Various

In the early '60s, Mohammad Rezā Shāh introduced the White Revolution to the Iranian people, incidentally delivering the British Invasion, Motown and Stax Records directly to the ears of this freshly (culturally at least) liberated society. By the mid-'70s, the children of this revolution were beginning to reinterpret these sounds, crafting their very own brand of R&B, prog and rock filtered through traditional Khorasan and Turkmen music. Light in the Attic's Pharaway Sounds has done an outstanding job highlighting the best and most intriguing material from this fertile youth movement with their Zendooni compilation. Complete with a 14-page booklet, containing liner notes, artist bios and select album art, Zendooni covers an array of inspired sounds, from the Isaac Hayes urban symphony of Nooshafarin and the Dusty Springfield drama of Simin Ghanem to the Studio 54 horn breaks of Pouran. Unabashedly running Middle Eastern scales through North American modes, Zandooni is a fascinating look into this abundant period in Iran's rich musical history.