Habib Meftah is a percussionist from Bushehr who works with the traditional music of southern Iran in contemporary settings. He describes his music as handmade folk music, even when its altered sound suggests electronics.3 His full name is Habib Meftah Boushehri; in a 2019 interview, he explained that he had shortened his professional name while retaining Boushehri in his passport.3
Recordings
7 releases, oldest first. Select one for its details and sources.
No matches.
Sumud Acoustic EPwith Niyaz
FALFAALIwith Pouya Mahmoodi
ShibaaliBi Aseman (Skyless)with Milad Bagheri, Hooman Namdari, Mehdi Bagheri, Shaghayegh Bagheri, Adel Poursamadi and Taha Mazaheri
Unbalanced
1000 FARSANGwith ROUZBEH ESFAND
Tcheltcheleh (Live)with Arshid Azarine, Hervé De Ratuld, Nuria Rovira Salat and Golsa
Bi Aseman (Skyless)
بیآسمان
SoundCloud 22Spotify 21Apple Music 23YouTube 24YouTube 25
- Released
- 21
- Contributors
- Milad Bagheri (composer), Hooman Namdari (composer), Ahoora Iman (lyricist), Mehdi Bagheri (kamancheh), Shaghayegh Bagheri (vocals), Adel Poursamadi (violin), Habib Meftah (percussion) and Taha Mazaheri (guitar)2223
Life & work
Learning in Bushehr
Meftah began making music at ten. His first instrument was the dammam, a drum with goatskins on both sides, worn across the body, which he knew from mosque ceremonies. He learned by watching and listening to older players rather than studying with a master.3 In his account, southern Iran’s musical distinctiveness comes from the meeting of Arab, Indian and African cultures.3
France and ensemble work
At twenty-three, Meftah moved to France after the dance company Montalvo-Hervieu invited him and ney-anban player Saeid Shanbehzadeh to work on a dance project.3 He dates his first solo album, Deyzangeroo, to 2005.3
Alongside his solo work, he helped form Gabgoo in 2006 with Reza Abaee, Hamid Saeedi and Henrik Nagi.5 He was also in the founding lineup of Darkoob in 1386 in the Solar Hijri calendar.4
Shibaali: memory and sound
By the 2019 interview, Meftah was working in a duo with sound designer Nicolas Lacoummette, with Zak Cammoun as sound engineer. He described traditional music from Bushehr, Abadan and Bandar Abbas as the foundation of his work, adapting its sound to reach listeners beyond its usual audience.3
The concert project Shibaali drew on memories from childhood through adulthood. Its title, meaning “underneath the clothing” in his language, recalled the coins and sweets his grandmother hid for him under a thin white scarf. He wanted the concerts to offer the same sense of small, unfolding surprises.3 The seven-track album Shibaali was released on 22 November 2020.67
Songs and collaborators
On FALFAALI, Meftah and Pouya Mahmoodi worked from an old Bushehri folk melody, with lyrics by Mohammad Laryan and Mahmoodi’s microtonal electric guitar.8 The official video credits both musicians for the music. Apple Music dates the single to July 2020, while Meftah’s Bandcamp edition is dated October.91011
The three-track EP Unbalanced followed in October 2021, with music by Meftah, lyrics by Mohammad Laryan and production by Valentin Mussou.112 In January 2025, Meftah and Rouzbeh Esfand released 1000 FARSANG, with lyrics by Salam Riazy.1314
Sources
- 1Unbalanced | Habib Meftah
4 quotes
https://f4.bcbits.com/img/0047303227_10.jpg
NEW EP by Habib Meftah
released October 29, 2021
Unbalanced by Habib Meftah
- 2Habib Meftah Official Music
4 quotes
https://habibmeftah.bandcamp.com/album/shibaali
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2lcQbuqkatXgu1F7M1oien?si=oNpp9FmwTFu9xSCvHrtd4g
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCleaoNGm7DzgU1Tg-NqYSPg
https://soundcloud.com/habib-boushehri
- 3Interview with Habib Meftah | Qantara
14 quotes
It refers to my origins in the southern Iranian town of Bushehr, and thatʹs the name in my passport. But I havenʹt used that part of my name, as an artist, for a few years now. "Habib Meftah" on its own is catchier.
Your full name is Habib Meftah Boushehri – what does the last part mean?
