This show by Iranian-Dutch selector Katayoun explores the sonic imaginaries of Southern Iran, focusing on the coastal regions of the Persian Gulf, historically home to Iranians of African and Arab descent.

At the heart of the show is Bandari —meaning “music from the port”— a vibrant musical tradition typically associated with dancing, that gained popularity in Iranian pop music since the 1960s with its influence peaking in the diasporic hub of Tehrangeles.

This mixtape weaves together vintage treasures including “Darya Darya” (sea sea) by Zia, tracks by Iranian musicians from the actual south (Bushehr) like Saeid Shanbezadeh, and reinterpretations of the Bandar (port), its people, and its music by Iranian artists in the diaspora, such as Sepideh’s “Kish” (Kish Island). It offers an upbeat, kaleidoscopic, and romanticized view of a dynamic and complex geography and its musical heritage.