Soulful electric guitar-play and a shoulder-swaying, evocative but mellow groove – a nostalgic introduction, to a conceptual and eclectic project, from Iranian composer and musician Farbod Biglari.
The album Kabous (Nightmare) features nine original works, and blends aspects of jazz, folk, rock, ambient music, and Persian poetry. It’s intention is to explore themes of turmoil, memory, and existential reflection – perhaps even dread – and to represent these feelings as dreamlike musical states and cinematic soundscapes.
The opener, My Past, is musically as above, but also welcomes an expressive poetic vocal performance, and acoustic fingerpicking to counter the intensity of the solo. These characteristics run throughout the album, but no two moments are the same, and always the listener gets to attach their own memories and emotions to the embrace of the music.
Then for Say You’ll Come Back, the mild theatrics of the voice remain, and the acoustic tones, but we’re transcended into a light and dreamy contemplation – a certain mainstream delicacy that really takes hold during the adlibbed instrumental outro.
Currently based in Vancouver, Canada, Farbod Biglari is a talented musician and artist, studying jazz guitar specifically, at VCC, but unlimited by genre, and elevated by both skill and a clear awareness of his audience. This means that the music of Nightmare is always modest, always well-suited to the mood of each Persian poem, or the intentions of the story.
Café marks a fine example, a humble but alluring, haunting yet intimate aura, and never showing off – only utilising the most essential musical moments required to explore this theme and setting. And afterwards, the unplugged, acoustic warmth of Nightmare 1 is unexpectedly blissful – an ambient and captivating melody and set-up, presenting one of the most distinct tracks of the album.
In terms of that quality of letting the music and the associated space work their magic, Farbod Biglari consistently seems aware of the value of this. Where much of modern music feels the need to fill every moment with sound and noise and something attention grabbing, this project offers creativity and sound the time and space to breathe, and in doing so, offers its audience the same kind of serenity and intrigue.
Consider the delicacy and optimism of A Time To Rest – a simple, solo instrumental moment of blissful calm. And this is followed quite brilliantly by the haunting piano, echoing vocals and sentiments of Leap Year.
As we move into The Starting Line, piano and voice intertwine beautifully, for a hopeful live performance that’s perfectly captured. Then for Nightmare 2, acoustic guitar slides and softness re-centre things, transporting us back from the church-style acoustics to something much more fire-side-inspired.
And to finish, as modest but thoughtful as ever, Nightmare (Instrumental) lets the mind wander and the body calm, to wrap up a rather timeless and genuinely enjoyable collection of original works. Despite the darkness implied, there’s a comforting aspect to Nightmare, something likely to help relieve the weight of personal turmoil and emotional struggle for those who dive in.
Farbod’s fusion of genres and cultural traits is impressively subtle but compelling, and this album warmly encapsulates the authenticity, emotion, and ability of his approach.
Find Farbod Biglari on Bandcamp, Facebook, YouTube, Soundcloud, LinkedIn.