I donʹt use that name for it. A lot of people would think it meant electronic music. But my music is all hand-made. The foundation of my work is traditional southern Iranian music from Abadan, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr and other places. Iʹd like to put it in contemporary clothing so that people who arenʹt normally interested in traditional sounds listen to it. I simply play folk music with its sound adapted to the present day.
At the age of ten.
My first instrument was the dammam, a drum with goatskins on either side, worn across the body. I was familiar with it from religious ceremonies in the mosque.
I just listened to and watched the older men playing – and didnʹt ask anything.
The sounds have a lot of very different roots. Two hundred years ago, Arabs from the Gulf region and Indians came to the south, along with black slaves from Africa.
I was 23 when I moved to France. The Compagnie Montalvo-Hervieu had invited me and my colleague, the ney-anban player Saeid Shanbehzadeh, to work on a dance project with them.
"Deyzangeroo" was the name of my first solo album, from 2005.
My musical development eventually took me to the duo Iʹm now in, with my colleague Nicolas Lacoummette. Heʹs been working with me as a sound designer for five years now; Zak Cammoun is our sound engineer.
Itʹs a kind of musical diary of my life. Iʹve worked with impressions from my childhood and youth and my adulthood.
And "Shibaali", the title of the project, means "underneath the clothing" in our language.
For example, when I came home from school at noon, as a child, my grandmother would often surprise me with a little present, a coin or a sweet. These things were always hidden under a thin white scarf, which older women in southern Iran still use to cover themselves.
The idea is to produce lots of little surprises for the audience as the concert goes on – just like my grandmother did in our garden.
- 4کنسرت 10 سالگی گروه «دارکوب» برگزار میشود · Tasnim News
One quote
گروه «دارکوب» در سال 86 متشکل از همایون نصیری، دارا دارایی، امید حاجیلی، بابک بروجردی و حبیب مفتاح بوشهر کار خود را در عرصه موسیقی آغاز کرد.
- 5TheBand - GABGOO · Gabgoo (official site, archived)
One quote
Gabgoo started its work in 2006 when Reza Abaee , Hamid Saeedi , Henrik Nagi , and Habib Meftah Bushehri joined one another to form a musical band.
- 6Shibaali | Habib Meftah
2 quotes
released November 22, 2020
Shibaali by Habib Meftah
- 7Listen to Shibaali by Habib Meftah
2 quotes
2020. 7 Songs. Duration: 26 minutes.
Listen to Shibaali by Habib Meftah on Apple Music. 2020. 7 Songs. Duration: 26 minutes.
- 8Habib Meftah & Pouya Mahmoodi - Falfaali
One quote
“Falfaali” is based on an old Bushehri folk melody, written by Habib Meftah to lyrics of Mohammad Laryan, alongside the eclectic sound of Pouya Mahmoudi’s custom-designed microtonal electric guitar – which has roots both in progressive rock and Iranian classical and folk music.
- 9Habib Meftah -Falfaali (feat , Pouya Mahmoodi)
3 quotes
Music : Habib Meftah & Pouya Mahmoodi
Lyric : Mohammad Laryan
Habib Meftah -Falfaali (feat , Pouya Mahmoodi)
- 10Listen to Falfaali (feat. Pouya Mahmoodi) - Single by Habib Meftah
2 quotes
"datePublished":"2020-07-17"
Listen to Falfaali (feat. Pouya Mahmoodi) - Single by Habib Meftah on Apple Music. 2020. 1 Song. Duration: 3 minutes.
- 11FALFAALI | HABIB MEFTAH - POUYA MAHMOODI
3 quotes
released October 10, 2020
https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a1090081541_2.jpg
FALFAALI by HABIB MEFTAH - POUYA MAHMOODI
- 12Unbalanced
4 quotes
Music : Habib Meftah Produced : Valentin Mussou Lyrics : Mohammad Laryan Mix & Master : Rouzbreh Esfandarmaz - Pat Stewart Graphic Art : Mahdi Yousefi Photo : Yanis Baybaud Published : Unitedvoice
Music : Habib Meftah
Lyrics : Mohammad Laryan
Produced : Valentin Mussou
- 131000 FARSANG | Habib Meftah and Rouzbeh Esfand
2 quotes
1000 FARSANG by HABIB MEFTAH AND ROUZBEH ESFAND
released January 14, 2025
- 141000 Farsang - Habib Meftah (Ft. Rouzbeh Esfand)
2 quotes
Lyrics : Salam Riazy
1000 Farsang - Habib Meftah (Ft. Rouzbeh Esfand)
- 15Niyaz — Six Degrees Records
2 quotes
Sumud Acoustic EP (2013)
https://www.sixdegreesrecords.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Niyaz-Sumud-Acoustic-EP-Cover.png
- 16Niyaz Sumud Acoustic EP — Six Degrees Records
One quote
“Naseem” features a duet between Azam’s voice and Niyaz percussionist and Flute player Habib Meftah Boucheri on his self-made flute playing a haunting melody.
