Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's 'lost' album set for September release
Who would have thought? A long-lost album by the legendary Pakistani singer, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, is slated for a fall release, 34 years after its original recording! The album, Chain of Light, was found in warehouse storage by Real World Records during an archive relocation in 2021. The record label, owned by Peter Gabriel, confirmed that the album was recorded at Real World Studios in April 1990 and will be released on September 20.
'Chain of Light' features unheard 'qawwali'
Chain of Light consists of four Sufi Islamic devotional songs, or "qawwals," one of which has never been previously heard, as per Real World Records. The recording coincided with Khan's work on the 1990 album Mustt Mustt, a collaboration with guitarist and producer Michael Brook. Gabriel expressed his admiration for Khan, stating that discovering the lost tape shows the singer "at his peak" and is a "wonderful record."
Gabriel called Khan the 'greatest singer'
Rolling Stone quoted Gabriel as saying, "I've had the privilege to work with a tonne of different musicians from all over the world in my time, but perhaps the greatest singer of them all was Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan." "What he could do and make you feel with his voice was quite extraordinary and we were very proud to have played a role in getting him to a much wider global audience."
The songs are 'transformative and transcendent'
Brook also expressed his happiness, saying, "It touches you; 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 the listener in, no matter their expectations. Thank God, or whatever you believe in: the voice has returned."
Khan's global legacy and praise around the world
Khan, who passed away in 1997 at the age of 48, was signed to Real World Records by Gabriel in 1989. His unique talent garnered him a host of high-profile fans including Eddy Vedder, Madonna, Jeff Buckley, and The Rolling Stones. Jeff Buckley once referred to Khan as "my Elvis." In recognition of his vocal prowess, Rolling Stone magazine placed Khan at number 91 on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time in 2023.
