Album Review: Arash Akbari – Nāsūr
Artist: Arash Akbari
Title: Nāsūr
Label: Owl Totem Recordings (Dronarivm)
Release date: October 17th, 2025
Country: Iran
Format reviewed: High-quality digital recording
Album Review: Arash Akbari – Nāsūr via Owl Totem Recordings (Dronarivm) by Pegah
“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” – Rumi
“Nāsūr” is the latest release by Iranian artist Arash Akbari. In Persian, nāsur (ناسور) refers to a chronic, suppurating wound—one that does not heal easily. It’s a wound we all carry within us, formed through sleepless nights, overthinking, and the weight of memories tied to the people we’ve lost.
The opening track unfolds with familiar nocturnal sounds—an atmosphere that, for me, evokes the restless nights of Tehran. As you’re drawn deeper into its sonic space, layers begin to surface. Echoes, textures, and distant resonances gather like shadows. Everything lingering in the background carries a sense of darkness. As the track progresses, rougher and more abrasive tones emerge, intensifying the emotional tension. In Persian literary usage, the word nāsur can also metaphorically convey something rough, harsh, unpleasant, or deeply unsettling—and Akbari’s soundscape mirrors exactly that. The abrasive elements feel like an auditory reflection of this internal, unhealed wound.
These harsh tones continue into the next track, embodying the sounds within our own minds—the echoes of inner conflict and unresolved struggles. But by the time we reach the third piece, “III,” something shifts. Those rough textures fade, soften, and dissolve into a more melodic form. It feels as though the pain pauses for a moment—a fleeting stillness in which we begin to acknowledge and accept the undeniable presence of this wound.
The fourth track, “IV,” feels more ambient—atmospheric and soothing. It’s as if the eyes are slowly closing and sleep is finally approaching. There’s a gentle sense of release, a moment when the mind begins to shut down and drift away from the weight it has been carrying.
Finally, the fifth track, “V,” feels like drifting into a dream—floating somewhere between past and present where time and space lose their meaning. As the sound of birds emerges near the end, it feels gentle and promising, symbolizing a new day, a return of light, and the simple, profound reminder of being alive—even though we are destined to carry that deep wound within us. 8.5/10
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8.5/10 To Greatness and Glory!
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