Simo Cell and Abdullah Miniawy's 'Dying Is the Internet' Delivers a Masterclass in Digital Critique
The latest collaboration between French producer Simo Cell and Egyptian singer Abdullah Miniawy, titled Dying Is the Internet, presents a compelling exploration of the artificial intelligence era through a fusion of soaring musicality and frenetic electronics. Released under the Dekmantel UFO label, this album serves as a virtuosic examination of how digital noise and bot-related corruption permeate our online existence.
A Decade of Experimental Collaborations
Abdullah Miniawy has spent the past decade establishing himself as a versatile vocalist, contributing his melismatic voice and Arabic classical maqam melodies to a diverse range of experimental projects. His work includes the 2023 jazz-inflected album Le Cri du Caire with French trumpeter Erik Truffaz, sparse electronic atmospherics with German trio Carl Gari, and baroque-inspired compositions with a trio featuring two trombones.
Since 2020, Miniawy has shifted towards a heavier, dancefloor-focused partnership with Simo Cell. Their debut EP, Kill Me Or Negotiate, introduced snapping electronic percussion, thunderous trap bass, and subtle jazz horn elements. This new album delves deeper into the darker corners of digital production, thematically centered on the disruptive influence of AI and bots in modern life.
Breaking the Grid: Musical Innovation and Structure
Dying Is the Internet is a masterclass in deconstructing the rigid grid-like patterns typical of electronic music. Tracks such as Pixelated and The Dala Effect feature skittering, offbeat kick drums distorted by shards of static and undulating synth bass, creating a sense of digital fragmentation. Easing the Hearts teases the frenetic energy of footwork rhythms without settling into a predictable groove, while Travelling in BCC pairs a soaring jazz trumpet line with a relentless barrage of menacing kick drums.
Despite the chaotic electronics, it is Miniawy's virtuosic voice that provides essential form and structure. On Pixelated, his soft, Auto-Tuned melody glides effortlessly over rippling kicks, offering a human touch amidst the digital chaos. Similarly, his soaring naked vocal on The Dala Effect creates a welcome counterpoint to the track's intense low-frequency elements. Miniawy's contributions lend humanity to Simo Cell's monstrously heavy productions, yet the album overall evokes the unsettling chaos of digital destruction, requiring listeners to surrender to the sound for coherence.
Other Notable Releases This Month
In addition to Dying Is the Internet, several other significant albums have emerged this month. Canadian Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq releases Saputjiji on Six Shooter Records, combining guttural vocalisations with industrial electronic production for blistering tracks like Fuck War and Ikualajut. French group Ireke's second album, Ayô Dele on Underdog Records, offers a lively blend of psychedelic guitar lines, Afrobeat rhythms, and interweaving vocals in Yoruba and Spanish from singers Agnès Hélène and Olivya. Puerto Rican guitarist Gabriel Vicéns' fifth album, Niebla on Vicéns Music, joyously journeys through Latin bomba rhythms and intricate ensemble sounds, highlighted by spirited traded solos on the title track.
