In an attempt to make spiritual electronic music Iranian composer Ehsan Banitaba brings his own spin to the genre on In Parallel. The recording is broken into two tracks that run just about a half-hour in length. Banitaba invites the listener to question “if we are in a universe created and built by just immutable scientific principles or if there is a god beyond all of our experiences?”

In Étude 1 – Do just eternal principles exist or is there a God beyond, the listener is offered numbing ambient undercurrents (watery passages and all) and layers of squeaky effects like tiny tapping on metal and a looming storm of drone. As the roar rolls out the simpatico moves in via the shadow of a blurry synthesized organ. Banitaba’s style is more abruptly paced than much of similar within the genre of ambient/drone, and in this way he builds, slows, and extends upon pleasing harmonies that sound as though they are below the surface. And as the ground swells below, so do the skies above, as he literally contorts the acoustic light from bright to murky and back again.

The tones just glide in rain, wind and fleeting detritus and as the owl hoots assorted sound effects dance with a visceral crackle. The only somewhat similar sound to this may be a more abbreviated Netherworld. Though the composer’s lows dig into chasms of watery depth that start to feel quite fourth dimensional towards the end of this phenomenal work of sound art. And ever-do-lightly in the distance you can hear his faint, gorgeous melody fading away.
On Étude 2 – Now is watching us; Now will carry us the opening has Banitaba’s field recordings fully focused by night, and the crickets are in full effect – as are these haunting industrial ramblings. It’s as though two worlds are colliding in a dreamstate. Bark is broken, and creatures loom in the darkness. I would definitely recommend listening to this with some intent volume to get every detail, as there are many small effects laid above and below the central drone. If you like cryptic ambient that dives head-on into elusive grey areas this will most definitely be your cuppa – as it is both hypnotic and weaves its own truth as it continues. It’s like a lullaby, a bedtime story by the campfire, though with a pinch of the unexpected.


TONESHIFT BY TJ NORRIS ON APRIL 30, 2019


Più che un semplice concept, un interrogativo filosofico fondante su scienza e religione è sotteso alle due tracce di un quarto d’ora ciascuna che formano “In Parallel”. E si può ben immaginare non si tratti di soltanto un vezzo tematico, vista la provenienza di Ehsan Banitaba, ennesimo rappresentante della florida scena sperimentale iraniana.

I due brani si muovono, appunto, lungo binari paralleli, costituiti da field recordings processati e da espansi drone, che nel corso degli “studi” ad essi applicati da Banitaba mutano incessantemente forma, alternando iterazioni a minute emissioni di frequenze, proiettate entrambe verso la trascendenza.


ROCKERILLA MAGAZINE N. 464 BY RAFFAELLO RUSSO ON APRIL, 2019
E tutto racchiuso nel lungo titolo delle due brevi tracce (meno dimezz ora in tutto)
di questo ammaliante cd del musicista iraniano Ehsan Banitaba: Etude 1-do just eternal principles esit or is there a God beyond? E di seguito: Etude 2-now is watching us" now will carry us. Potrebbero sembrare domande e risposte pretenziose e oziose, mararamente di questi tempi mi e capitato di ascoltare un mic di field recordings e drones cosi organico, trepidante e contemplativo, come se quel bisgono di trascendenza oltre L;immutabile principio scientifico volesse poetare in superficie profondita incommensurabili, lasciando pero che sia chi ascolta a porsi il quesito, o piu semplice mente ad abbandonarsi al flusso atemporale del tutto, senza domande e senza risposte. Forse non perfetto ma straordinariamente emozionante.
(7/8) Gino Dal Soler


BLOW UP MAGAZINE N. 251 BY GINO DAL DOLER ON APRIL, 2019
An Iranian native Ehsan Banitaba is posing quite a serious set of questions with his new release.
His album "In Parallel" consists of two etudes that push to listener to question the subject of the actual music beyond the known scientifical Universe of the listening process. That kind of question normally would be the case of smoke and mirrors as it is in most of the cases of highly sophisticated, academical releases but not this time.
Ehsan pursues more subtle answers, elusively spiritual. The borders between "I" as a listener and the object of it.
The result is quite enticing - things we feel as innate are estranged with us when expressed in music for me. Yet we fall for it - the mind needs some stimuli and here it is. The eternal focus on Now...

FELTHAT - REVIEWS ON MAY, 2019
Niets minder dan de zoektocht naar de aanwezigheid van God, is het thema waarop deze Iraanse componist zijn twee études baseert. Daarbij maakt hij gebruik van natuurgeluiden (insecten, vogels, water) en vervormde veldopnames (zou de Almachtige af en toe de trein nemen?), in pure vorm of tot diepe basdrones herleid. De sporadisch toegevoegde elektronica is zeer melancholisch van aard, en doet ons bevooroordeeld onderbewuste regelmatig aan de meest ingetogen momenten van Coil denken. En dat die hedonistische jongens met een ander soort godheden communiceerden, doet hier even niet ter zake. Bovendien is een titel als ‘Now Is Watching Us, Now Will Carry Us’ in elke vorm van spiritualiteit een mooie vondst. Voel je trouwens niet schuldig als je bij het aanschouwen van de artiestennaam nog nooit van gehoord dacht, want tot voor kort bracht Banitaba zijn werk enkel in eigen land uit. Met de cd (of dowload) ‘In Parallel’ zet Banitaba zijn vlag in elk geval stevig op onze muzikale wereldkaart, en we nemen ons plechtig voor om zijn oeuvre grondiger te exploreren.

GONZOCIRCUS ON MAY, 2019