Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records is preparing to release “Chain of Light,” a previously unheard album by the legendary Pakistani qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. These recordings, found in the label’s archives in 2021, date back to April 1990.
The album includes performances by Khan and his eight-piece ensemble, featuring four traditional qawwalis (Sufi Islamic devotional songs), one of which has never been heard before. Recorded at Real World Studios during the same session as Khan’s crossover hit “Mustt Mustt,” the album is said to highlight the singer at the height of his vocal prowess.
Khan, part of a 600-year lineage of qawwali singers, introduced Sufi devotional music to a global audience. His powerful and precise vocals earned him admirers like Jeff Buckley, who referred to Khan as “my Elvis,” as well as The Rolling Stones and Madonna. Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder collaborated with Khan on the film “Dead Man Walking” (1995), and A.R. Rahman featured him on his “Vande Mataram” (1997) album.
“I’ve had the privilege to work with a ton of different musicians from all over the world in my time, but perhaps the greatest singer of them all was Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan,” says Peter Gabriel. “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. It was a real delight when we found out this tape had been in our library. This album really shows him at his peak. It’s a wonderful record.”
“Chain of Light” releases on Sept. 20, 2024, via Real World Records, supported in part by the British Council.
