Abyati 19

I have a keen interest in the music of the Comoros and in music associated with Islam, so when the opportunity came to review an album of Sufi chants from the Indian Ocean islands I jumped at the chance. What it contained was completely unexpected – and unlike any Comorian or Sufi music I had ever heard before.

Lyaman are a four-piece a capella ensemble who sing the music of the Shadhili Sufi brotherhood, originally developed by the Comorian population in the north of Madagascar. Whereas most Sufi vocal music is based on single-melody lines, the music of Lyaman sounds much closer to a choral tradition, with each voice singing its own part, creating harmonies and countermelodies as well as incorporating the powerful, rhythmic breathing of the ecstatic Sufi zikr ceremony. This surprising polyphony even bears resemblance to that of Corsica and Sardinia. It's a unique and unusual sound, but the music nevertheless situates its geography very well, with elements clearly shared with Arabic, Malagasy and East African music.

The presentation of this album is similar to a field recording, the music completely unadorned by production to allow for a full appreciation of the culture in focus. This is the perfect introduction for an astounding and astonishing musical tradition.