Skip to main content
Olivia Stock
1 August 2023, 10:20

Premiere: Emsho ‘Down Time’

AIDA and Nesa Azadikhah’s Apranik Records returns with a new 10-track compilation inspired by Iranian women’s perpetual fight for freedom

Premiere: Emsho ‘Down Time’

Apranik Records has announced a new compilation, ‘Intended Consequence’, focused on electronic music made by Iranian women. Have an exclusive first listen to Emsho’s ‘Down Time’ below.

Set for release on 4th August, the 10-track collection follows January’s ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ compilation, which was released as a response to the women-led uprisings in Iran after the killing of Mahsa Zhina Amini.

Rooted in telling the story of Iranian women’s perpetual fight for freedom, ‘Intended Consequence’ includes tracks from label co-founders AIDA and Nesa Azadikhah, as well as some of Iran’s most talented musicians and sound artists such as Rojin Sharafi, Aida Shirazi, Ava Rasti, and more.

“Intended Consequence is a collection of music dedicated to the choice and continuum of Iranian women’s fight for freedom in the day-to-day,” the release's accompanying text reads. As with the previous compilation, proceeds from ‘Intended Consequence’ will be donated to charities that help women and marginalised groups in Iran.

Sonically, the project is a formidable amalgamation of sounds and styles, from the urgent breaks of Abji Hypersun’s ‘Resist The God Trick’, to the evanescent drones and nature sounds of Farzané’s ‘Quorl’. Elsewhere, Iran-born, NYC-based producer, Emsho serves up dubby minimal techno with a distorted bite on ‘Down Time’, followed by the percussive house thump of AIDA’s ‘Ode To Expectations’. This is a project that refuses to be placed in a box. 

Last month, DJ Mag published a feature exploring how Iranian electronic music is raising its voice around the world, spotlighting a number of prominent artists, including AIDA, Azadikhah and others. AIDA recorded a special mix to accompany the feature, which features several tracks from ‘Intended Consequence’. Listen to it here.

‘Intended Consequence’ is available to pre-order via Bandcamp. Listen to ‘Down Time’ below.