A newly unearthed album by the iconic Pakistani musician, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, titled Chain of Light, made its debut in Islamabad, with subsequent launch events scheduled in Lahore today (Thursday) and Karachi on August 31.
This previously lost album, recorded in 1990, is a joint effort between Pakistan’s Saiyna Bashir Studios, who are concurrently producing a documentary titled Ustad, and Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records, the original producers of the album.
Supported by the British Council, a series of launch events are planned across multiple cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Manchester, Birmingham, London, and Paris.
These events lead up to the album’s official release on September 20, with the documentary set to premiere in late 2025.
Chain of Light features never-before-heard recordings of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and his Qawwal ensemble, captured at Real World Studios during a period when Khan’s vocal abilities were at their zenith.
The album has been meticulously restored from the original analog recordings, presenting a flawless version of the cherished track ‘Ya Allah Ya Rehman’ alongside the only existing recording of ‘Ya Gaus Ya Meeran.’
The album launch tour will continue in Manchester on September 10, followed by Birmingham on September 11, and Paris on September 13, culminating in London on September 19 before the official release the next day.
