Shalabi Effect
http://www.alien8recordings.com
styles: experimental, minimal
others: Collections of Colonies of Bees, David Grubbs
 Pink Abyss
Alien8, 2004
rating: 4.5/5
reviewer: amneziak
Although often difficult to accomplish, it has always given me great pleasure to
review Shalabi Effect’s albums. I’ve also gained great pleasure in listening to
their works when I need an impromptu escape from reality. The same can also be
said for their latest effort, titled Pink Abyss. The Trial of
St-Orange and self-titled Shalabi Effect, its two predecessors, are
still as uniquely profound as anything I’ve heard in quite some time. So, when I
read Pink Abyss was being labeled as the band’s “pop record,” I knew
something very special was about to happen. I was very curious to see where it
would lead them from the previous sounds of swamps and outer space that had
become their signature sound.
Sam Shalabi’s name has become synonymous with highly euphoric music,
particularly when he works alone (see Osama and On Hashish). The reality of
Shalabi’s solo material, however, is it can often be tremendously challenging to
listen to. This is not the case with Pink Abyss, because it’s actually
the most controlled album he and his band mates have created. It provides us
with a painless accessibility that was not always so abundant before. The
presence of a few extra musicians, including vocalist Elizabeth Anka Vajagic,
Godspeed You! Black Emperor members, and various other Canadian artists, allows
the collective to dig deeper and explore greater options in a collaborative
environment than before.
As I listened to Pink Abyss and perused the artwork for the first time, I
couldn’t help but think of how much fun it would’ve been to witness the details
of their recording process. The album begins with a very nice experimental track
that hints at a lot of the individual sounds we’ve heard before from them. It
then blossoms into “Bright Guilty World,” a Lynch-like drone that has beautiful
jazzy elements with Vajagic’s vocals. The songs all lead into each other which
make the album appear to be one long track. Once the song “Blue Sunshine”
arrives, we are given a first-hand look into the pop elements we were promised
within the album. There’s even a guest appearance here when Broken Social
Scene’s Charles Spearin contributes a joyful trumpet to the song. “Iron and
Blood” is the album’s centerpiece, and is one of only two tracks to extend over
eight minutes long. Anyone familiar with Shalabi Effect’s earlier work knows
that their songs usually extend way past that length of time. Nonetheless, the
song is an all-out jam session that becomes the most passionate moment here. The
rest of the album remains cohesive and rarely travels too far away from the fact
that this is a pop recording.
Ultimately, Pink Abyss is a successful accomplishment for Shalabi Effect
and the Alien8 label. Each song is very well put together, and shows once again
that Sam Shalabi is still an artist that has his own distinctive sound. He
obviously has the knowledge and vision to lead anyone who collaborates with him
on his improvisational projects a step further than they might have otherwise
traveled. Pink Abyss’ precise attention to detail and perfect balance of
experimentation is the key factor in why this is such a remarkable album. While
this may be the bands claim to “pop” fame, it’s still very similar to their
previous work and a very nice addition to their already impeccable list of
albums.
1. Message From the Pink Abyss
2. Bright Guilty World
3. Shiva Priva
4. Blue Sunshine
5. Iron and Blood
6. I Believe in Love
7. Imps
8. Deep Throat
9. We’ll Never Make It Out of Here Alive
10. Kinder Surprise
 The
Trial of St-Orange
Alien8, 2002
rating: 4.5/5
reviewer: amneziak
I want to preface this review by saying that this is the hardest album I’ve ever
had to review. Coincidentally, my review may be a little short due to this fact.
There aren’t many albums out today that are as decadent and demanding as Shalabi
Effect’s latest release, The Trial of St-Orange. This formless creation
will have you pulling your hair out of your scalp, while simultaneously begging
you to listen one more time. I’d say I’ve listened to it about five times today.
Jaded music fans beware: this album may just be for you.
When I became aware that Shalabi Effect would be releasing a new album, I
immediately hurdled at the opportunity to review it. Man, did I set myself up
for some hard work. In 2000 Shalabi Effect released their self-titled album on
Alien8 Recordings. The label is well known for releasing some of today’s most
experimental music. Shalabi Effect is an album that is both epic in size and
intensity. Although The Trial of St-Orange is about half the duration of
their previous release, it’s definitely not lacking in the intensity department.
You’ll still need several sticks of incense and a nice comfortable chair for
this lush collection of songs…seven, to be exact. Unlike Shalabi Effect,
The Trial of St-Orange seems to be more influenced by the swamps than by
Middle Eastern culture.
“Sundog Ash” begins the album by slowly sucking the listener in. Looking at the
cover art of the album will basically tell you what this track sounds like. It
starts with immaculate field recordings of the swap before being taken over by a
simple acoustic guitar. The song remains this way until “Saint Orange” takes
it’s place and slowly, but surely, takes you to a higher level of concentration.
The climax of The Trial of St-Orange is the track “Mr. Titz (The
Revelator).” Imagine “Aural Florida” from Shalabi Effect, but with more
depth and just a taste of drum-n-bass. You heard me correctly…drum-n-bass. Not
enough to make this a drum-n-bass album, but just enough to make you almost wish
there was more. It’s the law of diminishing returns at it’s finest. The final
track, “A Glow in the Dark,” is a 21-minute improvisational mind warp. However,
the last four minutes of this track are incredibly beautiful. After the ride
you’ve been on, you’ll need it to recuperate. Consider it a final gift from the
band.
Accurately reviewing this album is extremely difficult. It’s an album you should
hear for yourself. If you enjoyed Shalabi Effect’s debut, you will more than
likely appreciate this one. If you’ve never heard the experimental sounds of
Shalabi Effect, or anything on the Alien8 Recordings label for that matter,
you’re in for a big surprise. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
1. Sundog Ash
2. Saint Orange
3. Mr. Titz (The Revelator)
4. One Last Glare
5. Sister Sleep
6. Uma
7. A Glow in the Dark
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