As 2024 comes to a close, The Guardian unveiled its list of the year’s best albums, showcasing a vibrant mix of global musical brilliance. The spotlight shone on Pakistani music, with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s posthumous album, Chain of Light, earning the top spot, and Arooj Aftab’s Grammy-nominated album, Night Reign, ranking sixth.
Decades after his passing, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan continues to resonate as an unparalleled force in music. Chain of Light, a posthumous collection of four unreleased recordings from 1990, captures the qawwali maestro on the cusp of international fame. Featuring powerful renditions of classics like “Ya Allah Ya Rehman” and the newly unearthed nine-minute epic “Ya Gaus Ya Meeran,” the album showcases Nusrat’s extraordinary command of rhythm and improvisation. The Guardian hailed the release as “a remarkable discovery that cements Khan’s status as one of music’s greatest voices.”
Arooj Aftab, celebrated for her fusion of South Asian classical traditions with modern minimalism, continues her rise with Night Reign. This album delves into themes of love, loss, and the mysteries of the night, blending the warmth of Aftab’s voice with haunting, atmospheric soundscapes. A follow-up to her acclaimed Vulture Prince, Night Reign explores the magic of late-night hours through its nine evocative tracks, earning praise as a masterful work.
The Guardian’s Top 10 list also highlighted a diverse array of sounds, including Mongolian throat singing, lo-fi Filipino dance music, and intergenerational collaborations. Other notable entries included Poeji’s Nant, DJ Love’s Budots World (Reloaded), Ganavya’s Daughter of a Temple, Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O’s True Story, Lord Spikeheart’s The Adept, Fabiano do Nascimento and Sam Gendel’s The Room, and Milton Nascimento and Esperanza Spalding’s Milton + Esperanza.
This eclectic selection celebrates the boundless creativity and cultural richness of 2024’s global music scene.
