DUNUMS is a beautiful array of song-scapes, at times delicate, at times jarring. It is the self-titled debut album by composer and multi-instrumentalist Sijal Nasralla. He wrote and recorded all of the pieces while residing in Asheville, North Carolina, and collaborated with local avant rockers to make the album come to life. Drummer Ryan Oslance (Ahleuchatistas) appears on several tracks, and Moog contributions by Rosser Douglas (Hello Hugo) make their way into the album, as well as organ work by Kevin Lloyd Hill. The album was recorded and mixed by sound engineer David Barrett, who has worked with acclaimed bands such as Twin Shadow, Little Dragon, and Mute Math.
In Arabic, the word “dunum” (dūnam) is
the most arbitrary unit of land measurement, used to quantify spaces differently
by farming communities of the Levant. In DUNUMS, Nasralla draws
from his background as an experimental guitarist to explore new terrain,
pushing boundaries and exploring his own identity as a Palestinian raised in
America. The result is unique. Ambient drones and lively guitar riffs pierce
through dystopian yet tender walls of noise. Feelings of surreal, vast emptiness
are suffused with sunlight. Nasralla weaves rhythm, sound and mood to create an
innovative new medium through which solidarity with Palestine can be expressed.
“Eater Syria” is a breathtaking journey where dreamlike
lyrics in Arabic are punctuated by catchy guitar riffs that evolve into
unabashed onslaughts of sound. “Note 14” is stormy and haunting, with
unexpected ghostly vocals that grip you and tickle your core. “Sides” is
uplifting, with some disarmingly happy moments amidst complex dissonance and a
warm bed of rhythm. “So White” has an almost surf-rock quality, pulsating with fiery,
tangling guitar lines. “B.N.T.E” is a masterpiece of subtlety, maybe evoking
the land scarred by tumult, memories in ruin. “Blood Moon” resonates with its
own kind of possibility, melodic spontaneity and rejection of conventions in
favor of fresh, uncharted territories. “The Vaguries Suite” is a like a dark
cloud lifting from your mind, revealing patterns you never knew existed, places
you hadn’t thought of. Maybe you are being dragged to a weird party. “A Golden
Wrapper” catches you sideways, upside down on a garden gate, not ready for the
gleaming, raw sunburn that might stay with you a while. TWIAFTP (“The World is a
Fucking Terrible Place”) is a soothing masterpiece, both charming and dreadful.
An uncertain playfulness permeates the entire record.
Limited edition physical albums are now available for order via email:
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