Bedouin Sound Clash, Raz Mesina’s debut as Badawi, is a sugar-coated fishhook. While the hypnotic dub basslines, steadily pulsing grooves, and mellow vocals on two tracks (by Carolyn “Honeychild” Coleman) all blend together into something almost pop — at least in the mid ’90s era of trip-hop and stonerish R&B — Mesinai’s remixing skills turn it into something darker and more foreboding. On “Suspicions” and “Suspicions Dub,” there’s a staticky hiss crinkling in the left-hand speaker that subverts pleasure by making you think there’s something wrong with your system. Despite its title, there’s almost nothing Middle Eastern or North African about the music; it’s cybernetic dub throughout, with the more uptempo tracks striking a balance between dancefloor friendliness and undersea ominousness.

– Phil Freeman