Drawing us in with a rising synth and intricate piano, with nuanced bell detailing, creating an almost question and answer format, Saeed Habibzadeh opens his album Lost Men with the song Menu, and a sense of elegance and intrigue. Needless to say, we are in awe.
The opening composition expands with a poetic piano melody which feels cinematic and emotive, a subversive melodic bassline draws us in further whilst enigmatic strings hypnotize us.
Next up is Opening Credits, which teases us with astral strings, church bells, a moody and bass crescendo with charming wind instruments and a cello performance that is simply magnificent. The journey that the composer takes us on is refined and masterful, creating a cohesive tapestry of sound with his magnetic and expansive narrative-based universe.
Meeting of the Mafia Bosses opens with a luscious strings arrangement creating a sense of anticipation, in line with the name of the track, and bringing to life the dramatic universe that Saeed Habibzadeh creates.
We then experience, Falling in Love, which establishes the mood with a subltle piano arpeggio, and the overarching architecture of a transcendental strings performance. Naturally, the wind instruments create a more romantic energy, although there is a sense of drama attached to the composition with the rising cello and enigmatic finale of the opus.
The First Kiss takes us on a more intimate journey with orchestral drama and a magnificently evocative vibe, whilst Dreams of Two features ripping melodies, delivering a more celestial embrace as we are intertwined with the composer in the continuation of his romantic adventure.
It’s truly the timeless mastery that Saeed Habibzadeh demonstrates with his artistry that has us hooked on Lost Men. We learn that the visionary creator is film and classical composer as well as music producer.
Lost Men is intended for a mafia film with an intense love story, and achieves just that! Baptism is next and features an immersive organ, taking us to church before further drama ensues in Killer in the Night, which features a moody bass, melancholic strings and cymbal risers, which all add to the dimensionality of the piece, and the eventual build up towards Contract Killing which clearly sees the thought process behind the deed that is set to take place as the track builds with mystery!
Prayer in the Church delivers a mediative experience with the organ, whilst Last Hope showcases cosmic strings and blissful keys as we try and connect with source for a sense of salvation.
Assassination sees the drama ensue with textured drums and a full orchestral energy, tinged with sadness and melancholia as we feel the pain and suffering from the assassination itself, before an enigmatic guitar sends the victim to the astral realm.
Funeral is an emotive moment which give us the opportunity to bid farewell and connect deeper with our own emotions, amidst a luscious and evocative strings arrangement.
We then experience two tracks, which are designed to be “touching, sad love songs”, sung and co-written by Susann Offenmüller. First is Wait for me at home, which opens with a beautiful guitar energy, before Susann sings, “Shadows fallin’ down, I think I may have touched aground…”
We appreciate her timbre and poetic prowess that the star exhibits. Glistening nuances add a transcendental energy as Susann Offenmüller shares her soul, epic range, and timeless emotion. The finale of the 10-minute opus takes us on an expansive, emotional voyage of instrumental intricacy and mourning that we have come to deeply connect with over the course of the album.
Finally, Nightfall, which also features Susann Offenmüller, offers closure to the high concept record with familiar melodies, bringing us full circle. Susann sings, “When the night falls, I can see you again… When shadows are gone, when the night falls, I can feel you again…” as we come to terms with the wider experience of Lost Men, which Saeed confesses is dedicated to “all the men and women suffering from fighting, violence and war all over the world.”
According to the visionary creator, the finale songs are designed to remind us of “the bereaved women who can only visit their husbands in cemetery. They sing their longing to the stars, to another world where they can see their love again and live together forever.”
We love what Saeed Habibzadeh is creating, and have added Wait for me at home to our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we continue to immerse ourselves in the entire record and re-live the narrative of the opus!