Available on: One Little Indian 12″

Footage of ‘Mawal’

Credit where it’s due: it’s rare that an artist of Björk’s stature hands the keys to one track to someone as unique as Omar Souleyman; here, the Syrian sensation takes on three cuts from her new record across a dedicated vinyl EP.

There’s no surprises to be found on ‘Crystalline’, Björk’s untreated vocal contemplating the sort of shoulder-rolling bounce that became Souleyman’s calling card long ago (though granted, it’s rare to hear it this hi-res). When Omar starts to contribute vocals though, on the far more minimal ‘Mawal’, the record gets more interesting; his voice reverberating in the wind like a lost pilgrim with deeply effecting results. ‘Tessla’ is the winner though, a fireball of plastic percussion that recalls Shangaan Electro in its synthetic madness. So: Nozinja on the next 12″?

Anna Russell