Establishing the mood with an industrial drone energy, dimensional and haunting, Jaan opens Baghali with a track titled Scented Feathers. Although cerebral, there is a meditative quality to the album opener, expanding with luscious and melodic guitar details. The opus invites us to ascend beyond the darkness and channel a lighter and more introspective vibe.
This leads us to Purple Watermelon which opens with an inventive tabla soundscape with the unique use of water and other unconventional sounds reminiscent of composer A. R. Rahman and percussionist Sivamani‘s composition for Taal. The song’s rhythmic complexity and fusion of natural water and traditional toms are its defining features. This evolves with an astral flute, inviting us to connect with the universe with a brief vocal ad-lib, concluding with an immersive, cosmic synth that further cements the high spiritual quotient of the record.
Feverish Heights taps into an elusive and mysterious synthscape which feels almost like we are tripping into another dimension. There are nuances of psychedelia and celestial glitch details that feel akin to a DMT experience. We appreciate the emergence of the drone energy that manifests – reminding us of the juxtaposition of the darkness and the light of our shared reality.
The Lust Greens Of This Restless Mind holds a lighter energy with astral notes and textured percussive elements, evolving with syncopated notions to manifest a cohesive tapestry of sound that is enticing and simultaneously cinematic. The dimensionality that Jaan has to offer truly comes to life here. We appreciate the intentional depth of the piece, and the almost post-jazz performance that feels dystopian, yet inviting. The beeps and textured percussion add drama before a natural closure featuring the element of water.
Waves then lead us to The Girl Is A Lady which feels melodic once again, bringing to life a middle Eastern meets alt-Americana guitar twang with bustling crowd noise. This feels grounding and the most human experience on the record thus far, as if we are in the streets of Cairo or India. Again, the cinematic allure offers an energy that makes the track perfect for a range of sync deals. The entire album feels like a movie in many ways. Crashing waves conclude the composition.
Mashid opens with percussion and melody intertwined. It is minimalist, and expands with reverberating notions – almost like a Sevdaliza track. The alchemical and avant-garde energy of Jaan truly shines through here. The track evolves with almost jarring frequencies, but gives us respite in line with the title of the track. It ends with an expansive frequency, akin to a cosmic ascension. We appreciate this elevation.
Next up is Pomegranate Garden, opening with drone sounds and radio static before an Eastern melody taps into more existential themes. We are reminded that the spiritual essence of the pomegranate represents the dualistic cycle of life, death and rebirth, encompassing themes of abundance, fertility, and the mysteries of the underworld. This transpires fully here and feels like a scene from Interview with the Vampire. The track closes with a more meditative energy and subtle bird sounds.
Static again opens Fragments of Home which feels syncopated and yet organically human but with machine elements. Themes of transhumanism come to life, but also a hospital setting – almost cathartic and healing – like a sustained heartbeat and oscillating mechanics. There is chaos at play here. Are we human or machine or both?
This Is The Year echoes notions of Purple Watermelon, but also cohesively showcases that this album is indeed a full circle journey. There is psychedelic dimensionality at play here, and the most brooding and drone-driven track on the album is what eventually emerges. The message feels zeitgeist, showcasing the darkness versus the brighter bell textures as the track closes.
This brings us to the concluding track, Velesh Kon which actually boasts the most organic and melodic guitar performance of the record, laced with high octane and cerebral percussion elements. We are enthralled by the intrigue and the cinematic allure that manifests. It could be the riff from a Lana Del Rey track, but the percussion is truly an avant-garde experience. It is also the longest track on the album, cinematic in its design, and moving with a high emotional quotient. We appreciate the depth and notions of longing, but also the candid melancholia that transpires. The final moments showcase a female vocal – delicate and atmospheric, and leaving us yearning for more.
Jaan is a deliberately anonymous, one-person collective rooted in DIY aesthetics and poetic cosmic soundscapes. The project is led by veteran experimental sonic alchemist Jaan. They move between Greenland, the Middle East, and Europe, collaborating with associates Lisqa, Mashid, and Schneorr N. to explore the boundaries of “discreet music” and experimental ambience reminiscent of Cat People and Brian Eno.
Rejecting internet overexposure in favour of mystery and deep archival digging, Jaan focuses solely on the music – whether live or recorded. Baghali marks their debut for World of Echo, and is a deeply personal, collage-like album compiled over a year of travel, filled with field recordings, diary fragments, and improvised sessions born from snowstorms, deserts, and derelict spaces. Blending home-made instruments, broken synths, reeds, tape loops, and fractured rhythms, Baghali is designed to evoke nostalgia, displacement, and fleeting hope in a living, breathing tapestry of sound – it has been released digitally and on limited-edition vinyl with just 300 copies.