Coup of Gods

Yet again risking imprisonment in his native Iran for releasing this album, Mehdi Rajabian’s latest effort showcases Persian tonalities, a global approach to instrumentation and, critically, female vocals (heaven forfend). Among the many things that might be considered transgressive by the Islamic regime – with Ayatollah Khomeini calling music “no different from opium” – it seems that the thing they are most worried about is women singing.

Well there’s plenty of it on this album and it’s pretty strong stuff too. Over the top of a velvety pad provided by the strings of the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra, American Lizzy O’Very gives some eye-wateringly high wordless vocalisations accompanied by instrumental solos from, among others, sarangi (Indian bowed instrument), duduk (Armenian double-reed instrument) and a yaybahar – an innovative new instrument created by Görkem Šen (check it out, it’s crazy). O’Very’s singing is both powerful and ethereal – mimicking Iranian stylistics and blending with the top end of the solo violin so well it is often hard to tell where one begins and the other ends. With anguished titles such as ‘Whip on a Lifeless Body’ this music conveys experiences like Rajabian’s previous imprisonment and hunger strike aptly.