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Reflective of the dub-infused nature of the music, Muslimgauze was an inveterate re-mixer. Not only a series of albums called 'Remixs' but also between and within disks - many albums have tracks with the same name which are versions: 'Mullah Said' has two long tracks which are subtle variants. Another quirk is to not bother with track breaks - 'Return of Black September' or 'Uzbekistani Bizarre and Souk' have track titles but come as continuous pieces, and on the other hand 'Azzazin' has tracks but no titles. He also worked on remixes with other people: Rootsman did a track on 'Sandtrafikar' and 'City of Djinn' is by The Rootsman and Muslimgauze. And the compilation 'Occupied Territories' has a diverse range of 'in' musicians remixing Muslimgauze (including 2 by Bryn Jones!), as does the earlier 'Infidel' on Extreme. If you move beyond the myth and into the music you will find a magical middle eastern musical world well worth the visit. For all the Muslimgauze info you need visit;
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From the comments of those who knew him, Bryn was a quiet, gentle person whose passion was making music. He was a skilled percussionist, and his music reflects this with its emphasis on rhythmic middle-eastern sounds. Formed in 1982 to protest the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, Muslimgauze's first release was the Hammer & Sickle EP, which appeared in 1983 as a response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. At some stage Bryn was touched deeply by the Palestinian situation. He used his music to make people aware that there was an issue; initially in relation to Israel/Palestine and later around broader conflicts such as Chechnya. His main way was through album titles ('Return of Black September', 'Intifaxa', 'Fatah Guerrilla') and track titles, and through album dedications (many, such as 'Emak Bakia', to the PLO or 'Zuriff Moussa' to specific Palestinians killed by Israel, here Abdullah Kalil Abdullah). His comments in the few interviews are somewhat confused, but the clearest statement of his aims came on the cover to 'Intifaxa' which quotes 'the music can be listened to without an appreciation of its political origin, but I hope that after listening the person asks why it's called what it is and from this finds out more about the subject. It's up to them. Go out and discover'. His albums never showed pictures of himself, rather he used them as a means of presenting a political idea often lacking in his lyric-less music.
Although many have claimed that Muslimgauze churned out albums that all sound the same, his music ranged across a broad range of musical styles. Bryn worked within a specific musical form. His basic technique involves percussion loops inter-layered with spoken and sung samples, various wind instruments and synthesizers. Within this basic form, Bryns creativity ranges across genres and the variety in his music is astonishing. Saying all Muslimgauze tracks sound the same is as ridiculous as claiming that all "electronic" music sounds the same. Within each Muslimgauze piece and album, there are developments and surprises. The early material is the closest to the Arabic roots, more fourth world. But Bryn soon showed his interest in stretching the format. 'Veiled Sisters' begat the stream of beautiful desert ambience, shimmering discs of languid music and bazaar samples ('Mullah Said', 'The Gulf Between Us' and 'Sandtrafikar' follow this line). During the 1980s, Jones averaged almost two Muslimgauze albums per year, plus additional EPs and limited releases (of 500 copies each). With 1990's Intifaxa he earned his first release on Extreme Records, an American label. Five albums followed for Extreme in the next four years, while a half-dozen were released on the Dutch Staalplaat. As the decade progressed, Muslimgauze's output became even more concentrated - five albums in 1994, six a year later, and an unbelievable eight LPs in 1996. The experimental/noise underground increased in visibility during the late '90s, with Muslimgauze productions gradually encompassing heavier beats and an almost post-industrial style, with the more recent material following crunchy distorted lines where the rhythms become harsher and cracked.
Throughout his career, Bryn seem to be exploring the possibilities inherent in his music. 'Emak Bakia' is close to the current fashion for minimal techno - very stripped back tracks which are developed over a series of remixes. This more experimental line is pursued in 'Zurif Mousa' whose 24 short tracks are brief investigations of style and method ranging from musique concrete drip-and-noise loops to the vocal tour de force of the opening track, the second Arab Quarter disk ('eleven minarets') has a similar exploratory feel, as does the electronica seeping into 'Hussein Mahmood Jeeb Tehar Gass'. Two early Muslimgauze limited editions from Staalplaat 'Izlamaphobia' and 'Azzazin' show Muslimgauze venturing into new ground as brooding electronica suffuse and consume the beat, while 'Syrinja' has an almost reggae feel to its rhythm and sounds. And finally, in this brief tour, the 'Morte Aux Vache' disk shows a loose, live sound.