Pacific 231 / Rapoon – Palestine (Album – Zoharum)
Genre/Influences: Tribal, Industrial, Experimental.
Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.
Background/Info: Pierre Jolivet (Pacific 231) and Robin Storey (Rapoon) originally released “Palestine” as limited CD in 2007 by Old Europa Café. The album was dedicated to the struggling Palestinian Nation, but also to the memory of Bryn Jones (Muslimgauze) who passed away in 1999. “Palestine” also was an album by Muslimgauze.
Content: Both original songs of the album by Pacific 231 and Rapoon are tracks over the 20 minutes. Both cuts are different, although perfectly bringing the sonic legacy of Muslimgauze to life. Tribal rhythms and Eastern atmospheres are leading the listener towards transcendental passages. Repetitive loops are moving crescendos while subtle noises are progressively joining in. The sensation has been reinforced by the addition of some chants. This album also features 3 extra cuts by Pacific 231, which are less extended, but in a similar vein.
+ + + : This is more than simply paying homage to Bryn Jones; an artist who was simply unique in his very own style. This work feels like the sonic legacy of Muslimgauze reinterpreted by two veterans of the Industrial scene. Especially the opening cut “Al-Quds Al-Sharif” is an outstanding track, like a modern edit of Muslimgauze, which progressively evolves into pure Trance. Rapoon’s “A Thousand Slogans Of Peace” sounds a little less dynamic, but more complex and sophisticated. Here again the link with Muslimgauze is easily noticeable.
– – – : I’m afraid there’ll be only one Muslimgauze, and only one Pacific 231 and one Rapoon.
Conclusion: This work is touched by the magic of Muslimgauze and I’m sure Bryn Jones, there where he is, must be flattered to hear this album.
Best songs: “Al-Quds Al-Sharif”, “A Thousand Slogans Of Peace”.
Rate: 8.
Artists: www.facebook.com/Pacific231 / www.rapoon.org / www.facebook.com/rapoon
Label: www.zoharum.com / www.facebook.com/zoharum
About Pacific 231 and Rapoon
Pacific 231 is the long-running project of Pierre Jolivet, originally from Paris and later based in Dublin, Ireland. He started out with the first wave of industrial and power electronics, and Discogs traces the project from "Unusual Perversions" and "Alliance" in 1984 and "Power Assume" in 1986 through "Xochipilli" in 1993, "Ethnicities" in 2006, "Scuffle" in 2012, "Tessellation" in 2013, "Evolution" in 2015 and "Kyben" in 2017.
Rapoon is the ethno-ambient solo project of Robin Storey, a co-founder of Zoviet France. His discography runs from "Dream Circle" in 1992 and "Raising Earthly Spirits" in 1993 through "Vernal Crossing" in 1994, "The Kirghiz Light" in 1995, "Tin Of Drum" in 1998 and "Cold War : Drum ‘N’ Bass" in 2001, and has continued at a high rate since.
"Palestine" first appeared in 2007. Zoharum reissued it in Poland in 2021 as a limited CD and as a limited, numbered, remastered set combining vinyl LP and CD, with an extended digital edition titled "Palestine (Ext. Edit.)". Rapoon also put out a self-released digital reissue in the United Kingdom the same year.
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