XAL Spirit Breaking.

 

XAL – Spirit Breaking – Cassette/Download - Cloister Recordings – 2024

https://cloisterrecordingsus.bandcamp.com/album/spirit-breaking

https://cloisterrecordingsus.bigcartel.com/

https://xinjiangdocumentation.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2020/12/Darren-Byler-Spirit-Breaking-Uyghur-Dispossession-Culture-Work-and-Terror-Capitalism-in-a-Chinese-Global-City.pdf

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-55794071

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-56986057

        1.    Spirit Watching.

        2.    Seven City Blocks.

        3.    New Dominion Pioneer Corps.

        4.    The Three Evils.

        5.    Terror Capital.

        6.    Dispossessor.

        7.    Disappear.

        8.    Behind The Black Gate.

        9.    God Is Dead.

        10. Takbir.

        11. Bioluminescence II : Sleeping Citadel.

        12. Dungeon Theme.

XAL is a project consisting of AM NOT, A and Mollusk King all of whom are familiar names with releases behind their belts in the UK Post Industrial scene. Spirit Breaking was created as a tribute to Darren T Byler’s thesis (Spirit Breaking: Uyghur Dispossession, Culture Work and Terror Capitalism in a Chinese Global City) which is about the Chinese government’s persecution and state war against the Uyghur Muslims and other Muslim groups within Xinjiang. This included men being arrested, women being arrested, sterilised, raped and tortured within prisons. I was aware of the issues mentioned here, but listening to this recording forced me to research further and I was disgusted and disturbed at what I found out is happening to the Uyghur. Spirit Breaking refers to the government’s process of removing the people’s culture and historical lineage by banning or restricting their religious, cultural practices and Islamic education ensuring they used only government approved religious text and schools (education centres). This ensured the continual degradation of the Uyghur, specifically through the inhumane treatment and abuse of their women. I have tried to do some research about the title tracks in relation to the text, my definitions aren't concrete and are of my own opinion. .

The album begins with a combination of Dark Ambient atmospherics and samples, this accelerates to increase its own intensity. Quirky keyboard sounds, pulsing beats and cinematic synthesizers build Seven City Blocks, this works together to form a landscape of which events play out. It refers to the seven new cities the Chinese government built during the urbanisation of Xinjiang a decade ago. The sound here pushed into a lot of post noise sound futuristic and ambitious, this works well as work. New Dominion Pioneer Corps is a short blast of huge industrial soundtrack, possible reference to the Police State and Capitalistic growth in the area. The Three Evils (A political slogan of the Peoples Republic of China – terrorism, separatism and religious extremism.) goes into a screwier use of warped noise with vocals buried into the work, to add further dynamics to the track.

We are in the thick of the situation as Terror Capital refers to the clashes between Uyghurs, State Police and Han Chinese and other incidents over the decades. The track uses restrained noises, phases of dramatic percussion and samples to start a build-up of tense sound. A voice that is either AI or a sample is used to throw facts and statistics across the noise. Rumbling and suspenseful electronics mix up on Dispossessor (someone who takes away something that belongs to someone else.) big synth sounds dominate the track. Uyghur people started being sent to jail and then re-education camps, In 2021, the BBC reported that China has imprisoned at least 630 Muslim religious figures since 2014, and over a million practitioners of Islam. This is soundtracked by the brief sounds of Disappear. Behind the Black Gates refers to the entrance of a detention camp in Xinjiang, this uses eerier atmospherics, muffled voices and shuffling noises in combination to build a picture of the location. The pace of these elements accelerates to intensify the track as if to voice domination and control – the noises progress to become more attacking in their sound.

God Is Dead could refer to the repression of the Islamic Religion through the government specifically the Uyghur, or feeling as if God is dead when imprisoned in any of the many prisons in Xinjiang. The bleakness the track projects is intense as drones and clashing waves of discord repeat. Takbir (God Is Greater), contrasts the previous track through simple melodic, repetitive instrumentation and sampled conversations playing out in the background. Musically this contrasts the previous methods of making tracks beautifully. Sinister electronics and whisperings make Bioluminescence II: Sleeping Citadel, as this dies off a pulsing beat is all that remains. Dungeon Theme ends the album on a dark note with big build ups and moody beats.

Is this a good album? Yes. XAL is unafraid to tackle complex political, humanitarian issues, it is forward thinking, progressive in how it uses sound and could lead to great things. Spirit Breaking is a step forward into a new territory and is backed up by strong context like all good art should be. Watch this space.

Nothing and Nobody 2024.