Barzin is a Canadian singer-songwriter named Barzin Hosseini.

Slow a… Read Full Bio ↴Barzin is a Canadian singer-songwriter named Barzin Hosseini.

Slow and melancholic, introspective and confessional: These words in some ways describe the sound of Barzin. A project that began sometime in 1995, Barzin was a solo endeavor at its inception. But somewhere along the way it shed its solitary skin allowing a wide array of characters into it’s sound. From amongst a rotating cast of musicians, who occasionally made appearances on recordings and at performances, three individuals slowly became a fixture of this project. The three characters in question are Mike Findlay, Suzanne Hancock, and Tony Dekker (Great Lake Swimmers). On 2003, Barzin released its self-titled debut album through the Montreal based label, Where Are My Records. The following year an E.P. titled Songs for Hinah, was released through the French based label, Hinah. And in 2006, the second full-length album titled My Life in Rooms was released in Canada through Weewerk Records and in Europe and U.S. through Monotreme Records.

Barzin's second album, entitled My Life In Rooms, walks a minimalist line between chamber pop, alt-country, and indie rock. This collection of songs leans toward the melancholic writing of such bands as Tindersticks and Mojave 3. Barzin fuses instruments such as French horn, vibraphone, pedal steel, and a drum machine to create a unique, quiet music that is expansive and at times cinematic, while never losing its sense of intimacy or honesty. Barzin, Tony Dekker (Great Lake Swimmers) and Suzanne Hancock were the central musicians on the album, while Don Kerr, Sandro Perri (Polmo Polpo), Tamara Williamson, Lewis Melville, and Matt Verta-Ray (Heavy Trash) all helped shape its remarkable sound. The lovely string arrangements were scored by Karen Graves (who also arranged Hayden's Skyscraper National Park)

On his new and latest album, "Notes to an Absent Lover" (Monotreme Records) Barzin leaves behind the sonic experimentation that played such a central role in "My life in Rooms." He brings together a new cast of musicians (Nick Zubeck, Marshal Bureau, Darren Wall, Robbie Grunwald) for this album. With the addition of these new musicians, a new range is introduced to the songs as well as to the overall sound of the album.

"Notes to an Absent Lover" brings new textures and colors to the Barzin palette. The album balances the introspection of his earlier work with up-tempo orchestral arrangements that provide a richly melodic heartbeat to these glowing confessionals. Personal but never indulgent, the raw honesty of the lyrics details universal themes of sorrow, regret and anger, evoking all the vulnerability and shifting emotions confronted in the wake of a shattered relationship.

"Notes to an Absent Lover" was recorded by Don Kerr (Ron Sexsmith) and Jeremy Darby (Pink Floyd, Lou Reed), and mixed by Chad Irschick and Darryl Neudorf (Neko Case, The New Pornographers).

The Dream Song
Barzin Lyrics

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Desperate in my sleep
like I had lost something
when I awoke I found
it was just a dream
Dusk was coming down
the house made no sound
funny how a dream
it can make you weak

So I became the king
the king of all things weak
and I wrote this song
about all things I need
Will I have a house?
Will I be a star?
what will people think
if I didn't make it far?
Funny how a dream
it can make you weak
just a simple dream
it can make you weak

Come back home Suzanne
'cause it's getting bleak
your boy has become
the king of all things weak
Come back home Suzanne
come and make it okay
It was a simple dream I know
but it won't go away
it was a simple dream I know
but it won't go away
Funny how a dream
it can make you weak

just a simple dream
it can make you weak

Overall Meaning

The Dream Song by Barzin is a song that captures the throes of anxiety and the fear of failure that comes with pursuing one's dreams. The lyrics depict the singer struggling with a sense of loss and desperation in his sleep, only to wake and realize that it was all just a dream. As dusk falls and the house becomes quiet, the dream lingers, making the singer feel weak and vulnerable.

As the song progresses, the singer reflects on his aspirations and the weight of expectations placed on him by others. He wonders whether he will ever own a house or become a star, and worries about what people will think if he fails to achieve his goals. These doubts hang over him like a dark cloud, weakening his resolve and making him feel small. In the end, the singer pleads with someone named Suzanne to come home and make things okay, admitting that even a simple dream can have a powerful hold over him.

Overall, The Dream Song is a poignant reflection on the power of dreams to both inspire and terrify. It speaks to the anxieties that many people feel as they pursue their goals, and the sense of loss that comes with the realization that even our most cherished dreams are often just illusions.

Line by Line Meaning

Desperate in my sleep
Feeling anxious and hopeless while asleep

like I had lost something
As if there's something important missing

when I awoke I found
After waking up, realizing the feeling is associated with a dream

it was just a dream
Feeling relieved and realizing it was not real

Dusk was coming down
Twilight was approaching

the house made no sound
There was no noise from the place I was in

funny how a dream
Ironically, a dream has the power to affect my emotions

it can make you weak
It has the ability to make me feel powerless and vulnerable

So I became the king
I imagined myself as a powerful ruler

the king of all things weak
In control of everything with a sense of frailty

and I wrote this song
Expressing my feelings through this music