Mawwal / Black Flies
Album: Black Flies   Collection:World
Artist:Mawwal   Added:Jun 2007
Label:Self-Release  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2007-07-29 Pull Date: 2007-09-30 Charts: Reggae/World
Week Ending: Sep 30 Sep 16 Sep 9 Aug 26 Aug 19 Aug 12 Aug 5
Airplays: 2 2 1 1 1 1 2

Recent Airplay
1. Sep 22, 2013: New World Disorder
Pyar Ka Diya
4. Sep 25, 2007: New World Lost and Found
Ya Gamar
2. Mar 01, 2011: anti-heroine
Tara Torna
5. Sep 15, 2007: New World Disorder
Yurodivy
3. Sep 29, 2007: New World Disorder
Pyar Ka Diya
6. Sep 13, 2007: Disorder in the Afternoon
Pyar Ka Diya

Album Review
Sadie O.
Reviewed 2007-07-31
Mawwal – Black Flies
Reviewed by Sadie O., 7/26/07
Outstanding World Fusion music from the East Coast. “Mawwal” is a Middle Eastern musical genre that often criticizes society. Sung in English and Arabic, with traditional and other instruments, but not traditional in sound at all. Tracks 2 and 6 feature vocals by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan with permission of his estate, with completely new musical arrangements. Guitar and bass are particularly notable throughout (the main character, Jim Matus, is a guitarist, and the bassist, Percy Jones, is simply amazing.) A really different sound, everything absolutely gorgeous. It’s a winner!
No FCCs detected. Play everything, often!
1. ***slow and swingy hand drums, guitar and chant. Apparently originally a traditional Libyan song, much enhanced by really sweet bass and a bit of violin.
2. ****starts with throat singing! Sure winner right there… Tablas and more cool bass, and N.F.A.K.’s unmistakable vocals. This is pretty astounding stuff!
3. ***It’s almost hard rock, but an arrangement of a traditional Syrian piece. For some reason it reminds me a bit of Peter Gabriel’s worldier pieces (that is not a put down!)
4. ***music seems to all be sliding instruments… Toasting song from Uzbekistan. I think I’ve localized the Gabrielish sound to the vocals… Excellent percussion work, particularly starting around 2 minutes in.
5. ***starts with hand drums, other instruments add on, swingy midtempo groove. Lyrics in English, based on Middle Eastern political commentary poetry. They’re often pretty buried in layers of music, though – but biting, when you can make them out.
6. ***starts with count out, then downtempo music involving tables and violin, but also very western-sounding guitar bits, and N.F.A.K. vocal acrobatics. Music builds and softens repeatedly.
7. ***throat singing! Vocal chorus, Sufi lyrics. Main music starts after a minute, very relaxed and rather trance-y. Mind you, also gorgeous. Some soaring female voice. Everything ramps up a notch after about 3 minutes.
8. ****interesting vocal harmonies. Traditional Yemen tune updated, particularly cool bass on this one. Moments of instrumental transcendence.
9. **downbeat percussion and bass, male and female vocals in English, based on Bulgarian song.

Track Listing
1. Tara Torna   6. Ae Jane Man
2. Pyar Ka Diya   7. Haq Ali
3. Jackals' Wedding   8. Ya Gamar
4. Yurodivy   9. Big Machine
5. Black Flies   .