In 2017 musician Parjam Parsi released his classical album Blue Butterfly. The twenty-minute record was the composer’s fifth offering to the world and it told the story of a butterfly named Azure that wanted to defy the way of his society and traditions and embark on a personal journey.
The opening track, A Piece Of Sun, sets the tone and feel that will continue the rest of the album with us. The warm and dark tone of the piano shows how greatly the album was produced, how detailed the phrasing of the piano lines is, and how the emotional impact of the story is delivered and conveyed through melodies alone and without words. A Song Of Despair perfectly describes the feeling of inability and facing obstacles, thanks to its ambient sounds that play the percussive role in the track. At this point in the story you can begin to visualize the butterfly and its movements in what felt like a fantasy world. Another Land is a little more hopeful and lets you think of Azure’s plan beginning to work with him soaring and reaching higher ground. It’s amazing how such closely related musical movements throughout the album can feel related, but at the same time represent totally different emotions and a different kind of vibe.
August Rain has a faster tempo and a fiercer mood than the previous track, which felt like an amazing change. Blood Moon, Silver Star is the song that makes you think Azure is having a better understanding of life and some realizations that are different than his initial beliefs. The sixth track is the album’s title track, and it’s the peak of the ambient bassy sounds intertwining with the piano…I loved it so much. The following track, Each Day, has some more of these percussive sounds that make you feel like Azure is getting a slap of reality with facts he does not want to face. I Want You To Know is a soft and somber number that made me feel like there’s harmony amidst the chaos of mistakes and wrong decisions our protagonist has made…it’s hard to describe how soothing and calming the track makes you unless you hear it in the middle of the album to get that context.
In This Sadness Of Mine feels like it’s propelling us towards the story’s conclusion with its warm and deep notes intertwined with the melodies, and once again those ambient percussion sounds. Like A Frozen Tree continues that same vibe but with an ascension towards a more positive place. After that we have the soft and serene Roots , and just from the name, you can feel like this song talks about how pleasant it can be to return to one’s figurative (and sometimes literal) roots and act like they did, and it’s all thanks to the amazing piano composition that I was able to reach this conclusion. The closer track, Sisters, makes the ending even happier as Azure returns not just to the habitat but also to the companions as well.
All in all, this is a record that doesn’t need a single word or a piece of vocals to tell a wonderful and majestic story. The piano, being the mother of all instruments, manages to carry the emotional impact of all these tracks on its own and the album will leave you with a lot of raw and honest emotions that other big records couldn’t even reach a fraction of.