futurized "space-Vietnam" the same way the Stones' "Paint It Black" became a soundtrack to normal Vietnam. I mean, what the fuck?

The title track is the only song on this album that I don't like too much. The rest is excellent.

Arabbox (2003)