Even back in the summer, when it was released, I had a suspicion that Gonjasufi’s A Sufi and a Killer might be my favourite album of 2010. In the following months I became convinced that nothing would beat its mix of spooky sitar-sampling production and wild-eyed-prophet vocals. Then along came The Caliph’s Tea Party, which was the same album only remixed, and I could no longer tell which record was my favourite. They’re both exceptional and both very different, even though they originate from the same set of songs. The Caliph’s Tea Party made me realise why I liked A Sufi and a Killer so much: both are good old-fashioned albums that are best listened to in their entirety. In isolation few of the tracks are long enough to immerse you in the cryptic, soulful soundscape that you enter when you let the record play for half an hour. Do that and the noise of the production becomes a kind of beat-rich spiritual rite, while Gonjasufi’s cracked voice – disintegrating here and there into a croak or a mad cackle – turns to a bizarre lullaby. Imagine the sound of an Old Testament prophet recorded on a wax cylinder and you’re getting close.
Warp are offering a generous selection of tracks and clips on their website, which I’ve embedded below for your listening pleasure.