Star Rise

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Various Artists - Dance & DJ - Ambient | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 27, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Caroline
• ASIN: B000000HPX
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #329,367 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #94 in Music > World Music > India & Pakistan > Pakistan

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, even from a purist's point of view!, October 17, 2000

By 

Jeevan "jsiva" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Star Rise (Audio CD)

I know this album catches a lot of flack from Nusrat devotees and purists. I have been listening to Nusrat for over a decade, well before he became "hip" over here in the west, and I stand by this album.

First of all, contradictory to popular myth, this album was not a vain effort to cash in on the singer's recent demise. The album was made and almost fully completed when he was alive, the liner notes on the cd cover explain this.

Secondly, Nusrat himself was experimenting with mixing and fusing different sounds. If you want proof of this, listen to "Swan Song" which is a 2-cd recording of his final concert prior to his demise. The concert was held in his homeland in Pakistan, and even then, the album is filled with various western instruments, guitars, horns, even an electronic piano.

Some may dispute the blendings that have occured with Nusrat's works, but if the esteemed singer himself was experimenting with it then who are they to critique him. Nusrat understood that the Qawalli tradition had to be made as universal as possible and was willing to do the neccessary to make it so.

Finally, these musicians who took and remixed Nurat's works are not some hippie-type John McLaughlin-loving (nothing wrong with John, just making a point) DJ's. These are South Asian musicians who grew up on Nusrat and to a great extend were inspired by him.

It is fascinating to see what groups like Asian Dub Foundation (who are considered to be the "Rage Against the Machine" of South Asians) do with Nusrat's work, bringing the raw passion to surface with heavy beats. The heavy percussion accompaniments to "Nothing Without You" are so mesmerizing and beat-laden you'll want to dance.

Nusrat purists remind me of the old-school radio-station DJ's with their mullet haircuts, shaded glasses and satin tour jackets who still go on about Credence Clearwater Revival and so on (nothing wrong with Credence, but come on...) They refuse to evolve, and to let music grow. They stagnate in their own pools of anachronistic music.

This CD is outstanding, take that from a Nusrat purist who's not afraid of change!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, but shouldn't substitute listening to the originals, May 11, 2000

By 

"zara_azari" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Star Rise (Audio CD)

I personally love this CD, because I love a touch of electro. music in everything. I think Michael Brooks did a good job, as did the rest of the artists involved in compiling this collection. I only regret that I can't understand the words. But, music is universal, and NFAK talent was certainly universal. So, I say this CD is a great tribute to the Artist and it is a great item to have in your collection. But, don't forget listening to the original NFAK, too. He is well-worth it!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If only NFAK was still alive..., January 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Star Rise (Audio CD)

Star Rise takes the late great Ustad's music to new heights, making it accessible to young South Asians in the UK and North America (like yours truly). This album will turn qawwali fans on to the Asian Underground, and Asian Underground fans on to qawwali. The first 3 trax are instantly appealing; Joi's get-up-and-dance basslines, TSingh's beautiful, superb electric hypnosis, and Asian Dub Foundation's wild, subversive punk remix, with tablas racing at jungle speed. Others, such as SOB and Nitin Sawnhey, will grow on you, trust me. It's all about preserving and modernising the culture, and breaking down stereotypes at the same time. A great intro to the Asian Underground. The comments by the remixers are a nice touch.