E.g Oblique Graph – Complete Oblique, the origins of Muslimgauze

Last April, the excellent German label Vinyl on Demand released a reissue of E.g Oblique Graph's first album, Complete Oblique, the initial project of the prolific and committed Bryn Jones.

At the age of 21, the young Mancunian artist created in 1982 under the name of E.g Oblique Graph a synthetic, heady and minimal music; interspersed with the use of voices from radios, a process that one could imagine to be influenced by the previous year's release.

In Complete Oblique there are as yet no distinct traces of his future commitment to the liberation of Palestine and, more broadly, of the various injustices during conflicts in the Arab world; but we find through some titles other struggles: Murders Linked To Gaullist Clique on the excesses of what he calls a "Gaullist colonization" (with a surprising sound use of a French radio show where we can hear in the background Chagrin D'Amour (), and Castro Regime as its name indicates about the Cuban regime.

E.g Oblique Graph – Piano Room (1982)

As far as music is concerned, his debut with E.g Oblique Graph is less electro-ethno percussive, as it will become a few months after Muslimgauze, but remains just as organic although more stripped down and industrial. Influenced by Faust, Can, his encounter with Throbbing Gristle live at the Factory Club in Manchester in '78 inspired him to make music, although Bryn Jones says of them: "Throbbing Grislte had a great effect on me, but I don't think you can find any trace of their music in the music produced by Muslimgauze."

Bryn Jones created Muslimgauze in 1982 in response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon. In 1983 he released his first EP & following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Then his first LP the same year.

From then on, his activity and musical production in the 80s continued to develop, about two releases per year and in very limited copies and always influenced by political events in the Middle East. The 90s were even more prosperous with eight LPs in '96 alone. Speaking of his productivity, he said in a simple and pragmatic way: "The next album will undoubtedly be better in many ways."

If the music oscillates between dub, drone, post-industrial ethnic, but always instrumental, the discourse does not vary; We therefore find albums with denunciatory titles such as

(1988),

Muslimgauze – Betrayal (1993)

Referring to his way of writing, he said: "I start with a political fact, an event, a story, etc. From that, an idea is born, from my head and with my hands I create the piece. I leave a few sounds in order to keep the final track as basic as possible, to keep the idea and the song as raw as possible. I'm still working on tape machines, adding sounds, doubling down on DAT and so on, testing. I've never touched computers or samplers, I use analog equipment, old tapes, amps, anything. I hope that Muslimgauze sounds unique, detached, not belonging to any musical formula. I don't like using computers, I like the raw result of analog. »

In December 98, Bryn Jones contracted a blood disorder that weakened him enormously and killed him in January 99. Muslimgauze in 2015 is more than 200 releases on about thirty labels including the excellent Soleilmoon and Staalplaat who have released a whopping two excellent LPs this year

and

It is through the theme and its ultra-modern treatment that Muslimgauze's music is unique and prophetic (no pun intended). His influence is particularly felt on current electro bands such as

but also, more surprisingly, with Nirvana's Krist Novoselic: "I listened to Muslimgauze and I contemplated the composer's political ideas."

Returning to the origins of a work and the struggle of a lifetime is also why E.g Oblique Graph represents an essential sound testimony. Bryn Jones concludes: "Music is not political, but its creation is, it is politically influenced. But we don't preach, that's why there are no words."

Mixtape by Full Moon Fuck

1. Extreme Faction (Re-Mix): E.G OBLIQUE GRAPH – Complete Oblique 1982
2. Mullah Said: MUSLIMGAUZE – Mullah Said 1998
3. The Muslim City: MUSLIMGAUZE – The Rape Of Palestine 1988
4. Sari Of Aciddic Colours : MUSLIMGAUZE – Azure Deux 1998
5. 100 Great Turks: MUSLIMGAUZE – Deceiver 1996
6. Zilver: MUSLIMGAUZE – Zilver / Feel The Hiss 2015
7. Help Afghanistan To Grow More Poppies: MUSLIMGAUZE – Keffeen Head 1999 / Hummus 2002
8. Further Beyond : MUSLIMGAUZE /SUNS OF ARQA – Suns Of Arqa Mixes 2001
9. Death Is Not Final: SHACKLETON – Death is not Final 2008
10. U.S. M1A1 Abrams Exhaust Rises Between The Hands Of Victory: VATICAN SHADOW – Mural Of Saddam 2011
11. Fear Of Gadaffi : MUSLIMGAUZE – Hammer And Sickle 1983
12. After Commentary: E.G OBLIQUE GRAPH – Complete Oblique 1982

Written by: David for Hartzine
February 24, 2022
translated with the assistance of Bing Translate