If you are into URBAN FASHION and culture like yours-truly, then make sure to pick up WAD! A 500 page-thick periodical with bilingual texts in both English and French! Needless to say, it provides one rich reading!

I can’t stop listening to the energising duet between Enrique Iglesias and Ciara called “Takin’ Back My Love”, which is featured on Enrique’s “Greatest Hits” collection (available also as DELUXE with a DVD) and is also said to be included on Ciara’s forever-postponed “Fantasy Ride” album! Sadly there is no official video available for this song, yet.

Makan’s debut album “Roya” and Essi’s fourth album “Yeki Yeki” have both been released on CenturyRecordsUSA.com

I recently caught “Recep” (written and read “Rajab” in Persian), a Turkish popular character played by the comedian Sahan Kökbakar in his first motion picture. Recep is really a huge hairy hillbilly who accidentally ends up at a private resort and brings his “gheirat” and other incompatible standards with him to this adventure in clashes and contrasts!

Its not really a concept which we Iranians, in particular, haven’t seen before! In one way or the other such farces have been preformed and laughed to in our culture. Thats why you don’t need to understand Turkish in order to understand the symbolic language of this comedy, its more or less universal for Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures!

It’s also interesting to point out that Sahan doesn’t look anything like Receb and its really amazing what some make-up and a sack of fake body hair can do!lol

If you have been watching 50 Cent’s reality show “The Money and The Power”, you have surely been spotting the contestant Nima “Blue Eyes” Tabrizi! Recently his song “I Like It” feat. Ava, Jordan & Basic was brought to my attention and I really liked the efforts and the result! Especially Basic’s marvellous mixing of Persian and English rap! There is a homemade video-blog for this song on youtube. However!!!! Since everything in that clip basically works against this song in every possible way, I was reluctant to post it! But its the only option if you want to hear the track, so be warned and click at your own risk!

Nima, standing far to the right.

I’ve never been a fan of the so called reality-soap “the Hills”, nor its predeccessor “Laguna Beach”. But I can’t resist watching the slender blonde Heidi, whenever her scenes and my zapping happen to randomly coincide! And this bootylicious pic of her really gives a whole new meaning to the name of the show, doesn’t it!

Ali Lohrasebi announced that his upcoming album will feature only five songs, written by Mohsen Yeganeh, Shahab Akbari, Amir and Arash Ghanadi, Mona Borzoee, Mehdi Yarahi and Roozbeh Bemani. The album will also present productions by Behrooz Saffarian, despite some controversies surrounding the collaborations in his previous album. The still-untitled album is planned to be released in time for Norooz.

Another former Swedish IDOL contestant returns with his new album. Danny Saucedo’s first album enjoyed a couple of fantastic tracks, incl the duet with Therese, but was diluted by a bunch of fillers which degraded the entire collection! In this follow up, however, Danny has put himself in charge of the production and made up for the failure by filling this collection with nothing but pure HIT material. Seldom I’ve seen such a quality collection with basically every track worthy to be released as single. If you are into 80’s inspired EURO-DISCO/HOUSE then by all means make sure to get your hands on this ENERGY pumping album with a suitable title like “Set Your Body Free”. You wont be disappointed! Compiling the best from the best Swedish HIT-makers of the genre, such as The Attic. Here is the second single from the album which also happens to be my favourite song, “All On You” (the official video is not ready).

Yesterday while zapping, I discovered yet another fashion-related reality series called “Shear Genius”. Its a show basically about hair styling, if I’ve understood correctly! Among the contestants was a girl by the name of Nekisa whose name, appearance and accent revealed her ethnic origin! I have no idea which season of the show it was I was watching or what position she finally managed to reach in the competition, regardless of these its always a pleasure to see a talented Iranian girl aspiring and inspiring on such professional levels. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that she also happens to look cute! hehe

I was studying at the library yesterday when I, in a moment of reflection, looked out of the window. And that’s when I spotted her! She was standing there on the ledge, staring at me! Lady duck, my soon-to-be-model. Thanks to the Swedish social welfare these otherwise-migrating birds have long forgotten their annual flights south during winter-time and stay home where they comfortably enjoy the generosity of the state and its citizens. Suddenly it hit me to seize the opportunity and the moment! And as if there was a mutual urge for such an action and documentation, she stood almost completely still during the minutes I managed to throw together this rough sketch! Then, as if she had got what she had come for, gracefully spread wings and flew down to the river nearby.

I’ve wanted to learn how to play guitar for as long as I can remember! Got that romantic notion of that lonesome bard, who travelled to tell the tales of life. But somehow I never got around to actually learn, don’t ask me why! Although as someone creative who loves and works with music I’ve always written my own words as lyrics and hummed and recorded the melodies that came along with them for others to score. Now, as the result of a new-year resolution, time has come for me to actually score those hours of recorded hummings myself and turn them into full-fledged songs! So I’ve started to take my first lessons with my little black beauty. My first Guitar, my Gita! The word guitar often sounds like the Persian girl-name Gita when pronounced by Iranian artists and ever since I heard Fereidoun singing ” …ahaay sedaaye Gita (lyrically guitar)” in his “Gole Hayaagoo”, I’ve wanted to call the first guitar that I would ever get …Gita! My Gita is just the beginner’s basic instrument, but its MY instrument! So, I love her! As simple as that! I will treasure her loyal companionship, as we both embark on the journeys of joy and sorrow in the shared life ahead. As you can surely imagine I’m truly excited about this project. A new chapter begins and I will be updating with new pages as the project progresses. And I’m especially psyched to share this experience with you guys, my friends! So you better prepare yourself to one day in future suffer through my voice and melodies, in the audio-clips which I will eventually be posting in the updates. Hehe! Now if you excuse me, I have some quality time to spend with my cute curvy little lady …

I’ve been talking so much about the new R&B prodigy Jay Sean, that I’ve forgot to mention this release by the original! By now all continents are surely familiar with this man’s name and music. Craig David recently compiled a best of collection of his biggest HITS and released it as both normal and deluxe edition. The latter including even the videos! Of course just like most best of compilations even this one has got a brand new jam, “Insomnia” its called and its OFF DA HOOK!! The once prince of British R&B has now become the KING!

