Continu (French for 'Continuous')

an album of Oud solo in 8 pieces, each performed following a plot-like structure, with some pre-composed melodies, mingled with improvised phrases and sections; treating recording sessions as live performances.

The recordings were done on the 14th and 21st of July 2007, played on a small-bowl Oud made by Mohammad Taghi Arafati.

Recorded, mixed and mastered by: Armin Karbaf
Recording studio: Aftab Alamtab


Artwork: Negar Farajiani & Iman Safayi
Released by: Mahriz, Tehran, 2008

List of tracks:

1.Irreversible
Pictures a poem by Ahmad Shamlou: 'To renew the moon' as in ancient rituals, we get on the rooftop with 'opal and greens and mirror', but a cold scythe passes through the sky, making it clear that the moon won't emerge.

2. Fairy
An imagery of a creature, telling tales, overflowing us with sweet and illusory dreams that put us to sleep, dreaming dreams with ever-joyous endings.

3. Twilight
Picturing an interval between night and dawn, that resolves in the 'elixir' of life for redemption.

4. Upturned
The image of a tree in restless waters is not only unsteady, but upturned.

5. Deep Waters
Pictures bottomless waters, limpid and tempting to drown in; submerging and floating in a whirlpool that is hauntingly both irresistible and terrifying.

6. Eluding
It pictures a confrontation between an inflexible mentor and juvenile playfulness that eventually culminates in eluding.

7. Unutterable
Alludes to something that one can not utter, and yet sees no endurance to hear; a fable that ask not!

8. Return
Returns it to a beginning, with no repetition; in another form, from some other place, perhaps to another birth in another world.