- 17Niyaz - Sumud Acoustic - EP · Niyaz / Six Degrees Records
2 quotes
Niyaz - Sumud Acoustic - EP
https://open.spotify.com/album/0RQ4ZjBITITmuc4S188fkG?go=1&utm_source=Original_Original&utm_medium=Original&utm_content=dd79ffbe-d22d-4cb9-b4ff-603240abda87_none_Niyaz_none_Sumud%20Acoustic%20-%20EP_none_20170509_direct_six-degrees-back-catalog_none_niyaz.lnk.to%2Fsumudacoustic
- 18Sumud - The Acoustic - EP - Album by Niyaz - Apple Music
One quote
Preview Sumud - The Acoustic - EP by Niyaz on Apple Music. 2013. 6 Songs. Duration: 29 minutes. Buy the album for ₺5,94. Songs start at ₺0,99.
- 19Falfaali
One quote
Falfaali
- 20Listen to Shibaali - Album by Habib Meftah | Spotify
One quote
Listen to Shibaali - Album by Habib Meftah | Spotify
- 21Bi Aseman (Skyless) | Spotify
3 quotes
https://i.scdn.co/image/ab67616d0000b273ab0f138ca75b8ba9f68c141c
2021-08-25
Bi Aseman (Skyless)
- 22Bi Aseman (skyless)
9 quotes
Photo Credit: Roozbeh Roozbehani
Music: Milad Bagheri & Hooman Namdari
Lyrics: Ahoora Iman
Kamancheh: Mehdi Bagheri
Soprano: Shaghayegh Bagheri
Violin: Adel Poursamadi
Percussion: Habib Meftah(Habiboo)
Elc & Steel Guitars: Taha Mazaheri
Bi Aseman (skyless)
- 23Bi Aseman (Skyless) - Single
2 quotes
Listen to Bi Aseman (Skyless) - Single by Milad Bagheri & Hooman Namdari on Apple Music. 2021. 1 Song. Duration: 3 minutes.
Bi Aseman (Skyless)
- 24Bi Aseman Skyless
One quote
Elc & Steel Guitars: Taha Mazaheri
- 25Bi Aseman (Skyless)
One quote
Released on: 2021-08-25
- 26Balanced
3 quotes
Music : Habib Meftah
Lyrics :Mohammad Laryan
Produced : Valentin Mussou
- 27Landed
3 quotes
Music : Habib Meftah
Lyrics : Mohammad Laryan
Produced : Valentin Mussou
- 28Listen to Unbalanced - Single by Habib Meftah
One quote
Listen to Unbalanced - Single by Habib Meftah on Apple Music. 2021. 3 Songs. Duration: 9 minutes.
- 29Unbalanced
One quote
Unbalanced
- 30Listen to 1000 Farsang (feat. ROUZBEH ESFAND) - Single by Habib Meftah
One quote
Listen to 1000 Farsang (feat. ROUZBEH ESFAND) - Single by Habib Meftah on Apple Music. 2025. 1 Song. Duration: 3 minutes.
- 311000 Farsang
One quote
1000 Farsang
- 32https://music.apple.com/us/song/tcheltcheleh-live/1891658765
3 quotes
https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music211/v4/fb/e6/cf/fbe6cf33-335d-7473-8c46-f42529ce7ec2/16832.jpg/1200x630bb.jpg
2026-04-24
Listen to Tcheltcheleh (Live) by Arshid Azarine, Habib Meftah, Hervé De Ratuld, Nuria Rovira Salat & Golsa on Apple Music. 2026. Duration: 6:21
- 33Tcheltcheleh - Live — Spotify
One quote
Listen to Tcheltcheleh - Live on Spotify. Song · Arshid Azarine, Habib Meftah, Hervé De Ratuld, Nuria Rovira Salat, Golsa · 2026