I have a deep affinity for enthralling adventures. Whether it’s books, movies, music, television, or video games, I appreciate original and unique intellectual properties. At the core of these creations are individuals who inject deep seeded passions into everything they touch. Naz is one such visionary spawning evocative productions combining her love for literature and music. Naz explained, “Ever since I was young, creative writing was definitely something that I’ve loved doing,” before adding moments later, “Music has always been my love and my life. I’ve always been intrigued by so many different styles and genres.”
Naz released her latest track, ‘Nafas’, on March 12. It’s a scintillating single possessing a bounding beat rife with reverb and punctuated by a resonating female vocal. A synthetic composition of notes accompanied by a brisk drum pattern builds towards crescendo. The result is a satisfying song that delivers a message through its lyrics. In her words, “Nafas, which means breathe in Farsi, takes you through the ebbs and flows of breathing when faced with something that makes your heart beat a little faster, something that gives you a thrill. And that’s kind of the journey this song takes, ramping up to an explosive moment and then just letting go.”
I appreciate how Naz describes her latest composition. She’s a brilliant DJ, producer, and fantasy author all rolled into one. Just the tip of the proverbial spear. Through New Eden Records, she’s writing her own course. Literally. Naz gushes, “I can build this new world, this fantasy world, and I can have my own record label where I release my own music, eventually bring on other artists, and have that linked to the story that is about this new world!”
Like many, Naz matriculated towards electronic music during her younger years. She had this to say about her beginnings and excitement witnessing EDM. “It’s kind of a weird story. I got introduced to the electronic dance music world when I was younger, probably about fourteen or fifteen, and I had a fake ID. I went clubbing with a few friends back in 2004-2005. Electro house was really big back then, so I got kind of thrust into that world. I was like, ‘Oh my god, what is this music? This is amazing’!!!”
As we continued, I requested insight into her musical influences, past and present, and Naz described genres from rock and roll to progressive and techno. “It was really influenced by my dad, and it was so varied. Anything from Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin to Tupac and George Michael. Still to this day, if you go through my Spotify and all my playlists, that’s what I listen to on a daily basis… If we’re talking electronic music, electro house was definitely very much what I got introduced to early on. Then it was progressive and progressive house, but progressive from the Sasha and Digweed type of progressive. To this day, one of my most favorite songs ever is the B-side of a Sasha record. It’s called Ohmna… Things progressed, my taste kind of changed, and I started to appreciate a lot more techno. The BPMs went higher, and things got a little bit darker.”
Naz releases tracks alongside fantasy lore following her character, Aurora, as she uncovers the truth about a world of illusions. I asked about her writing accompanying her music, and she shared these thoughts. “When I’m reading a book, it’s sort of similar to if you think about what a music director that works on film and TV, how they work. They choose the track selection for scenes and that kind of stuff. A sort of similar thing goes on in my head when I’m reading a book. You visualize the characters, the scenes that are playing, right? You can see it playing in your mind. I hear what kind of music would work in this scene. I create a whole production when I’m reading a book that’s going in my brain… The story, the music, the lyrics, it’s all intertwined. And then we have the visual component to it as well, where you can see the story like a cartoon playing in front of you.”
The illustrative component reminds me of video game universes I’ve explored in the past. Dark, brooding, a bit macabre, yet also somehow hopeful. Bloodborne and Skyrim immediately spring to mind. I inquired if this was intentional, and I’m feeling like Naz is a gamer at heart.
“Yes, especially when I was younger! That was the other inspiration for this as well. I have a fantastic visual FX designer who creates this world within Unreal Engine. Unreal Engine is owned by Epic Games. They have shown interest, and we are doing a case study. What’s really cool about this is that this isn’t just targeting electronic dance lovers. Fantasy book lovers, gamers, it’s kind of bringing all my fellow nerds together. That’s what I want!”
Aurora is a name meaning dawn, the first light of day. It’s also the name of a Roman goddess. When considering this character and her exploration of New Eden’s fantasies, it’s a powerful metaphor. Almost like sunlight dispelling darkness and uncovering truth. I asked if Naz intends to provide illumination for her readers to draw strength from. She reciprocated, “Definitely. I think that’s a great goal to have. I think things like that very much end up falling on the reader. How open they are, and willing to receive that message if they can. It very much depends, it’s the same with music being so subjective, right? I think it’s similar to reading. You can have two people read the same kind of text and take different messages from it.”
Finally, in respect to New Eden and Aurora’s overall story arc, I sought briefing on whether an outline for how the story is set to progress exists, or if Naz is writing it one chapter at a time. She delivered, “Yes and no. I do have the larger outline of where I want book one to go and where that storyline flows… The chapters I build as we go. What I’ve been releasing on the website are sort of little teasers of the chapters, condensed.”
Even though many of her productions have a techno flavor, Naz doesn’t want to be boxed in to a single genre as a producer. Her creative impulses may change from day to day, and she wants to be free to flow in whatever direction she’s feeling.
“I don’t want to be bound by one genre. I don’t want to be known as like, ‘Naz, she’s a melodic techno DJ/producer’, or, ‘she’s progressive’, you know what I mean? Between house and techno, it’s very easy to create journeys that weave in between both. I don’t like to feel constrained by one genre. I might wake up tomorrow and want to make something that’s 122 BPM. The next day, I might be doing something that is 138 BPM. I don’t want to constrict myself, if that makes sense.”
Aside from her current vision, what does the future hold for Naz? Is there a broader vision she harbors beyond the music she’s producing and the fantasy fiction she’s writing? She shared this depiction of a dream glistening in the future. “Definitely events, especially because we have these amazing visuals, and creating a space where you literally feel like you’re transported into New Eden. The visuals that we’re working on, we’ve been able to test them at some of the gigs that I’ve played at. We’re thinking, one day, and this is like the big hairy, audacious goal, but imagine sort of like a 360-degree visual installation where you step in, and it’s a New Eden event and a New Eden world. Fully immersive. That’s what we’re working towards. All the visuals that we’re creating, and all the worlds, are VR compatible as well.”
There’s much that makes her unique, and part of that is her heritage. Born in Iran, she moved to Australia when she was around four years old. I asked whether this influenced her pathway and mission in life. She was considerate and thoughtful in forming her response, and glowed examining connections between culture, music, and family.
“Growing up I always kind of felt like, where do I belong? Am I an alien from outer space? This sort of taps into why I loved reading so much! I would always get swept away with my imagination into these kinds of fantasy worlds and music because it gave me a place to go.
I love to tap into the Iranian culture, especially with music, and the culture on its own is so beautiful and rich... When you take that to music, that’s what music is about, right? It’s about that sense of unity and family, that kind of connectedness, and coming together. That’s what I want to build… Fostering that safe, loving space where people can come and enjoy the music.”
If you’d like to learn more about Naz and explore some of the fantasy world she’s creating, check out New Eden Records website. Through her label and platform, she’s engaged in pioneering experiences that encompass more than just music. Furthermore, you can follow her on Facebook and Instagram, and check out mixes and music on her SoundCloud and Spotify profiles. ‘Nafas’ is now available for streaming on all major music platforms.
Be well, be successful. Bear Swiftly.
–Electro Scribe–
