is the audiovisual co-creation between Swedish artist, actor and poet and award-winning director and music producer . Their work is an intercultural amalgamation, melding together Middle Eastern instrumentation, golden-era hip-hop, house and UK dance, drawing on oral histories, languages and traditions across the diaspora.
Following their debut single ‘’ and self-titled double EP, the duo have built an international following through collaborations with artists including Eno, Conducta, Enesse and L.A.X. They’ve also established themselves as a formidable live act, with a nomination for Best Live Artist at Sweden’s P3 Guld Awards and performances to crowds of over 10,000 at Roskilde, Rosendal Garden Party and Way Out West.
The 12-track ‘LEGENDS’ is a continuum of stories from the past and future; an homage to the historic figures, cultural movements and everyday heroes who have shaped and inspired the duo. What began as conversations between two friends exchanging life stories evolved into a passion project, with ‘LEGENDS’ – a cumulative rendering – bringing together BIJI’s affinity for culturally-specific storytelling and audiovisual world-building.
For CLASH, BIJI provide a track-by-track breakdown of their most potent and poetic work yet, an evolving time capsule of ancestral memory and modern innovation.
The opening track takes you on a spiritual journey, setting the energy to prepare you for the journey that is ‘LEGENDS’. In this track BIJI frontman Robin Nazari’s haunting vocals melt into reverberating synths as he calls out to ancestors who came before: “give me your blessings to proceed”. We’re urging for a sign and guidance, before you’re swallowed in sound that feels like a light into the world of BIJI. Prod by BIJI, Outrovert & Mirón.
CAN CAN CAN With Baxtyar Salih
In true BIJI style, we kick off the album in full speed together with ‘CAN CAN CAN’. A high-energy song featuring legendary Kurdish wedding singer Baxtyar Salih, traditional vocals are woven into a modern crossover anthem. This song is made to make you move and is unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. Prod by BIJI & Jugglerz.
Co-produced with German multiple platinum producer Jumpa, ‘MAMA TOLD ME’ is a song with deep personal meaning to us. Dedicated to Robin’s mother, this song is about the immediate responsibility passed onto you from your lineage. It’s about creating a life with purpose that your ancestors can be proud of, sung over a deep hip-hop beat and electric guitars. Prod by BIJI & Jumpa.
The first single set the tone for the current soundscape we’ve been explore. ‘AHA’ is a brainsticking pop dance track infused with a lighthearted message: just dance and let go of the rhythm. Prod by: BIJI & Jumpa.
Midway through the album, Robin’s sister who’s a renowned poet in Sweden, reads her spoken word poem inspired by the album. ‘SARA’S POEM’ is a moment of reflection about the people who paved the way to create the world we live in today. Prod by: BIJI.
‘LEYLA’ captures everything summer feels like at its best. It’s a song about love and longing, carried by a feeling so light and vivid it almost borders on the surreal. The song is performed in both Kurdish & English, giving it that perfect BIJI blend of cultures and rhythms. Prod by: BIJI & Mirón.
The best performing single in the album rollout, ‘ESMERE’ samples a well-known Kurmanji folk melody (Kubar & Esmere) that tells A tale of forbidden love. In the original, cultural barriers keep the lovers apart, and Kubar mourns their separation. In our version, we interpret the emotional struggle of having two homes as a child of the diaspora. Prod by BIJI & Jugglerz.
Stripped down, ‘TEA WITH SUGAR’ is a journey through BIJI’s inner dialogue, reflecting thoughts between past, present and the future. It’s one of our most personal tracks yet where we’re telling a story through the conflicting emotions of feeling torn somewhere in between countries, cultures or the bridges between a friend, brother and son and a fast-paced career. When at the end of the day, the narrator would prefer a simple life back in Kurdistan where he can drink his tea with sugar in peace. Prod by: Zouj, BIJI.
This heavy bass song feels like the new BIJI anthem. The flute travelling through the chorus is heavily influenced by co-producer Khalil Cherradi’s Moroccan roots, mixed with hip-hop beats, it feels like a BIJI classic already. ‘HER BIJI’ is the perfect encore until the album transitions into its focus track. Prod by: BIJI & Khalil Cherradi
The album focus track that also gave it its title, ‘LEGENDS’, takes you on a trance with its heavy house bass, which continues all the way through the song. ‘LEGENDS’ is best described as a euphoric soundscape. In the song, we pay homage to everyone that paved the way us to be able to live and express ourselves via art and music. Prod by: BIJI, Outrovert.
Another spoken word track, this time read and written by Robin’s mother (Mehri Sharifi), the title simply asks: what is freedom?. Mehri reads a poem where she both questions and explains what freedom is to her. At the end of the day freedom is nothing less than.
FARANGIPOSH II With Nadjmadin Ghoulami
This a re-production of an old Kurdish song recorded together with its original artist, Nadjmadin Ghoulami. Robin found himself unable to stop listening to it and in a surreal turn of events, he discovered his mother had listened to the song on repeat during her pregnancy. The song is almost hypnotising with its lilting melodies and layered strings. Prod by: BIJI, Salem Al Fakir, Outrovert.
‘LEGENDS’ is out now.