Porya Hatami - Kani + Remixes (2020)

Originally released in 2013 on the Inner Ocean label, Porya Hatami’s “Kani” was a four track EP showcasing his intimate take on modern ambient music. The Iranian artist has issued a large number of albums that imbue pastoral ambient with subtle field recordings and melodies. The melodic aspect of Hatami’s work took centre stage in this release, and shone bright across the four pieces.

So now, seven years later, “Kani” is being given the reissue that it deserves, and will delight those listeners new to it, and those who are rediscovering it again. Besides the original four tracks, there are an additional five remixes by artists working in a similar orbit to Hatami, and some who have collaborated directly with him in the past.

These reworks cover plenty of ground, reimagining the source material into new shapes. Some remixes extend the foggy soundscapes and conjure delicate melodic plucks. Others add mellow pulses that infer rhythm under the washes of sound, while others take these rhythmic ideas much further.