Ashavahishta – The Ring (X Dot 25 Music, 2025)
World fusion trance group Ashavahishta released its new album The Ring on October 31, 2025. The ten-track project follows the group’s critically acclaimed Awakening and continues its focus on setting the poetry and philosophy of Rumi to music.
The album features two female and two male lead vocalists who combine Persian lyrics with irresistible and spellbinding world music rhythms and electronic production. The instrumentation used includes benju, duduk, daf, tenor recorder flute, acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, programming, bass, and drums. As a consequence, the band’s sound is characterized by gorgeous vocals, exceptional musicianship, lavish and joyful arrangements and a transfixing feel.
San Francisco Bay Area vocalist Parisa Vaaleh contributes two new pieces, “The Innermoon” and “Entranced,” while returning singer Nashmin, heard on Awakening, again appears on this release. Balochi musician Ustad Delnavaz plays a significant role in Ashavahishta’s sound with his agile and scintillating benju (Balochi zither) performances, highlighted on two Balochi songs (“Titanali,” “Wadar”) and one Bakhtiari song (“Dada”), alongside a set of Persian-language tracks.
All songs written by Arash Adelpour, except Titanali (Music and Lyrics Balochi Traditional), Wadar (Music: Adel Adelpour and Mohammad Ali Delnavaz, Lyrics by: Taj Mohammad Taher), Dada (Music and Lyrics Bakhtiari folk).
Music production, arrangements, recording, mixing, and mastering by Arash Adelpour
Lead Vocals: Arash Abdelpour, Parisa Vaaleh, Nashmin, Ustad Delnavaz. All instruments (synthesizer and electronic instruments, guitars, vocals, backing vocals) performed by Arash Adelpour, except benju by Ustad Delnavaz, and duduk by Fardin Lahoorpour.
Lyrics by Rumi, except Titanali, Wadar and Dada.
Tracks:
- Toward the Beloved – Vocals: Nashmin (5:21)
- Exile – Vocals: Arash Adelpour (6:04)
- Dada – Vocals: Nashmin (1:15)
- The Innermoon – Vocals: Parisa Vaaleh (3:34)
- Titanali – Vocals: Ustad Delnavaz (6:01)
- Epiphany – Vocals: Nashmin (4:22)
- Salvation – Vocals: Arash Adelpour (4:14)
- Entranced – Vocals: Parisa Vaaleh (5:56)
- Euphoria – Vocals: Arash Adelpour (4:54)
- Wadar – Vocals: Ustad Delnavaz (6:08)
Buy The Ring.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.