Saqib & Umer Piracha Reimagine 'Mast Qalandar' For Indo Warehouse And Keep It Refreshingly Original

'Dama Dam Mast Qalandar' is likely the most popular Sufi qawwali and consequently has been reimagined for rock bands, film soundtracks and club-ready mixes. New York City-based producer-DJ Saqib also does the latter, with the help of Multan-born singer Umer Piracha, for an EP released on Indo Warehouse, the label, collective and live show created by Kahani and Kunal Merchant, which dedicates itself to bringing South Asian heritage onto global dancefloors.

While most fusions of a similar ilk tend to lift the Sufi songs as one (once) unique element in otherwise conventional assemblies of house or EDM filled with genre clichés and devoid of the traditional music's original context, Saqib and Umer's version of 'Mast Qalandar' trusts the original material and every idea they decorate it with. Umer's rendition of the Sufi belter rings out largely unaided by anything harmonic, only supported by rolling percussion and heavy spattering of compelling kicks. When the track needs an interlude, Saqib chooses the tonal rhythms of a morsing/morchang instead of any usual dancefloor tropes.

As much as the unconventional choices, the producer's conviction in them makes the track, which remains a minimal offering. In contrast, the accompanying track 'Junoon', which features Udaipur-rooted Mumbai-based artist Naayaab, comes hyper-charged with melodic ideas, while the dub mix of 'Mast Qalandar' amps up the track's percussive nature to aid its functionality as a club number. While the two aren't bad by most measures, they don't enjoy the ingenuity that makes 'Mast Qalandar' stand out.

Listen to 'Mast Qalandar / Junoon' below and follow Saqib, Umer Piracha, Naayaab and Indo Warehouse for more.

Image: Saqib