NIYAZ draws on Attar’s 12th-century poetry for new album ‘SEVEN REALMS OF ATTAR’

NIYAZ have released their new studio album ‘SEVEN REALMS OF ATTAR’, a seven-track record inspired by the 12th-century Sufi poem ‘Conference of the Birds’ by Persian poet Attar.

The album forms the musical centre of NIYAZ’s theatrical production of the same name. Founded in 2004 by Iranian-born, India-raised vocalist and composer Azam Ali and Iranian multi-instrumentalist and composer Loga R. Torkian, NIYAZ has long worked across electronic music and the musical traditions of the Middle East. Across its seven realms, the record follows a spiritual journey through longing, loss, surrender, awakening and transcendence.

‘SEVEN REALMS OF ATTAR’ draws on NIYAZ’s longstanding approach to Persian and Turkish musical traditions, bringing ancient modes, acoustic instrumentation, voice and poetry together with contemporary electro-acoustic composition and sound design. Each composition corresponds to a different realm within the narrative, allowing the album to function both as the foundation of the stage production and as a standalone body of work.

The release comes with a selection of merchandise, including a NIYAZ t-shirt, Seven Realms of Attar design t-shirt, Seven Realms mandala t-shirt, One Humanity t-shirt, limited-edition poster and handwritten lyric sheet by Azam Ali, as well as limited-edition CD and vinyl formats.

The duo conceived the album against a contemporary backdrop of conflict, displacement and social division, using Attar’s centuries-old narrative to explore ideas around shared humanity, freedom and spiritual awakening.

Check out the duo’s latest album below.