Shalabi Effect

Shalabi Effect takes the preconceived notions that come with certain instruments and explores different contexts, such as transporting electric guitar out of the rock realm and oud out of the Middle Eastern music realm into a more ambiguous field. The Trial of St-Orange bounces all over the place in terms of style and musical approach, such that it is hard to pin down. The Shalabi Effect has oud, bass, hand percussion, drums, guitar, assorted electronic noises, vocals and even a bowl as instruments. The opening tracks, "Sundog Ash" and "Saint Orange," are the most abstract pieces, melding instrumentals into a hallucinogenic, congested intersection of sound. "One Last Glare" is a beautiful, flowing oud and hand percussion piece with slight brush strokes of sound from the electric guitar. "Sister Sleep" combines running water and electric guitar with wah wah effects, dissonant plucking and string drones. The closing tracks, "Uma" and "A Glow in the Dark," are still free improv, but looser, not so congested, ambient even. Too adventurous to be dismissed as world music, too focused to be free improv, The Trial of St-Orange is here to challenge the listener's perception and become enamoured with in the process.