The situation continues to be dire in Gaza, and Beacon Sound’s Andrew Neerman has teamed up with Stefan Christoff and a host of international collaborators to release this first in a series of benefit albums. Gaza Is The Moral Compass includes many of ACL’s favorite artists, along with new discoveries, and benefits Seeds of Hope Educational Tent and Reviving Gaza | Mutual Aid.
It’s no surprise to see the leadership of GY!BE’s Efrim Manuel Manuck, who launches the set off with “The Beauty of the Sun As It Leaves.” A lifelong advocate for social justice causes, Manuck’s presence is deeply felt. The track is a slow-developing drone including tape loop and regal brass, with reverent, nearly-whispered vocals giving way to filtered choir. Feu St.-Antoine‘s lumbering, electronic “Polemoflora” is notable for its ending, which brings in the people of the streets. Raz Mesinai‘s “Ibrahimas String” is rife with Middle Eastern textures and a frisson of danger, while the very title of Joni Void‘s “Thank You for Your Silence” is a stark indictment.
Sam Shalabi‘s “Opening” is only forty-four seconds long – we wish it were longer – establishing a mournful tone before it disappears. Holland Andrews and Methods Body are more aggressive and confrontational, a necessary approach as “Speech” seems to speak directly to “Silence.” The words “I can be held down and still breathe” are chilling, especially as they conjure memories of George Floyd on another continent. foodman lightens the mood with “Takibi,” a jaunty, playful injection, while Asher Gamedze offers “After Tears,” although one knows the tears continue to flow; the track gives us hope that one day there will be an after.
“There Is a Hunger Strike in UK Prisons,” reports Kareem Samara, a heartfelt, solo lament that sounds like the voice of a prisoner. Amulets cool the pace with “Withered,” a dusty ambient piece that reflects the dusty fields of debris, the lives lost beneath the rubble, the continued search for remains. T Gowdy‘s “00L00” pulses, vibrates and builds, introducing a reluctant beat that gains confidence by the end. “Spring Is Here,” proclaims Sarah Page, although one yearns for another Arab Spring rather than the simple emergence of flowers.
Lebanon musician Sary Moussa‘s “Felicity” is well-placed, as it does sound like spring, gentle field recordings reminders of happier days. In direct contrast, Humu Utku contributes one of the set’s darkest pieces, “El-Adi” sounding as if spring has been snatched away and clouds have swallowed the sun, as sirens engulf the sonic field. In “Phase Collapse,” SAWT brings the industrial timbres, the darkness descending in earnest. This leaves Use Knife the final word, as their pulsating 2022 collaboration with Rully Shabara and Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, “To Feed the Gentry,” is remixed by Rabih Beaini, a winding, stuttering, terrifying piece that does its best to convey the horror of a continuing genocide. This need not be the final ending, but it is exactly where Gaza is now; the pain is palpable, and important to hear, especially for Western audiences who may have turned away. This is not a time to be silent, but to speak. (Richard Allen)
a closer listen 