Sufi says…

When I listened to this album over a month ago, I though that this is something I will not forget even in many years to come and that… fuck… either this guy is totally crazy, or he’s constantly high, or somebody just invented a new religion within music… You obviously have no clue what am I talking about, right?

Once upon a time, in sunny San Diego, a black man was born. After years of his life, which was filled with practicing and teaching yoga, tasting different substances available to mankind and performing his music with alternative bands and artists while trying to find the inner self, the man moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. And, as all the major religions teach us, sin cities are best for becoming a prophet. Thus, Sumach Ecks, known now as Gonjasufi, recorded his debut album in 2010 and his religion of crazy sounds, electro-scratches, transe samples and loops gained a huge amount of new followers. And, beware, the religion is spreading quickly!

I totally fell in love with this album from the very beginning. At first I was very happy about it since I am 100% positive that this is going to be the best album of the year of 2010. On the other hand, it made me sad that I won’t hear anything that extraordinary for at least a few years. A Sufi and a Killer is absolutely something none of us have ever heard in our lives. It’s not an album which is easy-to-listen. It’s experimental, it’s based on transe rhythms, lots of samples and influences from different parts of the world (most notably India, Greece, Spanish flamenco, native American music or even – let’s not be afraid of using this word – rituals), it is like a prayer, no… more like a mantra, like contemplation and a sophisticated, ecstatic sacrament. And all of this is deliberately made a bit old school, as if it would be an old tape, a rare box holding priceless souvenirs from the past. I’m not a religious person myself but Gonjasufi very often speaks about religion and – naturally – about yoga, and, even if you are not religious, it’s hard to restrain yourself from the overwhelming spiritual power of this album. This music is SACRED! I felt, all at once, as if I took part in an anthropological travel, looking for ancient cultures, trying their food, speaking their language, singing with the tribe. And I really don’t care if it sounds pathetic or not. And, I suppose, Gonjasufi cares even less…

Also, for a long time, I haven’t heard anything that would be so fresh, so new, so different from anything else and, at the same time, so deeply rooted in… well, different things (a few of which I already mentioned above). It’s like Sufi poetry, like the whirling Dervishes in Turkey, like being hypnotized or being in a state of levitation/nirvana/call it whatever you want. And you don’t really need to be a fan of electro and/or ethnic music to appreciate it. Just listen to it, and you’ll know what I mean. If there is anything, anything at all that I could compare it to, it would be some of the experimental albums of John Zorn, although, I suppose, such a comparison wouldn’t make good to any of the mentioned artists.

Luckily, my favorite song was also chosen as a promo single, so I can recommend it to you wholeheartedly, not thinking that – as usual – I always pick up different choices for a single promoting an album than the one that is chosen by an artist, lol. This one is particularly special, in my opinion, cause it gives you the taste of what Gonjasufi really is – a crazy mix of an amazing beat, electronic noise, sharp vocals and humming all in one, a sample of flamenco and gods-know-what-else that reminds me of native American music but I cannot really name the thing, lmao.

If you want to check Gonjasufi’s official website, click here. (This guy is a genius!)

And remember… there is no spoon! X-D