Browse by Artist: GONJASUFI

Artist:	GONJASUFI
Title:	A Sufi And A Killer
Label:	WARP RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.50
Catalog #:	WARP 172CD

"In these recent heady days, hype spreads like digital swine-flu and new artists are subjected to the sea change of an entire career before ever developing their sound. So to exist outside of the spotlight and develop a sound at once ready for the masses online, yet rooted in the fierce individualism of artists past may seem somewhat of a quaint notion until you hear Gonjasufi. At the moment, he stands just outside the spotlight cast on his friends and collaborators Flying Lotus and The Gaslamp Killer, but the sonic brotherhood that exists is implicit rather than as similarities in sound. Drawing from unearthed strains of global psychedelia and merging it with a rejuvenated sense of hip-hop clarity currently distinct to the West Coast, Gonjasufi is more than just a songwriter, MC or performer. His debut album A Sufi And A Killer recalls moments in love as well as trading sinister threats with enemies, sometimes within the same song. Trading in both the murk of lo-fidelity vintage samples and the concentrated crispness of current West Coast production, A Sufi And A Killer is both a roadmap to the riches of the distant past and a signpost to the future."

Artist:	GONJASUFI
Title:	The Caliph's Tea Party
Label:	WARP RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.50
Catalog #:	WARP 206CD

"It's a tricky thing, re-working a completely unique and peerless piece of music. It is made even trickier when the personality behind the original music is so vivid and otherworldly that it is almost sure to continue to cast its long shadow over whatever new form is chosen for it. It didn't hurt that Gonja had made fans out of quite a few incredibly talented artists. So, The Caliph's Tea Party was slowly summoned to life. Like the Caliphs of the Ummahs of the 7th century, orchestrating affairs from their palaces, Gonjasufi has assembled a collection of artists in his musical world and invited them to exchange ideas. In this spirit, the symbolic and musical centerpiece of the album, as well as its namesake, is the result of the mutual admiration formed between Gonjasufi and Broadcast and The Focus Group. A bewitching, drastic re-working of 'DedNd,' it takes the form of a suite of layered compositions and radiophonic transmissions. Elsewhere, reinterpretations from new talents shine while established artists continue to surprise. Mark Pritchard (Harmonic313, Africa Hitech) channels Ennio Morricone with epic orchestral dystopia on his remix of 'Ancestors' while retaining the inherent gravity of Flying Lotus' original production. Young guns Shlomo and Jeremiah Jae eschew their labeling as 'beatmakers' and tap into a fractured emotional core within 'Change' and 'Holidays', respectively, giving them new leases on life as subtly mechanized melancholia. Bibio smooths out the rough edges of 'Candylane' for a remix indebted to the 1980s R&B leftfield, while Brooklyn's Bear In Heaven and Oneohtrix Point Never deal in heavy motorik meditations and ethereal musique concrete."

Artist:	GONJASUFI
Title:	MU.ZZ.LE
Label:	WARP RECORDS (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	WARP 223CD

"MU.ZZ.LE although short in length, is long on message - political, social and spiritual interpretations that define him as an artist. Written on the road, it was an outlet for Gonjasufi to challenge himself. It's the response to all the adrenaline, aggression and anger he felt traveling the world, it's a spectrum of his creativity and a testimony of how one man's passion and determination is often misunderstood as anger. 'There's a duality that exists and to deny it, is the biggest mistake'. The albums down tempo strings, heartbreaking soul, reanimated hip-hop and crackling haunting vocal stylings are stitched as a running thread throughout each song like a patchwork quilt. It's a lonely journey that will take you through the innermost thoughts of Gonjasufi's darkest hours. He recorded and mixed it on his own in his home studio surrounded by his family and the stark contrast of the Mojave Desert. The end product is his outlet and realization for who he is, a way for him to feel comfortable in his own skin again. Akin to discovering a gramophone recording fraught with emotive compositions, it's like finding that hidden gem, the one you can truly relate with. It's the way of dealing with the issues of modern man; oppressed by power, freedom of speech, living your life by a book, dealing with the MU.ZZ.LE that's firmly attached around your mouth." Approx. 25 minutes long.

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