Pakistan Is for the Peaceful

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Ustaad Sami, the exceptional Pakistani Surti master and his Sufism-inspired singing, presents here the follow-up to his 2019 globally acclaimed album God Is Not a Terrorist. Recorded on the roof of the master’s home in Karachi among his children and under the supervision of producer Ian Brennan (Tinariwen, Zomba Prison Project, The Good Ones), the tracks in this two-part record tackle clichés attached to Islamic devotion and aggression within his country. The record is harmonious, one of spiritual elevation and a search for beauty. Such aspirations are easily perceived and shared by an attentive, open listener who sees the bigger picture. The work begins with Prayer for a Saint, a song of devotion featuring the humming notes of the harmonium and long, pulsating percussion. Here, Ustad Naseeruddin Saami proves both the perfection in his vocal technique and the profundity of his inspiration. The very trippy Aaman (“peace”) peacefully meanders in non-rhythmic fluctuations where the harmonium is supported by a tampura that riffs off the track’s principal long note. Saami moves between microtones like they are precious pearls that radiate peace, the album’s subject. True Notes (“Happy Morning”), the short 6:33 closing track (in comparison to the two preceding 20 minutes tracks) wakes us up to a joyous new day. With each inflection, Saami unveils a fresh ray of sunshine and clear, blue skies. Once the singing fades away, the listener is left in a state of serenity, joyous in the face of a new day. © Benjamin MiNiMuM/Qobuz