A Sufi and a Killer was Gonjasufi's debut. Sumach Ecks is an author, DJ and yoga instructor from LA who is produced by Flying Lotus, The Gaslamp Killer and Mainframe. Although the title of the album can mislead you who had the biggest influence on the record, I am going to fully deconstruct it for you.
When it comes to the album title, Ecks have revealed that Sufi side of his life (sufis are known for ascetic lifestyle) helped him with his "killer" side. There is Sufi and Killer in each of us and I will be whichever I have to be in order to survive in this world. From time to time, we listen to albums that are difficult to put in a box. Such a genre-less material is usually exciting and provoking in its nature. It does not allow conventional thinking and it also does not allow writing about conventional thinking.
Before Gonjasufi dropped his debut, we had a chance to hear him on Flying Lotus' track Testament. After almost two years of numerous personal problems that included the author's psychological turmoil, the album was completed. It reflected one life experience and its impact on Gonjasufi's soul. He moves from genre to genre without being lost in them. Matrixes change from soul and garage rock to funk and hip hop, but there is always his characteristic vocal that unites everything with expressive production.
I mean, that voice is a glue that makes soundscapes stick together. At the time of the album's release, Gonjasufi noted that he did not want to make a simple album that would be approachable for an average listener. It was made for avid music lovers. He also wanted to hurt the listeners, to hit them where no one else had hit them before. I think he succeeded. He forced me to keep his record on my playlist for several months, so...
