Album review by David Belmont
Artist: Dawoud the Renegade Sufi
Title: The Power and the Longing
Format: Digital Album
Record label: RMMAP LLC
Genre: Experimental Multi-genre
Digital and International Release: December 25, 2024
Buy and Stream HERE.
Released last Christmas, this collection is truly Dawoud the Renegade Sufi‘s gift to the world. The liner notes he provided on Bandcamp provide an excellent framing for the listener:
This album is the next phase of my music. Compositionally I brought many musical ideas (some of which are quite arcane) into a contemporary and accessible context. Two years before this writing, I collaborated with Andy Dowty and Jeff Slatnick of the Limulus Musical Instrument company in designing the Dautar. It is an instrument that blends the qualities of the guitar, sitar, and cello. It became the focus of my music. Enjoy this new phase in my music!
And quite an enjoyable experience it is! The music borrows from and advances an eclectic array
of musical styles, ranging from Indian classical to trip hop to modal jazz to ambient and chill. I
even hear some British pop, circa David Bowie, in there.
The compositions are thoughtful and melodic. The playing is dynamic and often delightfully surprising. The lush production values are at once crisp and ethereal, utilizing cool
sound imaging (pans, reverbs, etc.) and contemporary recording techniques (even some tasteful
Autotune!). The lyrics (some sung, some rapped or recited) are evocative and thought-provoking-provoking. The Power and the Longing is the total package.
A word about the Dautar. It is truly a “slammin’ ax” in the hands of The Renegade Sufi. It allows
Dawoud expresses himself musically using his fingers or a bow. The instrument has a wide
sonic range that supports creativity in Eastern and Western idioms equally well.
A detailed description/analysis of each of the album’s 14 tracks is beyond this review’s scope (and word count limit!). Here is a bit about some of my favorite songs.
The album opens with “Tuesday Déjà Vu.” This is quintessential Dawoud. A strong Indian raga
feel with shifting tonal centers – an unusual compositional flavor, as most Indian-esque music
relies on a single drone. From its dramatic opening to its gentle “after the rain” closing, the track features the Dautar and some deft acoustic guitar musings.
“Monsters Under Your Bed” features a deep, sludgy bass line (played by Dawoud, as all the string instruments on the record are), spooky recitation (“don’t run, don’t hide, enjoy the ride”), and ethereal backing vocals by Joi Peng—very Joe Zawinul.
An ambient flute solo by Duane McCarthy opens “Poisonous Garden.” Joi Peng sings lead over chord changes that could have been penned by Wayne Shorter in his Blue Note period.
Dawoud raps on “Power and War” over a bass drum heavy rock beat in “History, Read It And Weep.” Weaving in and out of vibey Joi Peng vocals, he tells us, “It’s not good news or bad news, it’s only fact.”
“Nine Invisibles” is an Indian fusion composition featuring bowed Dautar improvisation over a
bass line that delineates a 4+3+2 taal.
The title track, “The Power and the Longing,” is a tour de force with a haunting melody over a
table-esque rhythm sound. Beatles-style dautar “cello” accentuates the flow. DJ Celt Islam, a
Manchester-based DJ/producer, provided the drum programming on this track (as well as on
“Freedom”).
“Misunderstood Prophecies” is based on an Egyptian scale. It brings to mind Weather Report
during their Alphonso Johnson period, with the dautar triggering synthesizers on the intro and
outro reminiscent of Joe Zawinul. The song features a Hendrix-style bass solo (think 1983 from
Electric Ladyland).
The Beatles make another appearance in “Making Love to Eternity (Redux).” The swirling vibe
conjures up the extended versions of Magical Mystery Tour’s Flying that are available online. I highly recommend the video for this track, which features lush, colorful graphics that
beg for chemical intervention.
The bonus track, “Extraterrestrial Jazz,” is a delight. Soloing and accompanying slide in and out of each other over a deconstructed swing groove.
I recommend that you take the time to listen to the entire album. You’ll be glad you did!
