Saba Alizadeh is a sound artist, instrumentalist, and composer based in Tehran. In light of the ongoing bombings there, I pray for his safety and for all those suffering from violence around the world. Saba is a virtuoso on the kamancheh, a traditional Persian spike fiddle. The only person I have had Continue Reading
Iran
Laibach – Alamut
This is the Laibach I grew up loving, taking a very different and radical direction in each new album. The industrial music lounge act was growing irritating, but it might have been because the band needed time to come up with brilliant ideas after dipping into the sonic well way Continue Reading
Hossein Alizadeh (حسین علیزاده) – Classical Music From Iran – Great Masters of the Setar
I will be traveling back to the United States for about 15 days, so I will not be posting much either today or tomorrow. I leave you with a video of the magnificent setar master Hossein Alizadeh from Iran to keep your spirits up. It’s helped mine, for sure.
Shahin Souri – Liminal Space
Respect to Midira Records for publishing this work by Tehran-based composer Shahin Souri. It is a most elegant take on ambient music. There should be a better term for this, as the genre’s name is so badly abused these days, and this seems to transcend it.
Bahareh Fayazi & Asareh Shek – Nasim-e Sahar
From the Little Axe Bandcamp site: “Nasim-e Sahar (The Breath of the Dawn) by Asareh Shekarchi (on tombak and āvāz), and Bahareh Fayazi (on tar) is a reinterpretation of works by master Iranian singer Reza-Qoli Mirza Zelli (1906 – 1946). This recording features a variety of modal divisions of Iranian Continue Reading
Alphaxone – Dark Complex II
Alphaxone are a Tehran-based project who put out profoundly deep and lush dark ambient music.
MOREGO – Fascination
Despite being in a very tough neighborhood, Iran’s new music scene is as healthy as ever, and thanks to Bandcamp, Soundcloud and social media in general, the wider world is finding out about what kind of talent is residing in the country. Take our friend MOREGO, who produce an IDM-inflected Continue Reading
Hadi Bastani and Maryam Sirvan – trans.placed
It’s wonderful to hear one of my favorite sound designers, Maryam Sirvan come up with new material. She is paired with fellow expatriate Hadi Bastani in this 20-minute mini-LP of electroacoustics and field recordings. From the release’s Bandcamp site: “Stretching from Berlin to Tbilisi, trans.placed starts with the simple act Continue Reading
Badieh – Badieh
This is quite a pairing. Badieh consist of Spaniard Michel Gasco, who plays oud and rebab, pairs with Iranian musician Mohammed Miragharzadeh on tar and setar. From Badieh’s Bandcamp site: “Worlds Within Worlds is proud to announce the release of Badieh’s self-titled debut album – a collection of mystifying folk Continue Reading
Various Artists – Ten Songs from Houshang Ebtehaj
Iranian poet and balladeer Hushang Ebtehaj passed away on August 10, 2022, but left an incredibly rich body of work. This compilation, released by Tehran-based record label Khosousi, brings together Ebtehaj’s best interpreters, such as Mohammad Reza Sharjarian and his son Homayoun,as well as Alireza Eftekhari, Hossein Ghavami, Mohammad Motamedi Continue Reading