The Final Recordings, produced by American's ubiquitous Rick Rubin, is a double-disc set containing eight songs which total over two hours in length. Largely improvised, these qawwali pieces explore places that many of us have never heard the human voice go before. Set against the traditional backdrop of a pair of harmoniums, tablas and the voices of Nusrat's party, the melodies soar and drone, and the result is often mesmerizing. Some called Nusrat the greatest singer in the world, and while that's certainly open for debate, he did have a vocal gift that was remarkable.

Rahat, who can be heard quite clearly on The Final Recordings, carries the mantle of the master well on his eponymous U.S. debut. The timbre of voice is lighter than Nusrat's, and his range is more limited (which is like saying your nephew isn't quite the hitter Hank Aaron was). Still, he possesses remarkable technique, and is more prone to flashiness than was his uncle. Save for the obvious absence of Nusrat, the music is indistinguishable.

Qawwali is not for everyone; it's prompted more than a few jokes and wrinkled noses in this household lately. Still, if you've read this far, you're probably the type of person who listens when you hear something Asian or Middle Eastern on a tiny indie radio station. For you, consider either of these CDs an open invitation to broaden your horizons. Please note that, while each of these artists has many recordings from Pakistan available in the bargain rack, the sound quality is often marginal; the sound of these two CDs is superb. Brian Briscoe

For fans of: Peter Gabriel, Junior Kimbrough, the Dead Man Walking soundtrack