Tehran Contemporary Sounds presents the second volume of its collections that include the best of the Iranian electronic scene, both in Iran and abroad. As is unfortunately well known, Iran is a theocratic republic, and has very strict laws on customs and the freedom to create and express oneself is not optimal, but thanks to records like this one can hear the beauty and message of Iranian electronica.
Iran has an incredible cultural richness, thousands of years of history and cultures that give it an original, special and privileged look. Listening to this second volume, after the excellent impression of the first, one travels through many genres and musical situations, all in the name of variety and high quality. It is precisely diversity and quality that are the two cornerstones of this collection, which also exhibits a very adequate and well-kept production.
Cinna Peyghamy, Ava Rasti, Mehrnaz Khorrami, Tar-xun, Milad Ahmadi, Hadi Bastani, Farzane, Behrooz Moosavi, Roody, Sciahri and Temp-Illusion are the eleven musicians and producers featured in the collection, and each one brings something remarkable and special. The pieces are by no means derivative but give us a new angle on Persian electronica, which appeals for its depth and rhythm. We move from ambient to breakbeat, from beats to power electronics, and each track ties into the other in a remarkable continuum, so much so that it could be listened to as a single track.
Compared to other collections, this one really illustrates something remarkable and contemporary, something that is moving not only in Iran, but also in many other countries where our prejudices make us think that electronica is backward or imitating us.
Instead, in and outside of Iran, there are Iranians or people of Iranian origin who make excellent music and take it around the world, bringing with them, and especially with their music, a piece of their beautiful country, and electronics plays a special role in this, and this collection demonstrates this very well in the best way, with music, a very powerful medium.
