From Teheran to Florence, the Bowland and their sound full

They are the BowLand, a band founded in Florence. Discover our interview

*interview taken from Firenze made in Tuscany n.54, issued before the coronavirus emergency

Leila’s, Pejman’s and Saeed’s eyes, face and music speak more than one thousand words. They are the BowLand, a band founded in Florence in 2015 by three friends ( still high-school students at the time) who met in Teheran and moved, separately and at different times, to Florence to study. Their sound is deeply rooted in the electronic genre, but is also a well-made mixture of groovy elements and ethereal lyricism, truly unique of its kind. The most representative band of the 2018 edition of the X-Factor Italy show, the Bowland have come a long way and tell us who they are and where they are headed.  

Handcrafted and electronic, that’s how we enjoy describing your music. Does your ‘craftsmanship’ have anything to do with Florence’s craft tradition?

This is a very interesting reading of our bond with Florence. We’ve been living in this beautiful city for years and we’ve taken in the artistic atmosphere oozing from every corner. Florence is our ongoing source of inspiration, so its deeply-rooted crafts tradition might have, in some way,   influenced us. 

Your sound is a journey through a fascinating world: please take us on your personal tour of  the places that have ‘contaminated’ your music.

Our many trips together back to Iran have definitely inspired us. We are particularly fond of Southern Iran, where music plays a very important role in everyday life. It has strongly influenced us from the rhythmical point of view. Another very inspiring place for us is the Tuscan countryside, where we moved lately to work on our new album, lost in its beauty.  

How did you, Pejman and Saeed, imagine your adult life when you were kids?

We each had our own vision of the future, but we never dreamt,  or dared to dream,  of becoming full-time musicians. We have always shared a deep passion for music, which is why we founded the band in 2015, while we were busy studying/working in other fields. And then, in 2018, after the X-Factor show, everything changed. 

What do you miss the most about Teheran?

Spending time with our family and friends, all the meals and parties at home. We miss driving through the city while listening to music, especially late at night when the streets are less congested with cars and stop for a fresh green melon or pomegranate shake. We miss the warmth, affection and genuineness of our people. We miss the Friday trips with our friends. We miss the food very much, in particular, our mothers’ cooking. 

Florence from morning to night: take us to the places that speak of you.

We live in different neighborhoods in Florence. Pejman and I live in the Santo Spirito neighborhood, whereas Saeed lives in the Sant’Ambrogio area. We have a few shared favorites, such as the Garden of Scuderie Reali, the Odeon and Compagnia Theatres, Manifattura Tabacchi, the Boboli Gardens and the complexes of Santa Maria Novella and  Santa Croce, the San Miniato Cemetery, Antica Porta and Bistrot Santa Rosa restaurants and the Firenze-Scandicci highway exit, which reminds us of the Bowland’s endless business trips in the past few years. 

A record, a book and a film that speak of you?

Leila: Heligoland, Massive Attack; Harry Potter series, J.K Rowling, Dancer in the Dark, Lars Von Trier. Pejman: Moon Safari, Air; Boof-e-Koor, Sadegh Hedayat; π Darren Aronofsky. Saeed:

Kid A, Radiohead, Museo dell’Innocenza, Orhan Pamuk; Fight Club, David Fincher.

Plans for the near future?

We are working on our new album, carefully and patiently. We are also carrying on interesting collaborations with other artists. 

Apart from music, what do the Bowland enjoy doing?

Travelling, being in contact with nature and animals, going to concerts, watching films and TV series, eating, reading…

What artist do you dream of collaborating with?

Well, let’s dream big: Thom Yorke.