Zelzeleh (Earthquake in Farsi) is a new duo consisting of two acclaimed musicians and scholars: the Iranian singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer Kamyar Arsani (Faraway Ghost), and the Indian percussionist and electronic music producer Ravish Momin (Sunken Cages). Their collaboration combines lyrics inspired by Persian poetry with street rhythms from Mumbai, India, layered over intricate electronic soundscapes. Arsani’s mastery of Persian classical modes (dastgahs) and his evocative vocals, occassionally reflecting his background as a punk singer, merge seamlessly with Momin’s polyrhythmic live-looping and electronic drumming. Together, they create a unique sound described as “Digital Sufi Music.” The duo is signed to Akuphone Records (France) and debuted their full-length album “Ashk Haye Moghevemat” in November 2024. “Ashk Haye Moghavemat”—Farsi for “Tears of Resilience”—combines the gravitas of traditional Persian vocals from Kamyar Arsani and the electroacoustic rhythms of Ravish Momin, in a tribute to interconnected struggles against oppression worldwide. Standing out is “Threnody for the Children”, a paean to the over 11,300 children killed by the Israeli military since last October, 30% of whom were younger than five.
Links: Website / Bandcamp / Instagram
Thymios Atzakas (aka THYMUS GLAND) is a musician, producer, and researcher, active in composition, Eastern musical traditions, free improvisation, and early music. Since 1996, he has performed internationally at festivals and venues across Europe, the Balkans, Asia, and North Africa. Since 2023, as THYMUS GLAND, he has been creating DJ sets and soundscapes based on his personal collection of ethnographic vinyl and analog electronics. He is a professor at the University of Macedonia’s Department of Music Science and Art, where he has been teaching since 2006. In recent years, he has focused on “Listening in Depth”, a practice-based method that explores the expansion of tonal perception through harmonic meditation and auditory awareness.He is a founding member of the international music community Music Village, held in Agios Lavrentios, Mount Pelion, and the artistic forum to avgo in Thessaloniki.
Links: StegiRadioShow / ErtechoRadioShow
