Out on the new Molten Moods, headed up by Jonas Yamer, the release comprises of eight compositions performed at the online edition of Rewire Festival 2021.
Raw emotion captured collectively
German trio Carl Gari (Jonas Yamer, Till Funke and Jonas Friedlich) and the
Egyptian writer and singer Abdullah Miniawy have been working together for the last five years, melding sobering electronic soundscapes with poetic lyrics reflecting the mood of modern day Egypt. Advancing the narrative from their 2019 studio release on AD 93 (formerly Whities) that centres Miniawy as the protagonist who has jumped from the 8th floor of a building in Cairo, describing scenes of Egyptian society as he falls—”Between The Bullet And The Front Sight, Casting Lots (Live At Haus Der Kunst),” frees itself of studio environments, instead we are treated to raw emotion captured collectively in this live set.
Out on the new Molten Moods, headed up by Jonas Yamer, the release comprises of eight compositions performed at the online edition of Rewire Festival 2021.
These soundscapes from Carl Gari contain much drama alone that is deepened by reverb washed sound design and undertones of percussion that veer towards elements of jazz and even mellowed drum and bass in parts, inclusive of an overall North African, Middle Eastern palette. Starting minimal until each layer stacks to create an intricate weave of musicality—once the scene is set, enters confident and defiant stances from Miniawy adding an entirely new depth to these performances.
Opening with “Preachers never said one true thing,” this story fades from black into a tired world. Whilst if you can not translate the spoken word, the emotion within these performances from Miniawy speaks volumes; powerful yet vulnerable it is an evocative and said to be “sonic portrait of Egyptians living under the brutal oppression of the Al-Sisi regime.” Backed by the delicately crafted soundtrack from Carl Gari we feel ourselves enveloping into this very moving telling.
Channelling their stories into well executed chapters ::
Given access to the lyrics, we get to delve into these portrayals. From the track “The point, minarets and institutions cross,” we read: “Am I the speaker? Does my heart—and the preacher—censor me?“
This feels very much like a reference to freedom of speech and perhaps with the sonic glitched out reference from Carl Gari alongside attunes itself towards the digital side of sorrow and anguish in the use of the internet. 2011 saw the government turn off the internet in Egypt and still to this day block a number of sites.
Progressing through “The Cyg,” and “Atatn_i,” these are times of exhale and somber fogs that as a listener you are guided through by Miniawy. Finally stepping through the shadow of “Haj,” the closing three tracks take on fury in adjustment to these new clearings. Intensity excites as we are swept across hot tectonics. Closing with “Wanta-Fad / Each lonely prisoner today,” we hear the politically charged Miniawy’s voice grate and break on harmonics that are drenched in tailing impulse responses.
I was possessed by a demon.
He showed all the hidden parts of me.
He carried me, I lost all my weight.
He made me visit each lonely prisoner today.
Having fled from this oppression they channel their stories into well executed chapters, that even as a non-Egyptian, we feel connections that are both mystic and philosophical. Ultimately a human understanding of a cry against things we oppose.
Between The Bullet And The Front Sight, Casting Lots (Live At Haus Der Kunst) is available on Molten Moods. [Bandcamp]
