V.A. Ishq Ke Maare: Sufi Songs from Sindh and Punjab, Pakistan

A searing assemblage of Islamic Sufi spiritual music from the hinterlands of Sindh and Punjab, this compilation marks Sublime Frequencies' debut release of field recordings from Pakistan. Recorded and compiled by ARSHIA FATIMA HAQ, founder of Discostan—a collective of artists from an imagined federation of states from Beirut to Bangkok via Bombay—this is a rare, unfiltered collection of devotional music ranging from hypnotic solo instrumentals and vocal lamentations to euphoric ensemble qawwalis. Presenting voices that are imperiled in the country's contemporary political landscape—where renowned singers are assassinated in broad daylight and performance spaces are regularly bombed—this record continues Haq's ongoing project of engaging complex and controversial Islamic practices and rituals that operate in resistance to religious orthodoxy. Features performances by Ustad Aacher And Company, Kalyam Sharif Qawwali Troupe, Meeh Wasaiyo, Fatah Daudpoto, Latif Sarkar, Basheer Haidari And Nazira Bano, Shazia Tarannum, Babu, Sain Juman Shah And Fakirs, Ghulam Arshad, and an unknown singer.