I am the latest to the game that it’s possible to be, but I have a new love and it’s Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s voice. I have absolutely no idea what he’s saying but I’m hanging on every syllable, every utterance. I can’t remember the last I time I heard a musician play an instrument as well as Nusrat plays his voice.
The accompaniment, full of layered hand claps, light percussion and back-alley accordion, holds hands with Nusrat, soaring and settling in all the right places. Sonically reminiscent of great pre-1950 jazz records, compositionally and structurally reminiscent of great post-rock albums of the last 20 years – but emotionally greater and more significant than 90% of conventional rock music of the 50 years.
Despite being very much non-western, in fact it’s about as non-westernised an album as is findable, it doesn’t feel of a particular time nor place. I was surprised on listening to find out it was released in 1988, and not far earlier – it’s warm and welcoming in a way a lot of eastern music from that time isn’t – much in part to the sprawling songs (all 10 minutes or longer) and the lounge lizard musicianship.
I would like to be able to write words more insightful, and more worthy of the music, but I know shit all about any of it. But basically it’s well sick and you should listen – might change ya life! bye
