Unlike '' Mustt Mustt '' , whose songs were the product of the pair 's separated efforts , the songs on '' Night Song '' were written collaboratively . The album contains down-to-earth lyrics about relationships and spiritual cleanliness , although '' Westnet '' noted that , despite this , " the two artists make an obvious , pronounced effort to lead one down a path of pure spiritual ecstasy . " The opening song " My Heart , My Life " features West African kora and electronic backing , with Nusrat singing in a relaxed mid-range voice . The song was compared to a Salif Keita ballad as it works up to its " energized " closing chant . Eyre said that " My Comfort Remains " and " Crest " are " essentially pop numbers with catchy melodies , the former bouncy but static , the latter building towards a revelatory crescendo . " The fifth track , " Longing " , features Nusrat 's signature scat singing and his singular wail , " unmistakable even when lavished with effects . " '' Westnet '' said that the song is " a slow ballad beginning with a slide guitar 's sweet melody and ending with strangled pleas ( In English , " my dear longing for you is killing me . " ) " " Sweet Pain " begins " deep in dream space with a wandering bassline and a simple backbeat , and then heating up to powerful close with Nusrat delivering spitfire scat . " " Lament " is " plodding , desolate and dark , " with Nusrat droning " without you there is gloominess – come back home sweetheart " as mellow background guitar sounds " soar . " " Intoxicated " is a more upbeat than " Lament " , and features " unexpected outbursts of Nusrat 's rapid-fire , metaphorical vocals about obsession . " The album was released on 20 February 1996 by Peter Gabriel ’s world music label Real World Records . Considered a commercial success for a world album , it reached number 4 on the United States '' Billboard '' Top World Music Albums chart and number 65 in the UK Albums Chart , where it charted for one week . The album was acclaimed by critics . Banning Eyre of Allmusic rated the album four and a half stars out of five , saying that “ wherever you stand on Real World ’s arty aesthetics , you have to admire the Qawwali star ’s sense of adventure here . ” '' Westnet '' said that “ '' Night Song '' makes a great companion to either sudden revelation or a simple evening in the forest , under the stars , ” commenting that " it is certainly one of the best collaborative albums of the year . " '' The Guardian '' said it was “ a quite sensational slow-burner of an album ... Nusrat ’s incredible vocal control and gift for wending his way round an evocative melody is bolstered by Brook ’s sensitive ambient , gently beat-based arrangements . No-one deserves the extra exposure more than this peerless singer . ” '' Time Out '' called it " the best world music album ... ever ! " '' Billboard '' called it “ an album for the ages , solidifying Khan ’s stature as one of the world ’s pre-eminent singers . ” '' Time Out '' said “ the world ’s best singer has a gag put in his mouth and delivers an ambient album that could n’t be smoother if it was silk . ” '' The Daily Telegraph '' said that " this collaboration with Michael Brook and his guitars provides the most natural complement to Nusrat s harmonium-tabla drums formula , yet never overshadows the mystical power of his voice , " whilst '' Folk Roots '' said that " this is a truly great record . Michael Brook is an unmistakably original producer who knows how to put a great vocal instrument into a stunning new context . This is a truly great record , " and '' The Los Angeles View '' said that " this collaboration demonstrates a distinct stroke of genius , a most intoxicating spiritually uplifting cross-cultural expression . " '' Keyboard Connections '' called it “ a unique combination of intricate East-meets-West . Guitar , sampled drumbeats , and rhythmic vocals the like of which you ’ve never heard before . '' Night Song '' presents an incomparable voice in a challenging setting . ” Bhasker Gupta of '' All About Jazz '' retrospectively said , along with '' Mustt Mustt '' , “ these are two very important albums — insistent yet melancholic , sacrilegious for purists , innovative for radicals — with Khan at his adventurous best . ” The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best World Music Album at the 39th Annual Grammy Awards in 1997 , but lost out to The Chieftains ' album '' Santiago '' . In December 1996 , '' Billboard '' ranked it at number 15 in their list of the " Top World Music Albums " of 1996 . '' Mojo '' magazine ranked it at number 21 in their list of the top 40 albums of 1996 . Eyre also noted that the album was also influential on Real World Records , helping " establish something of a tradition " for the label 's crossover projects , due to the " dreamy , atmospheric keyboards and guitars , simple , mid-tempo rhythms , and a kind of low-key understatement " to the album . In 1997 , Real World Records released a remix album of the duo 's work , '' Star Rise '' , which featured five tracks from '' Night Song '' and four tracks from '' Mustt Mustt '' remixed by several prominent dubtronica musicians . The remix of " Sweet Pain " from the album was released as a twelve-inch single by Virgin Records in 1997 to promote the album . Real World Records re-released '' Night Song '' with slightly modified artwork on 4 May 2015 as part of their " Real World Gold " series , a series which " peels back the years to revisit and re-evaluate some most inspirational and beautiful music from the archives " of Real World Records . " The label said that , " as the name suggests , it 's a programme of reissues that brings some of the key Real World releases back into the sunlight as many titles have been unavailable for a number of years . "
39th Annual Grammy Awards
39th Annual Grammy Awards
Night Song (Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan album)