18/02/2025
As always, a deeply precious experience to work with Gelareh and Brian and ZÖJ and with special guest Brett Langsford… coming to you very soon, get your preorder in!
NEW ALBUM ALERT:
GIVE WATER TO BIRDS – PRE-ORDERS OPEN NOW!
In September 2023, ZÖJ (Gelareh Pour & Brian O'Dwyer) spent four days at Hello Daydreamer Studios in Romsey on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country, surrounded by native bush, birds, and the breathtaking view of Mount Monument. We were there to record our second album while still in the process of launching our first (Fil o Fenjoon), because that’s just how we roll. Each album takes about two years to complete, and the initial recording is always the shortest part of the journey.
After three days of playing as a duo, we invited our dear friend and long-time favourite musician Brett Langsford to join us on guitar. Myles Mumford, with his golden ears, set up everything, including a microphone placed outside the shower window that, unknowingly to us at the time, captured the birds of Mount Monument as they sang alongside us.
What happened next was magic! No questions, no struggles, no doubts. And although this was our first time ever playing with Brett, it felt like we had been playing together for years. Brian’s visceral, deeply expressive drumming and Brett’s intuitive and seamless musicality locked together effortlessly, and gave my voice, Kamancheh and Qheychack a whole world to interact with. It was as if we had all been waiting for this moment to happen. The improvisations felt composed. The space between us disappeared.
Listening back, the birds became part of the conversation, and we knew instantly; this was the record.
The concept of "Give Water to Birds" was already unfolding without us realising it. The bird's songs, recorded in real time without being moved in post-production, wove into the music as if they were meant to be there all along. Later, we recorded additional layers in Black Hill on Wadawurrung Country, including Eshagh’s (my dad) voice. This record also carries the presence of Behnam (My brother), standing on Rostamrood Beach by the Caspian Sea, surrounded by street dogs.
Through the post-production process, the concept of parallel worlds became clear. The world we live in, and the one moving alongside us, in sync in ways we don’t always appreciate or even perceive. The way the birds played music with us without us hearing them at the time was shockingly beautiful. How were they so in sync with us? And how can we be so at one with them?
We love this record. It’s beautiful, raw, and dreamlike, capturing not just the sound of three musicians but the space, the land, and the unseen forces that connect them. If it's a different direction, then that direction is forward.
And finally, after years of work, I can now joyfully announce that this record is ready for you. Pre-orders for vinyl & CD are now open at gelarehpour.com, shipping in early June. We’ll be launching the album with Brett on a mini Australian tour in June & July 2025.
Released by Bleeemo Music in Australia & Parenthèses Records in Europe.
Thank you Alexis Courtin for your love and support.
Photo of 'the band' taken by Chris Riordan at Hello Daydreamer.
Recorded and mixed by Mules Mumford and mastered by Joe Talia.
Stay tuned for more news, but for now, pre-order your copy here: gelarehpour.com
Remember: “GIVE WATER TO BIRDS”
