Mahdyar Aghajani
Mahdyar Aghajani |
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Mahdyar Aghajani (Template:Lang-fa) is a musician, record producer and film composer born and raised in Tehran, Iran[1]. He brought up the standard of Iranian underground music, using Persian traditional instruments (such as oud, santoor, daf, tombak, ney, kamancheh and qanoon) in electronic and hip hop music[2].
In 2006 Hichkas released the first Iranian hip hop album Jangale Asfalt (The Asphalt Jungle). Mahdyar Aghajani, musician and producer of this album, integrated rap and Iranian traditional music in a creative way[3]. Mahdyar's production on Jangale Asfalt has nonetheless set a new benchmark in the evolution of rap-e-Fars, with tracks like ‘Vatan Parast’ (‘The Patriot’) serving as the perfect fusion of soaring Middle Eastern harmonies and pounding urban protest music[4].
After an interview with Nasim-E-Haraz magazine regarding the release of his first main stream album in 2006 with Hichkas, Mahdyar faced pressured from the Iranian government[5]. This was the most influential collaboration between Hichkas and Mahdyar and music they produced together was listened throughout Europe and Iran, so much so the government noticed the artists as a threat to the culture of Iran and had his named listed as a threat; despite use of traditional Iranian instruments and strong nationalistic lyrics[6][7].
This pressure resulted in Mahdyar leaving his family behind at tender age of 20 and fled to Berlin then to Paris where he currently resides [8]. Because he didn't leave the country by will, a place of his own was a luxury Mahdyar did not enjoy short while after his departure from Iran [9].
Although Iranian directors reportedly tend to hire older, long-established composers for their films, young Mahdyar Aghajani captivates Bahman Ghobadi with his fresh approach to music: "Mahdyar breaks everything and puts it back together in an experimental way. I tried to make music with the 'best composer' in Iran... But Mahdyar is so tajrobi. My music is like that--experimental."[10]
Soundtracks
Feature films
- 2009: No One Knows about Persian Cats, Soundtrack by Mahdyar, Directed by Bahman Ghobadi
- BBC "This is music from a brave and extraordinary musical movement"[11]
- 2010: Cultures of Resistance, Soundtrack by Mahdyar, Directed by Iara Lee
Short films
- 2009: The Prince of Persia, Soundtrack by Mahdyar, Directed by Daniel Jewel
- 2010: Ask the Wind, Soundtrack by Mahdyar, Directed by Batin Ghobadi
Musicals
- 2010: Le Plongeon, Composed by Mahdyar, Produced by Centre Pompidou
Music videos
- 2006: Ghamnaameh by Taham, Music by Mahdyar, Directed by Fred Khoshtinat
- 2007: Be Name Zan by Farinaz, Music by Mahdyar, Directed by Navid Tansaz
- 2008: Ye Mosht Sarbaz by Hichkas, Music by Mahdyar, Directed by Fred Khoshtinat
Production credits
2005
- Taham
- "Ghamnaameh (feat. Kaveh Ramezanzadeh)"
- Felakat
- "Ye Bare Dige (feat. Salome)"
- "Komak (feat. Yas)"
- 7Khat
- "Masti-o-Rasti"
2006
- "Har Tor Shode Migam (feat. Enzo)"
- "Manam Hamintor"
- "Moghaddame"
- "Dide o Del (feat. Reveal, Amin Fooladi and Bidad)"
- "Ekhtelaf"
- "Man Vaystadam"
- "Ghanoon"
- "Vatan Parast (feat. Reveal and Amin Fooladi)"
- "Oun Manam"
- "Bar Paa"
- "Zendan (featuring Reveal)"
- "Dide o Del (Remix) (feat. Reveal, Amin Fooladi and Bidad)"
- "Prince of Persia"
- "Migan Quf (feat. Hichkas)"
- "1001 Shab (feat. Eblis, Tataloo and Enzo)"
- "Aghajoon"
- Saaye
- "Donya Tanhayam (feat. Bidad)"
2007
- "Pa Bar Ja (feat. Bidad)"
- "Refaghat Tatile"
- "Bazam Kalan (feat. Pishro)"
- "Khiaboonia"
- "Saghi (feat. Bidad)"
- Namayande
- "Hezari (feat. Quf and Eshragh)"
- "Sar Bala (feat. Pishro)"
- "Kill 'em with a Pen (feat. 7Khat)"
- Pishro
- "Boro Jolo (feat. Hichkas)"
- 7Khat
- "Maaye Bede (faet. Hichkas and Makhmase)" (co-produced by 7Khat)
- Farinaz
- "Be Naame Zan"
2008
- "Ye Mosht Sarbaz"
- "Ahan Parast (feat. Pelas and Eshragh)"
2009
- "Jouwani"
- "Vagheytar az Mostanad"
- Arsham
- "Bardar Ghalbamo (feat. Fred)"
2010
- "Ye Rooze Khoob Miad"
- Only few month after the 2009–2010_Iranian_election_protests this title was released. The title was heavily hinting towards the unrest within the country; both the lyrics and a section where 'live' recordings of the protesters was reassuring such assumptions. So much so that it was amongst few songs mentioned on Mir-Hossein_Mousavi's (the opposition leader) official website.
- This song has become an instant hit, often blasting from cars on Tehran's busy streets in capital city Tehran[12]. It was the first song that instead of inviting people for further resistance, reassured its listeners that the result of the political unrest and street protests will come to a good end, even if it takes long time.
- "Basse Moftbari (feat. Bidad)"
See also
References
- ^ "Article: Teheran underground, la BO".
- ^ "Article: De Téhéran à Mashhad, le parcours du combattant de milliers de musiciens".
- ^ "Article: Rap in Iran".
- ^ "Article: The Prophets of the Protest".
- ^ "Mahdyar Aghjani: Nasim-E-Haraz".
- ^ "Article: Iran's underground music challenge".
- ^ "Article: Iran: Rap, blogs and the political mix".
- ^ "Interview: Mahdyar fled Iran".
- ^ "Interview: Bahman Ghobadi discussed about artists having to leave Iran".
- ^ "Interview: Bahman Ghobadi Eludes Censors".
- ^ "No-One Knows About Persian Cats – OST Review".
- ^ "Article: Iranian artists, musicians give voice to opposition amid censorship".