Shervin Boloorian - One with the Beloved (Sufi-inspired Songs and Rumi Wisdom)

Following on from the single Baza (Come Again) comes Shervin's full length album of songs inspired by the great Middle Eastern poet Rumi. Please visit the following link for the full press release or read ahead for the text on how this album was created and what we are looking to achieve by getting this music out there. If you would like a physical CD to be sent to you so you can help support the release of this album please send your postal address to my email, paul@fusionman.com. Shervin and I really hope that you enjoy this album, we feel it is something very unique and a little special. Big love to us all ❤

http://everydayagency.co.uk/pioneering-album-uk-iran-musician-creates-stir-west/

PIONEERING ALBUM FROM UK-IRAN MUSICIAN CREATES A STIR IN WEST

A ground-breaking new album is uniting music fans across the globe and creating a new wave of music peace activism. The artist, vocalist and leading sound therapist Shervin Boloorian who resides in Bali just launched his upcoming album, One with the Beloved, as the centrepiece of his music project for peace and reconciliation between Middle Eastern and Western cultures he belongs to, which are in conflict today. Boloorian’s vision of bridging this major divide through music has brought his campaign a successful crowdfunding following and coverage from Huffington Post, with two thousands new fans on social media, a new single and a 40-date-strong European Tour.

The pioneering album (One with the Beloved) which launches next month, seeks to use music inspired by popular Sufi philosopher, Jallaludin Rumi, as a community-building force to connect people and provide a vehicle to transcend political agendas.

Shervin comments on his album:
“The songs belong to none and to all, just as Rumi says ‘not Christian or Jew or Muslim, not Hindu Buddhist, Sufi or Zen. The album is neither Sufi nor world music, not sound meditation, not muslim, not poetry nor entertainment, although contains features from all of the above.”

A refugee, raised in Suffolk, UK, Shervin endured a troubling first-hand experience of a tumultuous period in the history of East-West relations from the 1978 Iranian Revolution and subsequent Iran-Iraq war. This openly accentuates Shervin’s deep rooted personal experience and knowledge that “we need the music world to help actively drive change, since our political institutions are not succeeding.”

The One with the Beloved album quickly ignited engagement once its mission and music were released to the public in June. Through an innovative Kickstarter campaign the funding for this modest project reached 125% of target in less than 7 weeks. Other coverage of the campaign has come from from world press including Elephant Journal, Jarkarta Globe, Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Yoga Guide SF followed as well as a consortium of Bali’s leading holistic and business organisations Bali Spirit Festival and Yoga Barn.

"A gorgeous album from Shervin Boloorian, spiritual and entrancing. From a Burning Man sunrise to the beaches of Bali you can expect to hear this everywhere."
Nick Warren

The album will be released on Hi-Phi Music and is partially produced by Ric Peet; best known from 90's psychedelic duo Candy Flip. He is now half of International Peoples Gang and a Live Sound Engineer for Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Real Estate and Crazy P. He has also worked on many successful albums, Recordings & Remixes for people including John Leckie, Muse, The Charlatans, Six By Seven, The Wildhearts , Chemical Brothers, Juan Atkins and Beth Orton to name a few.

Ric comments: "Shervin’s voice and music have a kinda magical quality that resonates with me, together it’s a very beautiful and pure sounding journey. The instruments he uses are very unique & when combined, blend wonderfully with each other on this record & have a timeless quality that has the ability to calm, sooth and delight all at the same time, Lovely stuff!"
The Album offers the world’s first Sufi chant (Zikr) in a West African style, accompanied by the Kora and additional meditation instruments that deliver Western and Eastern flavoured melodies and percussion the songs are rich in definition and variety. Support from the Electronic Music Industry has also flooded in from the likes of Timo Mass, Nick Warren and Tim ‘Love’ Lee and has even led to Shervin securing a space at this year’s Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) one of the world’s prominent music conference platforms, showing the level of calibre and reinforcement from the industry.

To celebrate the launch of the album, Hi-Phi Music are giving away one of the tracks for all listeners to enjoy. The song ‘Baza’ contains lyrics from the poem inscribed on Rumi’s tomb. ‘Come, again wanderer, idolater, worshiper of fire, Come even though you have broken your vows a hundred times, Come, and come yet again. Ours is not a caravan of despair.’ This will serve as a powerful introduction to a formative album that will earmark change at a pivotal time in history.

BACKGROUND

In today’s current climate we are dramatically faced by challenges from all corners of the globe. In the West, nations are consumed by technology and commercialism, creating an individualistic culture that disconnects us from ourselves and others; further leading to deep separation and isolation. Whereas in the East, entire countries are left baron and devoid of life from continual attacks resulting in the destabilisation of countries and their economy. The ongoing news headlines serve as a constant reminder of the general unrest between whole nations. Some have faced decades, if not centuries of political gridlock and violence, especially between Eastern and Western oppositions leading to many deaths around the world on both sides, rising refugee numbers and the uncertainty of our safety on a global scale.

The impacts and facts of our modern world resonate loudly, but so does the global desire and invitation for a communal way to combine and empower communities with positive activity. Shervin’s album has successfully broken through the noise and his vision to bring change and a revolution to end the ongoing tragedies saturating our headlines is beginning to make a marked difference. It’s time to listen up and join a conscious movement that wants a better future for generations to come. The album assists this movement by showcases some of the teachings from Sufi Masters such as Rumi and allows listeners to gain a glimpse into the rich source of literature and arts from the Middle East, during a time when our associations with Islam have been hijacked by centuries of association with war and violence. The texts contained within the album were produced over 800 years ago, carrying a profound, universal and layered message of friendship, peace and wisdom that are both pertinent and relevant today. Furthermore, the scriptures from Rumi are evidence that peace and reconciliation is possible and also essential to our race’s survival and its evolution.

More about Shervin Boloorian

Shervin Boloorian, UK-raised refugee based in Bali, is a certified sound therapist, vocalist, workshop presenter and recording artist. Providing his holistic sound therapy and multi-instrumental concerts to thousands of guests since 2011, and has led fundraising for local causes in Bali through an informal community service program known as the Bali Sound Healers Collective (BSHC). BSHC sound and music events involve local artists and have already successfully raised money for Bali water rights, Bamboo reforestation, youth AIDS awareness amongst other localised Bali causes. For more information on how to support Shervin in bringing Rumi’s peace message to the world visit www.soundhealingbali.com or www.facebook.com/rumimusic

Contact
Sunita Dhaliwal
Sunita@everydayagency.co.uk