A single note can carry centuries of history—or reimagine tradition entirely. Gnäw does both. The Iranian-Finnish duo of Arash Ghasemi and Simo Hakalisto weaves hypnotic soundscapes where Persian and Finnish folk instruments meet the deep currents of drone, psychedelia, and experimental electronics. Their music exists between worlds, blending desert mysticism with icy northern melancholia.
Their debut album I (2021) earned praise from The Quietus and was reissued in 2023. Now, with their second album II, released across four international labels, Gnäw expands their sonic universe.
Hakalisto, an electronic sound explorer from Finland, and Ghasemi, a Tehran-born multi-instrumentalist with a love for distorted textures, first met in Milan before reuniting in Prague. Now, despite the miles between them, they continue to shape an unpredictable, borderless sound—one that resonates equally in underground clubs, experimental festivals, and the minds of those willing to listen beyond convention.
https://cruelnaturerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/i
Playing on: Friday, 25 April, 2025 | Underground | 0:40 – 1:20