Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook

Star Rise

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook

Released 05 October 1997

Sweet Pain (Joi Remix)
My Heart, My Life (Talvin Singh Remix)
Taa Deem (Asian Dub Foundation Remix)
Shadow (State of Bengal Remix)
Longing (Aki Nawaz Remix)
My Comfort Remains (Black Star Liner Remix)
Tracery (Nitin Sawhney Remix)
Lament (Earthtribe Remix)
Nothing Without You (The Dhol Foundation & Fun^Da^Mental Remix)
Fault Lines (DJ Fabian Alsultany Remix)

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook

Liner notes

In 1997, Real World commissioned the leading lights of the UK’s so-called Asian Underground movement to remix and reshape the back catalogue of the great Pakistani qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Asian Dub Foundation, Nitin Sawhney, State Of Bengal, The Dhol Foundation and Fun^Da^Mental took their pick of Nusrat’s classic album Mustt Mustt, while Talvin Singh, Joi, Aki Nawaz and Earthtribe reconstructed cuts from Night Song, the record made by Nusrat and his Canadian collaborator Michael Brook.

When the project was nearing completion, tragedy struck: Nusrat died suddenly, leaving Star Rise as a memorial to this unique artistic visionary. A decade and a half later, it remains a strikingly modern tribute, from State Of Bengal’s beautifully unhurried reimagining of Shadow right through to the fidgety, floor-quaking dub of ADF’s remix of Taa Deem.

The Real World Gold re-issue also adds a freshly minted remix of ‘Fault Lines’, an absorbing, 21st-century interpretation from US DJ Fabian Alsultany (co-creator of L.A.’s Tadasana Festival and New York’s mammoth Globesonic dance gatherings). Not that the stamp of a date is necessary or pertinent. Nusrat’s soaring vocals remain ageless, his appeal eternal.

"Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is one of the world's leading voices. Listening to him always takes me back to my childhood and hearing my father's tapes. Now, the thought of some of Britain's best young Asian artists collaborating with him gives me such a great buzz. This is our generation's way of saying 'respect due'." Imran Khan

The remixers talk about their involvement in the Star Rise project

Messages from the Remixers

Joi

It’s the soul and spirituality of Nusrat which is inspirational— he’s the Godfather of Sufi music, the James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis of Asian music! We grew up with Nusrat through our Dad’s records, but it wasn’t until we saw him play live at a community centre in the East End in the late ‘80s that the power of the man and his voice really hit home. Later we were privileged enough to be on the same bill as him at WOMAD, where he won over a whole new generation of believers. Long may he continue to spread the word! Deep Asian Vibes.

Remix by Farook & Haroon Joi
Remixed Upstairs @ The Strongroom
Engineered by Mads Bjerke

Talvin Singh

Nusrat Khan Sahib is for me the father figure of Sufi Qawwali music. His performances are enhanced with ‘childlike’ purity, which in turn invoke my own memories of growing up within this musical environment.

Remix by Talvin Singh
Remixed at Calkutta Cyber Café, London
All instruments performed and mixed by Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh appears courtesy of Omni Ltd

Asian Dub Foundation

Nusrat helped to introduce Qawwali to many second generation British Asians, both through his dance remixes and his community performances. We are inspired by its questioning, rebellious nature and Nusrat’s soaring spiritual dialogues.

Remix by Asian Dub Foundation
Remixed at Fortress Studios, London EC1
Engineered by Rik Hart
Asian Dub Foundation appear courtesy of FFRR

Gallery

State of Bengal

Nusrat’s representation of the deep meaning of the shadow is truly encapsulated in this unique piece of music.

Remix by State of Bengal
Remixed at Planet Mars
Produced & arranged by Sam Zaman
Guitar by Matt Mars
Ektara & bass by Sam Zaman

Asian Dub Foundation

The scene: Aki pogoing to the Clash in his and the rest of the family’s bedroom in Bradford in 1977.

Dad: Oi, turn that rubbish off, it’s crap!

Aki: But dad it’s punk, it’s different, it’s new, it breaks all the traditions of politics and music.

