Sami Yusuf - Barakah (2016)

The deeply spiritual vision of British singer/songwriter of Azeri roots Sami Yusuf is on fine display in this shimmering theological journey into Sufi musical traditions. A profoundly minimal affair, the album emphasises Yusuf’s gorgeous voice, presented solo or boosted by massed a cappella choirs, often with only cavernous echo for company, as on the lovely “Inna Fil Jannati” and dramatically soaring “Hamziyya”. Such sparseness only highlights Yusuf’s periodic and cautious use of instrumentation, which ranges from the ancient sounds of the Turkish tanbour on "Ben Yürürüm Yane Yane" to hints of traditional British folk on “Fiyyashiyya”.