INTO THE MOSH 115: ZIRZÅMIN | A TECHNO JOURNEY BENEATH THE SURFACE
Words by Harris Wakeling.
The first edition of ZIRZÅMIN delivered a seven-hour session of carefully curated dub, deep, and hypnotic techno in the basement of echo & bounce. Organised by Payman Meydani, the event featured extended sets from Vibeat, Moshak, Azul666, and Payman himself, offering a showcase of underground sound and community spirit.
Vision & Venue
ZIRZÅMIN, which means ‘underground’ in Persian, is a fitting name for an event held beneath the surface, both physically and musically. The visual identity came from designer Lynne Zakhour, who created the event’s symbolic ‘Dancing Djinn’ logo. In Persian mythology, Djinn are supernatural beings known to dwell in places like basements. Carved into a lightbox, the unmistakable Djinn pulsed with colour and movement, watching over the dancefloor all night.
The layering of music, venue, and myth wasn’t just clever branding, it was a cohesive vision executed with intent. Every detail, from the music to the lighting to the layout, worked in harmony. The echo & bounce basement, when used well, has a certain magic which ZIRZÅMIN tapped into beautifully.
Music & Performance
Payman set the tone early, delivering atmospheric dub techno laced with tight drums and sharp basslines that tiptoed up and down the rhythmic ladder. Deep, airy chords floated above the low end, conducting shoulders to sway side to side and heads to bob up and down. As his set progressed, he began to lean into harder territory, hinting at what was to come.
Vibeat took over after two hours with a noticeable shift in sound. The Naarm-based producer brought a unique style that blended hypnotic techno, progressive house, and deep tech into a body-shaking, wall-rattling experience. His love for sound design and sequencing was evident in every selection, each moment felt deliberately placed, yet subtly unpredictable. The relentless four-on-the-floor rhythms meant there were forty-four and more on the floor at any given time.
Moshak then took things into uncharted territory with a live set. The improvisational nature of his performance injected unpredictability, with the crowd listening closely to how the sound would evolve next. His set layered ambient textures with raw, industrial tones, inviting the audience to feel as much as listen; a tactile, shifting soundscape that pushed the boundaries of conventional techno.
Azul666 closed the night with a high-octane set that kept the energy peaking until the lights came on. Bone-rattling bass kicks and lashing hi-hats were combined with deliriously deteriorating bleep sequences, metallic echoes, and snake-like synths. The occasional spillover into trance-leaning grooves delivered some of the night’s most aggressive moments. A regular at Esoteric and Earth Frequency festivals and some of Naarm’s iconic venues, she brought a seasoned energy into the basement space.
Crowd & Community
The crowd filled in quickly during the first hour and stayed strong for the full seven. There was a constant flow of energy; revived dancers re-entering the floor after brief breaks, crews boosting each other’s stamina, and spontaneous moments of connection that rippled across the room. Even when stepping upstairs for a breather, the community spirit was strong; chatter, laughter, and a sense that everyone was in it together.
The music built steadily, reaching a sustained peak that made it harder to leave the dancefloor than to stay on it. The 1am close felt premature, with the crowd clearly ready to keep going until sunrise.
ZIRZÅMIN’s debut struck a rare balance between concept, curation, and community. It brought together the right people, space, and sound in a powerful way and it’s clear this is just the beginning.