A Sufi and a Killer

Last updated
A Sufi and a Killer
A-Sufi-And-A-Killer.jpg
Studio album by
Gonjasufi
ReleasedMarch 8, 2010 (2010-03-08)
Genre
Length58:49
Label Warp
Producer
Gonjasufi chronology
A Sufi and a Killer
(2010)		 The Caliph's Tea Party
(2012)

A Sufi and a Killer is the debut studio album by Gonjasufi (Sumach Ecks). It was released by Warp on March 8, 2010. [1] The album was produced by Flying Lotus, The Gaslamp Killer, and Mainframe.

Contents

Ecks said of the album: "I didn't want it to be too easy for the listener. I wanted it to hurt a little bit. I wanted it to get into a spot in the head that hasn't been hit". [2] Of its title he said "The Sufi side of life has helped me with my killer side so I try not to attach myself to any label. There's a Sufi and a killer in everybody, man, and I'll be whatever I have to be just to make it through". [3]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.5/10 [4]
Metacritic 78/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Clash 7/10 [7]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
The Irish Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
MusicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Pitchfork 8.4/10 [12]
PopMatters 6/10 [13]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [15]

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, A Sufi and a Killer received an average score of 78 based on 16 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [5] At AnyDecentMusic?, which collates critical reviews from more than 50 media sources, the album scored 7.5 points out of 10, based on 18 reviews. [4]

The album garnered much positive critical coverage on its release. AllMusic's Jason Lymangrover gave the album four stars out of five, describing it as "weird, ‘60s-rooted, psychedelic hip-hop", sounding "like if J. Dilla produced George Clinton after visiting with the Dalai Lama, or if Dan the Automator recorded Cody Chesnutt after the two shared a plate of magic mushrooms", and calling it "truly visionary". [6] The BBC described it as "a stunning, genre-transcending record" and "a terrific, trippy adventure". [16] Drowned in Sound gave the album 7/10, describing Ecks' voice as "a hugely versatile instrument, every bit as unique and distinctive as that of Björk or Tom Waits", and calling the album "a fascinating glimpse of a character continually in transition". [2] The Guardian called it "one of the strangest and most eclectic records you'll hear all year", [3] and "an album that practically has a green smog drifting above it". [8] Clash gave it 7/10, stating "repeated plays reveal an irresistible talent". [7] PopMatters gave it 6/10, with reviewer David Amidon stating "I've listened to this album a lot just trying to make sense of it...and have walked away mostly pleased". [13]

A Sufi and a Killer ranked at number 41 on Tiny Mix Tapes ' "Favorite 50 Albums of 2010" list. [17] It ranked at number 14 on The Wire 's "2010 Rewind" list. [18]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Gonjasufi

No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Untitled (Bharatanatyam)" The Gaslamp Killer 0:55
2."Kobwebz"The Gaslamp Killer2:13
3."Ancestors" Flying Lotus 2:36
4."Sheep"The Gaslamp Killer4:03
5."She Gone"The Gaslamp Killer2:45
6."SuzieQ"The Gaslamp Killer1:44
7."Stardustin"The Gaslamp Killer1:04
8."Kowboyz&Indians"The Gaslamp Killer2:43
9."Change"The Gaslamp Killer2:04
10."Duet"The Gaslamp Killer3:06
11."Candylane"Mainframe2:07
12."Holidays"Mainframe3:57
13."Love of Reign"Mainframe2:39
14."Advice"Mainframe2:45
15."Klowds"The Gaslamp Killer3:28
16."Ageing"The Gaslamp Killer2:42
17."DedNd"The Gaslamp Killer3:38
18."I've Given"The Gaslamp Killer3:35
19."Made / Dobermins"The Gaslamp Killer10:45
Total length:58:49

Charts

Chart (2010)Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [19] 55
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [20] 98
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [21] 33

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References

  1. ↑ "Gonjasufi: A Sufi and a Killer". Warp. Archived from the original on March 23, 2010. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
  2. 1 2 Gibb, Tom (March 3, 2010). "Album Review: Gonjasufi – A Sufi and a Killer". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on March 30, 2010. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  3. 1 2 Meer, Malik (March 6, 2010). "Gonjasufi – the electro Hendrix". The Guardian . Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  4. 1 2 "A Sufi And A Killer by Gonjasufi reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Reviews for A Sufi And A Killer by Gonjasufi". Metacritic . Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Lymangrover, Jason. "A Sufi and a Killer – Gonjasufi". AllMusic . Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  7. 1 2 Annan, Nick (February 26, 2010). "Gonjasufi – A Sufi and a Killer". Clash . Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  8. 1 2 Dean, Will (March 4, 2010). "Gonjasufi: A Sufi and a Killer". The Guardian . Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  9. ↑ Carroll, Jim (March 12, 2010). "Gonjasufi". The Irish Times . Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Gonjasufi: A Sufi and a Killer". Mojo (197): 105. April 2010.
  11. ↑ Hogwood, Ben (March 8, 2010). "Gonjasufi – A Sufi And A Killer". MusicOMH . Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  12. ↑ Patrin, Nate (March 4, 2010). "Gonjasufi: A Sufi and a Killer". Pitchfork . Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  13. 1 2 Amidon, David (April 5, 2010). "Gonjasufi: A Sufi and a Killer". PopMatters . Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Gonjasufi: A Sufi and a Killer". Q (285): 111. April 2010.
  15. ↑ "Gonjasufi: A Sufi and a Killer". Uncut (155): 90. April 2010.
  16. ↑ Parkin, Chris (March 9, 2010). "Gonjasufi A Sufi and a Killer Review". BBC Music . Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  17. ↑ "2010: Favorite 50 Albums of 2010 (50–41)". Tiny Mix Tapes . December 17, 2010. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
  18. ↑ "2010 Rewind". The Wire . January 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Gonjasufi – A Sufi & A Killer" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Gonjasufi – A Sufi & A Killer" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
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