- This all-Iranian compilation is a raw and enticing display of dystopian electronics, disrupting stereotypes and highlighting the creativity of the Iranian diaspora.
- Shaytoon Records champions artists of Iranian heritage in an effort to showcase the breadth of creativity of this massive diaspora group. Started in late 2020 by Sepehr—a Bay Area-turned-New York resident and Dark Entries affiliate—the young platform has become a compendium of slamming electro, techno and propulsive breakbeats. Its releases channel both the grit and euphoria of '90s warehouse raves with swirls of dizzying synth and dense rhythm sections, flitting between dark and light.
This latest offering expands Shaytoon's purview beyond the dance floor. Leaning towards the experimental and the ominous, Sounds From The Iranian Ultraverse delves into noise, ambient, techno and other kinds of music with sludgy bass weight. There's no particular concept or theme underpinning the LP, but the rhythmic intensity brings to mind dystopian visions, evoking scenes of a city in ruins—though not necessarily in a gloomy way. The best analogy is In Case Of Emergency, a 2021 novel by Iranian author Mahsa Mohebali that tells the story of an opium addict in Tehran looking to get her fix as the city falls apart amid disastrous earthquakes. Like the book, the compilation paints a picture of upheaval through murky soundscapes, but it focuses more on the sensual elements of discovery, self-indulgence and surrealism than despair.
On the atmospheric side, Aria Rostami’s "Birth In The Garden Triptych" is a noisy ambient odyssey on the brink of chaos, replete with suspenseful synths, heavy drone and muffled crackles. Adding to the drama is Temp Illusion's "Lethal Corrosion," which incorporates glitch and digital distortion for a cyborg-like feel. The industrial-inspired "Lustre Ware" from Saint Abdullah, meanwhile, could be the product of an acid-induced haze with shrill woodwinds and doomy beats that nod to the late Muslimgauze. Milad Ahmadi's "Sick On Me" builds on this foggy texture with warped vocals and a slo-mo that lends the short track a ghostly vibe.
Jolts of thrilling dance music balance the more out-there tracks. Voiski's "Nouvelle Vague" is foreboding minimal techno that also feels sleek and futuristic, while Sepehr's bouncy blend of 2-step and swampy bass on "Diaspora Simulacra" is a potential peak-time hit. It transforms all the tension that came before into pure catharsis. Kasra V channels The Prodigy on "Thousand Year Dream, while Panorama Bar resident Paramida opts for a more psychedelic route with a foundation of floaty house music and playful Japanese vocals that exude cheer.
Shaytoons cultural focus is commendable, since there is so little infrastructure specifically for Iranian artists (read more on this in RA's 2018 feature on Tehran's scene). As more festivals and record labels now focus on Black, pan-Asian and Latin American acts, Sepehr has built his own platform to support the relatively unsung Iranian diaspora. Four releases on—especially with Sounds Of The Iranian Ultraverse—he makes it clear how the country and its global diaspora is a wealth of talent full of different perspectives.
"Iranians (and Middle Eastern artists) are usually at the fringes of contemporary underground music, a friend-of-a-friend or not even considered at all when it comes to lineups or popular records," Sepehr told RA. "Part of this comes from the fact that a lot of us come from immigrants/generational trauma/places where art is not as freely circulated as in Western cultures." By placing Iranian artists at the forefront of his label, Sepehr shows the world that they deserve to be in the spotlight as much as everyone else.
Tracklist01. Aria Rostami - Birth In The Garden Triptych
02. Saint Abdullah - Lustre Ware
03. Voiski - Nouvelle Vague
04. Sepehr - Diaspora Simulacra
05. Kasra V - Thousand Year Dream
06. Paramida - Konbanwa (Ibiza Mix)
07. Maral - Lorestan Reggae (عشق edit)
08. Milad Ahamdi - Sick On Me
09. Temp Illusion - Lethal Corrosion
10. Xeen - Unite