United States of Islam

by Ned RaggettArmed with a cleverly provocative title, United showcases a moodier side of Muslimgauze; while the trademark blend of driving percussions and minimalism reigns supreme as always, the general feel is much more dreamy and mysterious than on some of Bryn Jones' more forthright pieces. "United States of Islam (pt. 1)" begins things on this front quite well, with an expertly crafted combination of drumming and other beats, combined with bells and other lighter tones, as a low, rumbling keyboard drone and soft vocal samples lurks deep in the mix. The subtle but still powerful shifts in the pace of the track, as instruments are added or subtracted or at times completely dropped out, make it one of his best. The remaining numbers essentially play around with this same basic formula, some to better effect than others, but all at least sounding pretty sharp. "Red Crescent (pt. 1)" in particular has a great start, with a variety of percussion sounds slowly building up to the point where a muted techno pulse suddenly begins. As always, the politics are found outside the music; song titles offer subtle tributes to "Muslims of China," a group which has at times suffered persecution from the Beijing government, and "Xiao," the area where most Muslims in that country dwell.