Suns of Arqa, a world music outfit founded by Michael Wadada 40 years ago, boasts a sound that’s informed by dub, electronic music, and Indian classical. To date, more than 200 collaborators – everyone from Youth to John Leckie – have worked with the group.
SoA take a much deserved victory lap with the release of Heart of the Suns 1979-2019 (Interchill), a 13-track retrospective, out May 17.
We’re pleased to world premiere the video for the album’s opening track called “Gavati.”
Here’s director Brian Hyphen told us about the video:
“Often when you first hear a tune, it conjures up a vivid image that stays with you every other time you listen back to the same tune. I first heard ‘Gavati’ by Suns of Arqa in the early 1990s and was struck immediately by the sarangi intro, which instantly made me feel the warmth that you feel when sitting by a fireside staring into the fire, or sitting on a mountain watching a sunset. The bass and drums add a smoothness which I felt was best represented in black and white to contrast the vivid imagery of fire and the Sun. ‘Gavati’ remains one of my favorite Suns of Arqa works.”
Hit the play button below and enjoy.