Ustad Noor Bakhsh hails from the area around Pasni in Balochistan, a region in the border region of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. He is a maestro of the Balochi benju – a type of zither with keys – that he has been playing since he was a child. In the region, Noor Bakhsh has long been known as a legendary instrumentalist but he only gained more international attention after his recent recordings and videos, including the first ever Boiler Room session from out of Pakistan and his concert in Berlin.

Noor Bakhsh plays an electric benju. His sound is obtained by means of an old pick-up and a small Phillips amplifier that he bought 20 years ago in Karachi. He carries with him the legacy of his teachers and sources of inspiration such as Bilawal Belgium and Misri Khan Jamali and his masterful performance is deeply rooted in Balochi musical forms, but his music is also influenced by traditions far further afield. For instance, he enriches things with his knowledge of South Asian Raags – a melodic framework for improvising in Indian classical music – that he performs in an experimental style.

His repertoire includes Persian and Kurdish tunes that were probably floating around in his country before the modern borders of Iran and Pakistan were even defined. Of course, he also interprets popular folk melodies in all the major languages spoken in Pakistan. His Sindhi repertoire reflects a wonderful conversation between the neighbouring musical cultures of Sindh and Balochistan. Unsurprisingly, Noor Baksh plays various Bollywood tracks too.

Debut album Jingul – previously released digitally – will be out in September on Britain’s Hive Mind Records. For listeners unfamiliar with Balochi music, the tone and melodic ornamentation of the electric benju may remind one of the style of Ali Farka Toure. The groovy polyrhythms – typical for music from the region – are infectious for the dancing feet.