Navid & Omid- “Kolli Sefaaresh”

Navid & Omid Productions
2009 (1388)

Navid and Omid are back with their follow up to the successful debut “Faryaad”. In the new album entitled “Kolli Sefaaresh”, the brothers have continued their elaborate collaboration with Alex Abedi. For the rest of contributions stand Taraneh Mokarram, Nahid Mirbaha, Purya Rabiee, Alireza Gharaeemasnesh, Erfan Salimi, Halil Akin and Nooshin. The album features ten tracks and is released on Navid & Omid Productions, distributed by Century Records.

The album opens with an intro featuring Ramin Zamani as the ringmaster. Ramin’s voice has in recent years been featured on various ads and commercials for albums both from the domestic industry (unless the voice I’ve heard is very similar to his, much like Nami’s when he recites) and LA-products. Ironically his vocal presentation is nowadays heard more often than his musical creations! Considering the bombastic album cover I wish the guys had done a more elaborate and dramatic intro for the album, it certainly would go well with such a collection!  

A EURO-Reggaeton song called “Bezaar Begam” kicks off. This song shows that the bros’ vocals, mainly Omid’s voice to be specific fits the genre perfectly. We have all been proved of Navid’s video-directorial talent and skills by now and the part with the ZORRO costume puts a comic twist to it all and provides that part of the lyrics with exactly the kind of self-distance it really needs to be delivered adequately! Well done! 

It’s followed up by a rather generic Mansour-ian type of sing-along 6/8 song called “Che Eshkaali Daare”. Most likely created with a commercial intention, it’s the closest thing this album has got to the LA-sound! Not really the most innovative track on the album, however being just one it serves the variety very well.

Next is a smooth and sleek RnB track which I admittedly was a bit disappointed over, at first! Mainly because of the chorus which looped and didn’t lift! And you know how I normally feel about this, especially when the rest of the song is flawless. However I kept listening to it and eventually it grew on me, getting me past that detail! Nevertheless it’s one of my favorite songs on the album. By the way, when you listen to the words of the song you can clearly hear that this has been written by a woman! It has namely feminine attributes, like the line “…ba mozhehaam shoone konam”! It indicates that the writer has used herself as a point of departure and reference. It also gives an authenticity to her work which professional lyricists often lack as a result of custom-manufacturing lyrics for unisex and modular commercial purposes! I always try to listen to the songs before reading the credits, just to avoid being affected by it in my perception and experience (unless the creators have already been announced in media) and when it comes to this piece my guess was that it was by a woman and not Taraneh Mokarram whose lyrics otherwise are found on this album. Since it’s too personal and less commercial! And calculatedly I was right!

“Vaase Khaatere Khodam” is another one of my favorites. The RnB jam has in its beginning influences from Timberlake/Neptunes’ “Like I Love You”, both when it comes to the song and its video! This is a well-produced specimen of the style and quality which distinguishes the brothers’ music. There is a dreamy Electro-POP sequence a la French AIR at the end of the song, as an epilogue. Being also a fan of that genre makes me wish we had a full-length version as an alternative on the album. My suggestion to the boys is to enrich their music with this flavor, I think it will fit perfectly towards the end of their album as an addition to CLUB remixes. 

Followed up by an energetic and rocking POWER POP song with a RETRO feeling, yet progressive approach! “Aay Dokhtare” is the kind of 6/8 jam which should be produced more of in the LA industry. One of my personal favorites, loaded with flavors of the spring! I am not sure if Nooshin who has written the lyrics is the same Nooshin we have heard Alex Abedi being working with (read more in my blog), but that is also a project to look forward to!

Reminiscent of Sisqo’s “Thong Song” and DARK CHILD alias Rodney Jerkins’ productions, like Brandy and Monica’s “That Boy is Mine”, “Boro” is trilingual by incorporating and delivering Persian, English and German lyrics perfectly. As I have said before I love multilingual songs of such kind. This reflects the young and vibrant Iranian generation growing up across the global with an international compatibility! Another great RnB jam on the album.

Another genre added to the collection is ETHNO-POP with a distinct GREEK flavor. “Gozaashti Rafti” is a nice track, however a bit too hectic for its own good, in my opinion.

“Age Begi Dooset Daaram” is the official ballad of the album, a well-made ballad bordering to be a POWER BALLAD. But not quite, since the typical drums never flip the song at the bridge! Nevertheless it’s a beautiful and balancing ballad. There is a short but distinct TRIPHOP segment in this ballad, which in my opinion bears to be further explored in full-lengths! The brothers’ vocals are suitable carriers for such mellow styles.

The album wraps up with a nice CLUB REMIX of the previous album’s “Saayeye Eshgh”. To remind again guys, do consider other kinds of remixes and versions on your albums! I know you can do this!

I ranked Navid and Omid as the most promising new act of 2007 and highly acclaimed their debut album. Therefore I am extremely pleased to be able to say that I was right! “Kolli Sefaaresh” is yet another solid installment in the steady progress these young brothers and their creative companion Alex Abedi continue making. What keeps pleasing me even more is the fact that they keep preserving the European flavor in their work and keep the LA-influence down to a minimum. As a fellow Euro-Iranian I’m truly proud! Speaking of Euro-Iranian, a while ago I reviewed another Europe-based brothers’ album, namely Shahram and Shahrouz, arguing that the production didn’t manage to mask their weaknesses in favor of their strengths. In Navid and Omid’s case the boys and Alex Abedi have managed to accomplish that perfectly! The brothers’ vocal tones distinguish their performance, however their range is naturally narrow and the music is tailor-made to fit the voices like a glove. To flatter by emphasizing the better! A combination of self-awareness and skills, proving that the creative trio complete each other.

“Kolli Sefaaresh” is a chic and sleek collection which keeps walking on the same eclectic path that Afshin somehow abandoned in his latest album! It delivers a variety of compatible genres and styles with an appreciated focus on the recommended Rhythm & Blues of the previous album, namely Navid and Omid’s forte.

Note: thanks to Navid and Omid for submitting the album.

Overall Performance: ++
Artistic Ambition: +++
Commercial Potential: ++
Technical Quality: ++
Aesthetic Presentation: +++
Ethical Adherence: +++
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