Glitterbeat Records

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

After a first album which turned the heads of all fans of the world's electronic music scene, Maghreb United, the multifaceted Tunisian Sofyann Ben Youssef has set off for the roads of South East Asia. The second volume in his Ammar 808 project which, as its name indicates, is made using Roland’s legendary drum machine, the TR-808 (used by the pioneers of techno and hip-hop n the 80s). The Brussels-based producer installed himself for three weeks in Chennai, by the gulf of Bengal where he used local talents to make an album exploding with Carnatic music like we have rarely heard before. The album marks a kind of return to sources for Sofyann Ben Youssef who went to study the sitar and the tablas in New Delhi when he was 20 years old. A true concept album, Global Control / Invisible Invasion is an enormous sonic slap in the face with some completely insane tracks including the 6 minute trance song Mahaganapatim featuring incredible bass kicks and chaotic tablas. The first part of the record is sometimes comparable to Baltimore’s booty music, notably in Duryodhana which features the strident sound of the zika, a little traditional Tunisian flute, among unrestrained percussions. For all its flamboyance that will doubtless impress his fellow DJs, Ammar 808 is more accessible towards the end with the excellent Geeta duniki, a sort of electroriental synthpop which proves definitively the pertinence of the Tunisian musician’s vision. © Smaël Bouaici/Qobuz

A figure of the Catalan hardcore scene from the 1990s, Raül Refree has now transformed himself into one of the wisest producers of today. He has uncovered some of the biggest voices of the contemporary Spanish scene, having contributed to the launching of the careers of the remarkable Rocio Marquez, the moving Silvia Perez Cruz and international megastar Rosalía. This time, Raül Fernandez Miró aka Refree was ensnared by a voice from across the border of his own native country. Before crossing paths with the revolutionary mentor, Lina had been pursuing an acclaimed career in Portugal as a traditional fadista under the name Carolina. For this project of radical fado music modernisation, she has decided to use her real name and has given her all to this album. The whole undertaking was a risk, as the source material itself is almost sacred having been taken from the queen of the entire genre: Amália Rodrigues. Renowned for his inventive technique on the guitar, Refree has done away with traditional string-based orchestration in order to concentrate on an inspired use of keyboards, piano (both alone and arranged), organs, synths, and electronic ornamentation. He creates astonishing ethereal twilight atmospheres, all while respecting the intrinsic harmonies of classics which are here given a fresh lick of paint. The album progresses with works that are more and more emblematic of Amália Rodrigues and therefore of fado as well. In Portugal, Foi Deus, Barco Negro, Fado Menor and Ave Maria Fadista are practically considered national anthems. But Refree’s novel approach is both sensitive and respectful, and Lina’s clear and impassioned singing shows the magnitude of her connection to one of the legends of fado. The album closes with the only song to be accompanied by guitar, Voz Amália De Nós (which has never been sung by Amália herself), a tribute by António Variações (1945-1984), someone many consider to be one of the great pioneers of modernising Portuguese traditional music. Of course, this work by Refree and Lina will have churned the stomachs of some purists who maintain rigid ideas on the matter, but it’s clear that this enchanting record will be remembered for years to come. © Benjamin MiNiMuM/Qobuz