After studying Islamic mysticism and religious songs in what is now Pakistan, he moved to the Iberian Peninsula in 1932 in search of work and music. Captivated by the “profound songs” of flamenco, he became a disciple of the great maverick singer Pepe Marchena, He subsequently devoted his life to flamenco, developing a sophisticated theory regarding its origins in South Asia and Sufism, which he disseminated through live performances and publications in London, Spain, and Pakistan. It is said that, even before the field of ethnomusicology had emerged, he explored his own unique performance style while researching the connections between these entirely different musical traditions.
In this album, she seamlessly blends Sufi poetry in Persian, Sindhi, Hindi, and Arabic with various Andalusian flamenco songs in Spanish, accompanied by a single guitar, creating a one-of-a-kind rhythm, seamlessly fusing them. Her voice quietly and deeply conveys not only the ecstatic, trippy sensation of Sufism—the inner spiritual practice of Islamic mysticism—but also, through the soul of flamenco, the anguish of life, love and sorrow, raw emotions, and passion—all the way to the depths of the human heart. This collection features eight tracks from the only extant recordings of Asis Barouchi: two 7-inch EPs released in Spain in 1962. (Original Japanese text by COMPUMA)