Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, electro-ambient, industrial-ambient.
Bands: Idlefon, Bicolor, Xerxes The Dark, Alphaxone, Hami Keivan, Idft, Tehransmission ao.
Content: We all know Iran from our history books, but we often forget this country also has a very active and interesting underground scene. Bands like Idlefon and Alphaxone became praised and successful names of the dark-ambient scene. This album sounds like a magic trip throughout the underground scene of Iran and more especially of its capital Tehran, where most of the bands are located.
This is a real diversified release revealing multiple intelligent sound treatments by bands like Alphaxone, Bicolor, Umchunga and Xsix, but also more experimental treatments from bands like Hossein RangChi and Idft plus industrial-inspired formations like Xerxes The Dark, Nyctalllz and Spectro Duo.
There also is more minimal-minded work by Elemaun revealing subtle treatments and the more into IDM-like Hami Keivan and Tehransmission.
+ + + : This compilation is not just dark-ambient music. It especially reveals an impressive sonic welfare of a country, which clearly seems to produce intelligent and passionate sound architects transposing ambient music into a real creative exposure. Next to a few familiar and established names I discovered several talented formations, which I hope will progressively found their way towards the West. I like this kind of conceptual release giving us an idea about the underground ambient-scene from one specific country!
– – – : A few bands can’t convince me, but it’s just a minority.
Conclusion: This is one of the most intelligent sampler concepts from the past few years, which made us also, discover unknown, but great bands.
Best bands: Alphaxone, Elemaun, Xsix, Hami Keivan, Tehransmission, Nyctalllz, Umchunga.
Rate: (8½).
Label: www.facebook.com/unexplainedsoundsgroup