Raz Mesinai : "The unspeakable"

(Bsi)

Beginning with illbient group Sub Dub, composer, dj and percussionist Raz Mesinai, born in Jerusalem and raised in New York city, crafted shimmering, spacious music that was among the dreamiest — and often eeriest — that the genre had to offer. After Sub Dub's breakup, Mesinai continued on as Badawi, adding elements of his Israeli and Middle Eastern heritage to albums on Roir and Asphodel records. Mesinai's 1999 Badawi album The Heretic of Ether found him moving toward a more orchestral, less overtly dub-inspired sound. This trend continued with 2001's The Unspeakable, which was inspired by Mesinai's love of 20th century composers and his work on the Hellraiser 6 soundtrack — much of which wasn't used because it was "too scary for the movie." Today, his compositions blend electronics, beats and dub effects with acoustic instruments in creating an esoteric musical tapestry filled with new sonorities and a haunting spirituality. Dramatic and mysterious, his third cd for Tzadik features a host of downtown luminaries including violin virtuoso Mark Feldman and saxophone alchemist John Zorn in some of the most complex and soulful electro-acoustic music around.

Heather Phares (Allmusic)

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