When the indomitable Sussan Deyhim released a song in support of the 2009 protests in Teheran (´Azadi´ [Freedom]), it was almost surprising that her incantation alone did not topple the regime, like the horn of Joshua brought down the walls of Jericho. Deyhim left her country for America shortly after the mullahs stole the revolution, but she brought the best of Persian culture with her and is herself now one of the most refined representatives of Iranian culture. At the same time, she is one of the planet´s most cosmopolitan artists, having performed around the world and with an impressive array of artists, delving deeply into theatre, dance and multimedia.
Deyhim possesses bewitching vocal talents and her wordless, often multi-tracked flights of fancy carry as much meaning as her lyrics. The darkness of her voice complements the candescence of her singular musical personality, a Manichean world in one single body. Her distinctive talent has been apparent ever since her recorded a debut with Richard Horowitz, Desert Equations: Azax Attra in 1986, a partnership that resulted in the widely-celebrated Majoun ten years later, and continues to flourish today. Since that time her reputation has grown and artistic choices been impeccable, collaborating with a fascinating cross-section of artists, from UK dub innovator Adrian Sherwood and his most-prized colleagues to Peter Gabriel (as the voice of Christ Risen on his soundtrack to The Last Temptation of Christ). Recurring sessions with Bill Laswell have resulted in a slew of individual tracks and an ambient mix translation of the album Madman of God, her setting of Sufi poetry, called Shy Angels.
On City of Leaves, she is backed up mainly by Horowitz on a variety of instruments, with individual tracks produced by Laswell, composer Duke Bojadziev and DJ Spooky. Her trademark staccatto opens the album onto a whirlwind, melodic visit to the ´City of Leaves´. Switching between English and Farsi, she paints a picture of a metropolis which blends the real and fantastical seamlessly, beautifully accompanied by Horowitz on keyboards and double violinist Gingger Shankar. The title ´Tender Gaze´ fully explains her intimate delivery of the next song, while on ´Glyphs on the Horizon´, those same eyes seem to glimpse something more sinister coming this way. ´Dukebox´, scored by Bojadziev, is a sensual, percussive narrative, not surprising for a gentleman who soundtracks film for a living. The Laswell collaboration ´Searching for You´ is a slowly disappearing and reappearing desert mirage, a mood maintained by the two hazy tracks that follow. She becomes an ethereal muezzin on ´Beshno Az Ney/Windfall´, a kaleidoscopic call to prayer, and closes with the spirited, urbane ´Secret Garden´ with DJ Spooky.
City of Leaves is both another milestone in her career and an excellent introduction to the voice and vision of Sussan Deyhim.
Stephen Fruitman
