Zherav - Naja / Bazaar [Batov Records]

Format: 7".
CAT: BTR13

ZHERAV unleashes hypnotic Middle Eastern grooves on NAJA / BAZAAR 45 for Batov’s highly collectible 45rpm singles series.

New Zealand-based producer ZHERAV announces his debut release, NAJA / BAZAAR, a double A-side 45-single in Batov’s Middle Eastern Grooves series. The record fuses psychedelic rock, hypnotic rhythms and electronic production influences, creating a sound that moves between swinging grooves and reverb-drenched cinematic textures.

ZHERAV draws inspiration from his background in house and techno, layering live guitar, bass and synths over programmed drums. “I had a production template for house music in Ableton,” he explains, “and I thought about how to move towards this Middle Eastern sound using the same format.” Most of ZHERAV’s tracks came from jamming: starting with programmed drums and then experimenting with scales on different instruments until something clicked. ZHERAV has already received support from independent radio stations in Australia and New Zealand, as well as endorsement from international artists such as Ko Shin Moon.

Both tracks explore Middle Eastern scales, bringing a distinctive character to the grooves while maintaining ZHERAV's signature hypnotic and layered sound. To create the A-side, NAJA (“Indian Cobra”), ZHERAV had the image of snakes and snake charmers in mind. A menacing bassline loops over dry, cutting drums and percussion, as ZHERAV improvises guitar riffs and effects over the top.

The B-side, Bazaar, evokes the vibrant, nocturnal image of a Middle Eastern market at nightfall. Again organically shaped through improvisation and analog texture, albeit with a faster tempo. Flutes and percussion introduce the track before a pulsating bassline takes over.

Looking ahead, ZHERAV is exploring hybrid formats between live sets and DJ sets, as well as collaborations with local musicians. NAJA / BAZAAR is an exciting new addition to Batov’s Middle Eastern Groove series, promising to transport the listener to a world of rhythm, texture and hypnotic instrumental narratives.