GOUSH BEDEY.

dereksmusicblog ♦ September 29, 2013 ♦ Leave a comment

GOUSH BEDEY.

Following the Iranian Revolution of 1979, music almost overnight, became illegal. No longer were concerts held, sheet music printed or albums released. Suddenly, Iran’s vibrant and eclectic music went into hibernation. Musicians headed overseas. They became exiles. There was no point living in a country where they were persecuted and banned from making a living. So they headed overseas. Those that were left behind couldn’t believe what was happening. 

For those left behind, they watched helplessly as musical instruments, sheet music and even records were destroyed. The only music allowed, was Islamic music. So no longer were Iranian musicians able to play the music they loved. That included everything from soul and jazz, right through to funk, psychedelia and pop. Iranian music before the revolution was eclectic. Proof of this is Goush Bedey, which is the fifth release in Pharaway Sounds’ series of pre-Revolutionary Iranian music. Funk, psychedelia and pop can be found on Goush Bedey, a sixteen track compilation, which I’ll pick the highlights of.

My first choice is Soli’s Sadaf, which opens Goush Bedey. Joyous, funky and driven along by blazing horns, a myriad of percussion and a funky bass joins a cascading, emotive flute. Bursts of dramatic drums signal the arrival of Soli’s impassioned vocal as he revisits what seemingly was familiar theme of pre-Revolutionary Iranian music. That theme, is that pearls were the result of oysters swallowing raindrops. Full of imagery, slightly surreal and hugely evocative, the result is joyful and psychedelic musical journey.

Straight away, you realize Shoreh’s To Ke Nisti is more than a little special. Released in 1977, it featured on her Dokhtare Mashreghi album. Quivering strings sweep and swirl, joining stabs of rasping horns and what sounds like the rhythm section from a seventies Blaxploitation move. It’s as if John Shaft has been transported to Tehran. Add to the a flute that dances alongside the strings. Then there’s Shoreh’s vocal. It reflects, and adds to, the drama of this funky opus.

Shahrokh has featured on previous installments of Pharaway Sounds’ series of pre-Revolutionary Iranian music. His contribution is the title-track Goush Bedey. Like so many of the sixteen tracks on Goush Bedey, it’s a track full of surprises and subtleties. There’s a real Eastern sound that’s evocative. It paints pictures and instantly, your transported back to seventies Iran. As the bass, acoustic frame drum and flute combine, strings slowly, sweep and swirl. Then there’s Shahrokh’s vocal. It’s best described as soul-baring and laden with emotion. No wonder he’s such a favorite of Pharaway Sounds’ compilers.

Shohreh’s To Bemoon explodes into life. It’s a track that sounds as if it should be the soundtrack to a car chase in a Blaxploitation movie. The drums and horns are at the heart of the track’s success. They feed off each other. So to some extent, do the woodwind. Then there’s the female vocal, it’s delivered with an urgency, as funk, Afro-beat and soul unite to create a hidden funky gem.

Crooner. That’s one way to describe Sattar on Bot Shekkan. He sounds like an Iranian Tony Bennett or Andy Williams. It’s as if he’s been overwhelmed by the emotion. There’s a reason for this. The song’s lyrics celebrate an important period in Islamic history. That was when Mahmud of Ghazni was crowned the first Sultan of the Ghaznavid Empire. Cinematic strings shiver and shimmer, while the bass meanders along. Filling the gaps is Sattar’s vocal. It’s full of heartfelt and emotive, breathing life and meaning into the lyrics on a track where M.O.R. and pop unite.

The best way to describe Azita’s Bi To is a fusion of disco and Latin. As rasping horns and percussion provides a Latin twist, hissing hi-hat adds a disco influence.  One thing’s missing though. That’s the disco strings. No worries. Azita’s found a replacement. This is what sounds like Hungarian fiddles. Their evocative sound result in an infectiously catchy, genre melting track.

Mahasti is one of just two artists to feature twice on Goush Bedey. No wonder. She’s a hugely talented singer, who brings songs to life. Her two contributions are Aziz-E Rafteh and Delah Tangeh. Thet showcase the ethereal beauty of Mahasti’s vocal. That’s the only similarity between the two tracks. Aziz-E Rafteh is reminiscent of sixties French pop. It’s the swathes of sweeping strings and acoustic guitar that lead to the comparison. As for Mahasti’s vocal, it’s impassioned and heartfelt. The other track, Delah Tangeh has an understated and compelling introduction. Gradually, it unfolds. Strings cascade while the drums provide the heartbeat. Having set the scene for Mahasti’s vocal, she lays bare her soul for all to see and hear.

Nooshafarin’s Gharibeha is my final choice from Goush Bedey. From it’s jaunty introduction, where the muted trumpet and strings skip confidently along, you’re hooked. Their carefree sounds is joined by Nooshafarin’s vocal. The only way to describe it is ethereal and heartfelt. Throughout the track, strings are dropped in at just the right moment. Meandering along is the bass line. Just like the other instruments, it plays its part in this track’s success and beauty.

Goush Bedey is a truly eclectic compilation of hidden gems, rarities and forgotten musical nuggets. Although this is the fifth installment in this series of pre-Revolutionary Iranian music, there’s no sign of the series running out of steam. Far from it. Pharaway Sounds have surpassed their previous efforts on Goush Bedey. 

To do that, they’ve combine jazz, funk, soul, classical, folk, pop, psychedelia and rock. All this is thrown into the musical melting pot. What comes out is a mesmeric fusion that captivates and compels. You’re taken on a musical journey, one that veers between, ethereal, emotive, surreal and trippy, to beautiful, understated and melancholy. One thing the music never is, is boring. Not at all. Subtleties and surprises are sprung. On Goush Bedey, there’s many a change of direction. This is the musical equivalent of a handbrake turn. That’s what makes Goush Bedey such a captivating and refreshing compilation. 

There’s a  reason I refer to Goush Bedey as a refreshing compilation. That is, because Pharaway Sounds eschew the safe and sterile music that can be found other compilations. That’s no bad thing. Far from it. Instead, they take a different approach. They’re brave and bold, and seem determined to give the compilation world a shakeup. To do this, they’ve managed to lay their hands on tracks other record companies can only dream of. Many of these hidden gems and musical nuggest feature on Goush Bedey, which not only is crammed full of quality music, but surpasses the quality of Pharaway Sounds’ previous compilations of pre-Revolutionary Iranian music. Standout Tracks: Soli Sadaf, Sattar Bot Shekkan, Mahasti Delah Tangeh and Nooshafarin Gharibeha.

GOUSH BEDEY.