Barzin

Barzin emerged as the brainchild of Canadian-born vocalist, songwriter, and keyboardist Barzin Hosseini. For nearly ten years, Hosseini experimented with individual projects prior to launching the endeavor around 2000. The 2003 debut album, issued independently, drew instrumental support from keyboardist Walter Kofman, double bassist Brett Higgins, drummer Sam Cino, and pedal steel player Lewis Melville before receiving wider release through the Canadian independent label Where Are My Records. Its atmospheric character stemmed from a fusion of post-rock textures with acoustic instrumentation that yielded subtle melodies, while Hosseini’s understated vocals and sparse lyrics contributed an enigmatic quality.

The 2006 follow-up My Life In Rooms incorporated additional performers such as guitarist Tony Dekker of Great Lake Swimmers, Mike Findlay on guitar, Suzanne Hancock on drums, and string player Karen Graves. This release exceeded its predecessor in variety through the deployment of atypical instruments including French horn and vibraphone, generating a sweeping atmosphere reminiscent of Tindersticks and Mojave 3. The next year brought the mini-album Just More Drugs, which contained a rendition of the former group’s ‘Mistakes’ together with live recordings and the original track ‘Queen Jan’.