Staalplaat Holland Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Early on in Muslimgauze's (Bryn Jones') career, the musician released two ultra-mysterious releases on the equally mysterious label Hessian, which some speculate might've been comprised entirely of Jones himself. Hammer & Sickle was one of these two early LPs from the faux Arabic auteur, and was notable for its distinct lack of any back cover artwork (who needs a visual stimulus when you've got such great music on board?). Though still indicative of Jones' work as Muslimgauze, superfans will note that this release sounds a little more formative than some of his later releases, owing to its lessened use of Middle Eastern instrumentation and sparser production in general. B-sider 'Fear Of Gadaffi' is the most intermittent in this regard, revelling more than anything in the simple effect of spring delay on sampled, freeform perc hits.

Review: Staalplaat continue to take care of Bryn Jones' Muslimgauze legacy, here presenting a vinyl edition of the Kashmiri Queens album they originally released as a limited CD edition in 2001. Some of the tracks had previously appeared on the Nadir Of Purdah EP in 1995, but as a whole this release reframes them in the broader context of the wholly unique soundworld Jones crafted for himself and his music. There is a range of moods on offer, with synthesis and meditation more prominent than the abrasion sometimes associated with Muslimgauze, especially on the extended trip of the second track.