When you think about it, Suns of Arqa and Muslimgauze are kind of a match made in heaven. In these remixes, the relentless repetition and frequent aural abrasiveness of Muslimgauze’s sound pastiches — which tend to be based on layers of looped Middle Eastern percussion, wind instruments, and sometimes vocals — are softened significantly by Michael Wadada’s reggae-derived basslines and dubwise production techniques. The result is music that is no less sonically heavy and politically charged, but a bit more accessible to the average listener. For those unfamiliar with the work of either artist, this album is actually a great entry point for both.

– Rick Anderson