Badawi

Bedouin Sound Clash (ROIR)
by Joshua Brown

A music called ambient becomes popular, relying on loops of relaxation and loose-fitting vibes woven from wispy strands of sound. Of course, New York City artists rebel against it, terming their music “illbient” (in the tradition of “no wave,” I suppose). Raz Mesinai, a.k.a. Badawi (or “desert dweller”) is “ill” in his eclectic rhythm selections, and “-bient” in the varied anti-gravity sounds he chooses to layer over top. Hip hop scratching and Orbital-style machine musings move dub into the future, while the four-track analog recording and multivox echo chamber preserve the link to dub’s past. Born in Jerusalem in 1973, Badawi has travelled extensively throughout the Middle East, studying ancient rhythmic patterns and musical instruments and fusing his discoveries into his quite original take on dub reggae. Female vocalist Honeychild sings with unpretentious confidence on some of the songs on Bedouin Sound Clash, adding just the right element to an already hearty musical stew.