Tonight is the night! One of the most awaited nights of the year for me and many others! LOST will return for an highly anticipated fifth season, in which many mysteries are promised to be unveiled and revealed! I have basically spent the past six months waiting for this night! Need I say more?!

Former undergrounder Amin Rostami’s legal debut was recently released, entitled “Yaade Cheshmaat”. His vocal style reminds of Benyamin’s, however with a mellow Balearic HOUSE flavour in music which reminds of Hamid Askari’s songs (with whom Amin has collaborated in past). I must say that I like this album, rather soothing!

here is the title-track:

I am taking basic course in acting and directing for a pedagogic project I’m working with. Its my first time in acting classes and apparently, due to some to-me-unobvious reason, its costumed that you take off your shoes and sit down on the uncarpeted floor during the entire class! Just like our own mosques, though mosques have the common courtesy to carpet their floors! Anyways, this mandatory and uncomfortable change of physical position also means a change of perspective! Whether you like it or not you come to soon focus on something you’ve never really focused on, at least not to such extent. That is what kind of socks people around you wear!lol And my newly found foot-fashion awareness has noted that the trendy motif on female socks (since 99% of my classmates are ladies and in a way making the whole discomfort worth while) is skulls! Yep, you cant possibly imagine how many skulls on socks I have come to behold these past few days. All black and white skulls but on various coloured backgrounds. How’s that for detail observation?lol… However, I cant help but to wonder how many of them actually come with a matching upper piece! Now THAT is a question worth exploring empirically! …Arrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

While everyone is loving Leona Lewis’ take on the Snow Patrol MEGA HIT “Run”, I would love to reminisce the amazing original and its romantic melancholia! There is such depth in the words of this song that only its creator (allegedly writing and singing it for his lost love) manages to express. Read the lyrics and then listen to the song:

I’ll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go
You’ve been the only thing that’s right
In all I’ve done

And I can barely look at you
But every single time I do
I know we’ll make it anywhere
Away from here

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I’ll be right beside you dear

Louder louder
And we’ll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can’t raise your voice to say

To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I’ll be right beside you dear

Louder louder
And we’ll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can’t raise your voice to say

Slower Slower
We don’t have time for that
All i want is to find an easier way
To get out of our little heads

Have heart my dear
We’re bound to be afraid
Even if it’s just for a few days
Making up for all this mess

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I’ll be right beside you dear

Leona’s version, although beautiful, doesnt manage to fully capture that pain and agony within its meaning! Here are both videos, starting with the orginal and followed up by the cover.

I seldom watch Iranian movies, due to me often finding myself utterly frustrated over their shortcomings in terms of storyline and storytelling. But from time to time there comes those which get recommended to me by the word of mouth. “Daayere Zangi” is one of them! I watched it last night and it was truly a charming movie with a momentum and narration often seen in European cinema, but seldom in the Iranian. Due to the fact that its really easy to fail in such attempts, unless its thought-through and well-executed. And “Daayere Zangi” was indeed both, it was an intelligent comedy with a socio-political undertone which would have fallen flat if there were gaping plot-holes and lose ends left!

But it didn’t! Even if it initially had much more potential to realise than it finally did! But what it did realise it did so with flying colours. A good story, a great direction and an excellent cast. Needless to say I was mesmerised by the beauty and charm of Baran Kosari whose natural look (especially in an Iranian context where the exaggerated make up a la dragshow has become more or less standard!) and low-key performance were striking. Overall it was a package well held-together, so by all means give “Daayere Zangi” a try, if you haven’t already.

I’ve always dreamt about having grey or, as we say in Persian, “jogandomi” hair! It might sound strange but when I was just a teenager, I used to stare in the mirror and cherish those couple of white ones that graced my otherwise jet-black hair (Narcissus? Who, me?)!lol Dreaming about one day having that salt and pepper elegance and mature male look, a la Mr Clooney. As you might remember I recently shaved off my beard (though currently succeeded by a soul-patch) and as a second step in the revamp process I’ve let my hair grow longer, after two years of clean shaving! And look what I discovered, a shiny and charming silver lining!!!!! Hallelujah!!!

I nominated him for the “most promising new act” of 2008 and you’ve watched his video on Bia2! You can now visit the German-based Kian’s myspace and listen to his independent album which is available for digital purchase from iTunes and amazon. Kian’s album is another production by Erwin Khachikian (Karmandan) and Alex Abedi who have managed to deliver a fine flavour of Persian POP-ROCK! The songs “Bargard”, “Baa To” and the cover on Dariush’s “Age Cheshmaat” are my personal favourites. POP-ROCK is a generic hybrid which is more or less a vacant vacuum in our industry, yet the aesthetic suitability and cultural compatibility of it just screams to be Iranianised! And Kian has the perfect voice and image for such a project! As a big fan of it, I really hope to hear more POP-ROCK coming our way in near future.

I’ve never been a huge fan of bombers, due to me being six feet tall and the short jacket a “bumper”. But this Dolce & Gabanna leather bomber has really got me hooked! So I just had to back-order one. Really love the rough look yet the slick cut of it!