Simo Cell and Abdullah Miniawy: Dying Is the Internet review | Ammar Kalia's global album of the month

"Their debut EP, Kill Me Or Negotiate, employed snapping electronic percussion, thunderous trap bass and whispers of jazz horns, and the pair now delve into the darker corners of digital production. Theming eight tracks around the AI and bot-related corruption of our online lives, the album is a masterclass in breaking apart the grid-like rigidity of electronic productions."

"Rather than overwhelm the listener with this battery of unpredictable electronics, it's Miniawy's virtuosic voice that delivers form and structure. On Pixelated, for instance, he carries a soft, Auto-Tuned melody that trips lightly over the rippling kicks, while his soaring naked vocal on The Dala Effect provides welcome counterpoint to the track's low-frequency intensity."

"Pixelated and The Dala Effect play through skittering, offbeat kick drums that are distorted by shards of static and undulating synth bass, while Easing the Hearts teases the frenetic feel of a footwork rhythm but never settles into a groove, and Travelling in BCC pairs a soaring jazz trumpet line with a constant menacing barrage of kick drums."

Abdullah Miniawy, an Egyptian singer known for blending Arabic classical maqam melodies with experimental music, collaborates with French producer Simo Cell on the album 'Dying Is the Internet'. The project themes eight tracks around AI and bot-related corruption of online life, featuring distorted electronic percussion, trap bass, and jazz elements. Rather than following conventional electronic production structures, the album employs skittering kick drums, static shards, and undulating synth bass that resist settling into predictable grooves. Miniawy's virtuosic voice provides essential form and structure throughout, delivering soft Auto-Tuned melodies and soaring naked vocals that humanize the heavy, chaotic productions. The album ultimately presents the unsettling experience of digital destruction, requiring listeners to surrender to its unpredictable sound.

Read at www.theguardian.com