Enigmatic Saudi singer Msylma became a figure of note in the international, electronic underground with the release of his 2019 album Dhil-un Taht Shajarat Al-Zaqum. A release that combined pre-Islamic poetry and song with fraying electronics, orthogonal post-punk protrusions, and inclement squalls of harsh noise. Through this mishegoss of sound and fury, Msylma's firm and reassuringly generative voice was a sonorous guiding force. Although, nestled amongst the wailing chimera of Dhil-un Taht Shajarat Al-Zaqum was a creature of a more docile nature named "Hazat-u-L-Waraq [Halcyon Veil]," a nereid with an even temper and a paradoxically pleasant disposition. It is from this track that Msylma's latest album The Tenets of Forgetting owes its spiritual inheritance. Teaming up with producer Ismael, the selection of tracks featured on The Tenets of Forgetting still find Msylma's voice as their focal point, but now the music matches the miraculous clam of his performance in a more complementary fashion. There is a strong emphasis on counter-melody and reflective effects that emphasize the unique qualities of his Msylma's vocal talents. While there are still plenty of ragged electronics swirling around Msylma like the winds of an antagonistic sand storm, the bluster fails to batter him- instead of acting as a buffer and an extension of his ego- obeying the laws of rhythm and time in an ecstatic elemental dance of eternal providence. In many ways, The Tenets of Forgetting represents a turn towards more familiar pop and R'nB structures, but the embrace of these forms only strengthens the effect of his performance and promotes the wealth of his imaginative reach.
Get The Tenets of Forgetting from Éditions Appærent.