Young Iranian Female Voices: Songs in the Mist

This is a result of ten young Iranian female singers having gone to record in Norway. Women singers performing in Iran in front of mixed audiences is prohibited, although the rule is not always implemented as strictly as it used to be. Norway's KKV label has a tradition of welcoming Iranian singers; Mahsa Vahdat records her tremendously successful albums with KKV too, and she was a mentor for those contributing here.

The artistic impact of this album surpasses politics; Songs in the Mist is a treasure trove of Iranian musical heritage. The various pieces are adopted from Iranian classical music and from such regional folkloric traditions as Kurdish and Azerbaijani, but there are several recent compositions too. In addition to regional instruments like the kamancheh (bowed lute), qanun (zither) and tar (long-necked lute), which the singers play themselves, they are joined by two Norwegian musicians, on drums and on bass.

It is always nice to see how delicately many young Iranian musicians make use of tradition, meanwhile inserting subtle innovations, and this album is another example. Following a common Iranian practice, song-texts are based on poetry by such classical Iranian names as Hafez and Saadi, but also on contemporary poetry, and on folklore. Despite the various sources and voices, the album works as a continuous suite, thanks to the unity in production – and perhaps the common cause of giving these voices a platform. It conveys a consistent emotional intensity across all of its tracks.