The playlist: Middle Eastern and North African – Blufrank, El Rass and more

In the latest of our playlist series, John Doran takes a look at Syrian Sufi chant, Egyptian electro disco, Sumerian death metal and psychedelic Moroccan gnawa

SYRIA: Fasel Al Sawi & Fasel Kesmet Al Sawi – Ancestral Dhikr

Jason Hamacher, whose background is in the Washington DC hardcore-punk scene, made several trips to Syria just before the outbreak of the current civil war to record devotional Sufi chants, many of which have been compiled on NAWA: Ancient Sufi Invocations and Forgotten Songs from Aleppo, released this year on Lost Origin Sound Series & Electric Cowbell Records. This track was captured at night in the courtyard of a 500-year-old house. After the recording, Hamacher asked what the songs meant and was told: “This is how we fight terrorism.” You can learn more about this great record and Syrian Sufi chant courtesy of this excellent NPR radio feature.