Dad: Listen son, traditions have been broken for centuries in Asia. You should check out your musical heritage – there’s people like Nusrat blah blah blah etc…

Aki thinks: Old codger, me dad thinks he knows music. Asian music, what??? Sounds crap!

12 years later

Aki thinks: Bloody ‘ell, me dad was right. There’s some amazin’ stuff about.

3 years later

Scene: Aki on the phone to Real World.

Aki: Yeah yeah, of course I’d love to remix Nusrat, it’d be an honour. FEE?? I’ll do it for nowt, oh ok fine I’ll do it for that then.

The rest is all about the past, manipulating it, exploiting it and gettin’ it heard.

Remix by Aki Nawaz as Fun^Da^Mental
One kid, a wife and a food blender studio
Engineered by Graeme Holdaway
Aki appears courtesy of Nation Records

Nitin Sawhney

Nusrat is incredible. His work with Michael Brook threw huge shadows over all previous attempts to bring credible East/West collaborations to the mainstream. As the voice behind such powerful films as ‘Bandit Queen’ and ‘Dead Man Walking’, he is a constant source of inspiration. Nusrat is more than just a singer to me— he is the embodiment of soul and passion in music.

Remix by Nitin Sawhney
Remixed at Spirit Dance Studios
Featuring Jatinder Verma reading an Urdu poem by Wajid Ali Shah
Nitin Sawhney appears courtesy of Outcaste Records/Zomba Publishing

Earthtribe

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has been a great influence to us both musically and spiritually. We are glad that people like Nusrat have helped open the doors of the world to Eastern music.

Remix by Sanjeev Varma & Sanjeve Rupal
Remixed at ET Studio 1

The Dhol Foundation

Nusrat’s voice has inspired the souls of many people from around the world. The rhythmic elements of the syllables he uses have inspired us to produce this track.

Remix by Johnny Kalsi of The Dhol Foundation with a little or a lot of psychological mutation from Fun^Da^Mental.
Remixed at Intimate Studios, London
Engineered by David White
Additional editing and rehab by Aki & James Asher at Starfield Studios
Dhol Bangers include Johnny Kalsi, Dips, Gurjit, Parm, Davinder & Billy
‘Waking up the Nation with The Dhol Foundation.’

Gallery

Reviews

An album to move you both physically and emotionally. The Sunday Times (UK)
A general seamlessness throughout is a tribute both to Khan's timeless vocal prowess and to the skills and taste of all concerned. Q Magazine (UK)
Its a credit to Khan's enthusiasm for unconventional collaborations... A fitting tribute. Time Out (UK)
A dish that is very, very hot... Khan's voice is given a '97 twist and the result is immediately compelling... This is music with real depth. DJ (UK)
A sublime album... a glowing tribute to both the singers enduring artistry and the febrile health of the Anglo-Asian music scene in general. The Independent (UK)

Listen

Credits

A Real World Design. Graphic design by Tristan Manco. Photography by Stephen Lovell-Davis. Art direction by Michael Coulson.

Vocals by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. All tracks produced by Michael Brook.

Special thanks to Dellie at Mango, Aki Nawaz, Charles Cosh, Amrik Rai, Bobby Marshall, Paul Franklyn, Shabs, Suki and Sweetie.

Joi Sound System

Joi

Released 18 June 2015

Joi Sound System is a 22 track double album compiled from Joi's three gloriously inventive albums: 1999's One and One is One, 2000's We Are Three and 2007's Without Zero, plus three bonus tracks. Three sublime albums. A dazzling assemblage of tracks. Choosing a Best Of was never doing to be easy. And yet...
Tana Tani

State of Bengal Vs Paban Das Baul

Released 11 April 2004

Tana Tani plunges Paban into the dub-heavy melee of the British Asian breakbeat scene, where his ecstatic, smoky vocals soar over juddering beats and squelchy basslines, and his urgent and hypnotic rhythms mutate into frenetic drum 'n' bass breaks.

Star Rise

Messages from the Remixers