Descended from a 600-year-old lineage of qawwali singers, Nusrat’s voice has been singularly responsible for spreading the devotional music of Sufism to the world, ever since he became the leader of his family’s musical group in 1971. It is a formidable heritage for an ancient song. Originating in 10th Century Iran, qawwali is the music of Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam. Characterised by states of musical ecstasy and sophistication, qawwali singers are the mouthpiece of divine power, tasked with capturing the audience’s attention and heightening their consciousness to receive a spiritual message.
Yet, just as he was at the peak of his creative powers and earning accolades from the likes of Jeff Buckley — who famously stated, “he’s my Elvis” — as well as composer A R Rahman and Mick Jagger, in 1997 Nusrat tragically died at the age of 48. He had exposed the mystical power of qawwali and its capacity for modern interpretations to the world, but his great voice was no more.
That is until the recent discovery of the four pristine recordings that make up this remarkable new release, Chain of Light. Buried deep in the warehouse space that comprises the Real World tape archives, these April 1990 sessions from the label’s infamous Wiltshire studios find Nusrat at a crossroads, on the cusp of global greatness.
Ultimately, all of the music on Chain of Light is a gift to its listeners – a crucial aspect of Nusrat’s astounding artistry rescued from obscurity, delivered from the darkness. Regardless of whether you can understand its lyrical content or traditions, this is music for music’s sake and a precious envoy from an inaccessible past. “It touches you,” Brook says. “It is a once in a lifetime experience.”
Like the immanent light of the record’s title, these songs are transformative and transcendent in a way that crosses languages and cultures. It draws you in, no matter your expectations. Thank God, or whatever you believe in: the voice has returned.
