Happy International Women’s Day 2026!
We felt it was timely, having missed this album last year to feature it for the week of IWD and for all those who didn’t make it to WOMAD this year. Iranian born Australian Maryam Rahmani released Kamand in August 2025, an an exploration of acculturation, the delicate and often dissonant process of merging into a host culture while honouring ancestral roots. She improvises and explores this theme with santur, voice and kamancheh, supported by an ensemble of boundary-pushing collaborators: Rosalie Cocchiaro (flamenco rhythm), David Moran (cello), Sebastian Collen (piano, electronics) and Gustavo Quintino (double bass). The musicians respond to each other intuitively to create a compelling web of delicate, hypnotic sounds.
The album is recorded on Kaurna and Wurrundjeri Woiwurrung Country and released through Music in Exile. “Having studied classical Iranian music in Tehran, she has continued to explore the genre, while absorbing the influences of Persian literature and poetry, and also Spanish rhythms she discovered through flamenco dancing. Since moving to Adelaide in 2019, Maryam has continued to share Iranian traditions and culture through her artistry and has worked with numerous musicians in different genres to create shared experiences through the universal language of music.” [WOMAD]
“Kamand – ‘Lasso’ in Persian – evokes the act of reaching out and drawing in: sounds, influences, and stories. From the poetic meters of Iranian music to flamenco footwork and experimental textures, this album captures a musician in motion – weaving connections across musical worlds.” Nexus Arts