From the Lips to the Moon

Album // Out Now // From the Lips to the Moon // Akazib Records // AKZB002 A thing you can only fully see from the moon: so scattered, so fluid, and always shifting. “The world is unsettling, and this album sits with that unsettledness. Capturing four years of live shows, over 100 guest artists, and thousands of audience members in 42 minutes is and was an impossible task. With hugs and gratitude to everyone who shared space with us, here’s an attempt to encapsulate a few of those shared moments.” — Pouya, Tara Created by London-based Iranian duo Pouya Ehsaei and Tara Fatehi, From the Lips to the Moon brings together a cast of London’s fierce, current, and transcultural voices, fusing live electronics, performative poetry, unearthly melodies, noise, and twisted beats. Their debut studio album delves into four years of live encounters, remembered as much for their spontaneity as for their unity. This is a record defined by its contrasts: gritty, sharp-edged electronics, raw vocalizations, and organic instrumental textures give way seamlessly to moments of soft, profound tenderness. Co-written, performed (synths, drum machine, sampler), arranged, produced & mixed by @pouyaehsaei Co-written &and performed: @tamarosborn (Bariton Sax, Clarinet) @kareemdayes (Cello) @yelfrisvaldes (Trumpet) @koroleko_moussa (Balafon, Djembe) @samwarnerpt (Trumpet) @hammadivaldes (Drums, Congas, Bongos) Parham Bahadoran @amoobooghi (Duduk) Words/vocals: Tara Fatehi @tarafteh @ma.moyo Maureen Onwunali @monwunali_poetry @nomakhwazi.becker @tim_etchells Oluwaseun Olayiwola @itsamule Nisha Ramayya @headslice Tasneim Zyada @ms.zyada Artwork: Farhad Qashqai @fashqai Design and Layout: @nahalmarzban Mastered and Cut: Frank Merritt @thecarverystudio Mix Supervision: Dave Holmes @vennpro Recorded: Dave Holmes at Lightship 95 Studio Assistant: Anisha Anantpurkar Art Direction: Pouya Ehsaei & Tara Fatehi Conjured in Peckham, London Thanks to Cafe OTO, Reference Point, Southbank Centre, Counterpoints Arts, V&A, The Rose Hill, Shubbak Festival, Sophiensaele/Tanzpol, Mosaic Rooms, Teatro Lucido Supported by @aceagrams 📸Jemima Yong•Holly Revell•Josh Snaps•Jack Batchelor•Salam Zaied

Big thanks to @resident_advisor and @anuki008 for highlighting our work. 
The album’s on pre-sale via @bandcamp . Catch the launch party on May 15th at @cafeotodalston , featuring a special lineup of @lipstomoon artists. 
Get your tickets before they’re gone! 👋🏽😉

Sun 30 June Southbank Centre, Purcell Room From the Lips to the Moon an unusual music and poetry show by Pouya Ehsaei & Tara Fatehi Book your tickets* via @southbankcentre for an enchanting evening of music, spoken word, beats, bass, poems & visuals with @pouyaehsaei , @sarathykorwar , @kadialy , @nomakhwezi.becker , @tasneimzyada , 2digitvisuals, @moontalkmusik  and @tarafteh 🎥The video is made by the brilliant @yusufemreyalcinn . It’s part of his longer documentary project; to be revealed in due course. With special appearances by @hammadivaldes , @nick.walters.music , @phoenixyemoja , @lagnajita14 , @sasspopoli & @itsamule from a show at @referencepoint180 . 🧡In collaboration with @counterpointsarts  @refugeeweekuk , supported by @acegrams 🍇Thanks to all the artists we’ve worked with and the presence, energy and smiles of our audience. * free tickets available too. Link on @lipstomoon bio. 🇵🇸🇸🇩✊🏽

⚡️Electric vibes all over. A low-fi reel to say huge thanks to everyone who joined us last night. Our guest artists @tamarosborn , @hammadivaldes , @tim_etchells , @kareemdayes , @monwunali_poetry , @itsamule and special appearance Nisha Ramayya (@headslice ) Also big thanks to @akazibrecords , @cafeotodalston , @thesonicagent , @shubbakfestival And our always am-maze-ing audience helping us hold space with wars, genocide, album, brain fog, birthday, pressure, worries, heartbeats on our minds. 🎧Check out the album on bandcamp or streaming. Vinyl, digital. Next London show, 11 July @southbankcentre / Poetry International Festival. SAVE THE DATE

We’re sold out! There’ll be a few tickets on the door; come early to get those. See you at @cafeotodalston

Diana Damian Martin reflects on four years of From the Lips to the Moon and our album. Writing of witches, wild forms, experimentation, sonic frenzy, and dehydrated monsters!! -–––– it’s SO @dianadamianmartin and so @lipstomoon and SO brillinat we couldn’t decide which bits to share here. Read the full text on @neroeditions or via our bio We’re live at Cafe OTO tomorrow 15 May.

Can’t wait to see @hammadivaldes  on percussions this Friday @cafeotodalston . Hammadi has been on our nights in April 2024, and is featured on multiple tracks on the album: Old Photo, How We Love and Imperial System and he never fails to amaze. Hammadi Valdes is a dynamic percussionist, musical director, and educator who has worked closely with legendary dancer Carlos Acosta for over two decades. He contributed to landmark recordings including Irakere 30 Años and Chucho Valdés’ Latin Grammy–winning New Conceptions. Hammadi served as musical director for Acosta’s Tocororo: A Cuban Tale, which broke box office records at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, earned an Olivier Award nomination, and toured internationally. He is currently co-leader of Ariwo, a Cuban-Iranian quartet exploring the intersection of electronic and Afro-Cuban music. 🍒Tickets via @lipstomoon  bio / Cafe OTO website 💦15 May, Doors 7.30 PM Also on the line up are @tamarosborn , @kareemdayes , @tim_etchells , @monwunali_poetry  , @itsamule   Listen to our album produced, arranged & mixed by @PouyaEhsaei , released on @akazibrecords (on bandcamp and all streaming services) Poster design @nahalmarzban  with illustration by @fashqai . Photo by @hollyrevellphotography @lipstomoon is a night by @pouyaehsaei  and Tara Fatehi @tarafteh

FROM SHUBBAK FRIENDS // ALBUM LAUNCH From the Lips to the Moon @lipstomoon have released their long-awaited self-titled debut album on @akazibrecords On 15 May, they’ll be taking over Shubbak’s socials live from @cafeotodalston ,bringing audiences directly into the launch night with exclusive insights and glimpses into the world surrounding the record. Led by Pouya Ehsaei @pouyaehsaei and Tara Fatehi @tarafteh , the album gathers four years of collective experimentation across sound, poetry, performance, and live composition. Each iteration of From the Lips to the Moon shifts shape through new artistic encounters, this edition bringing together Tim Etchells @tim_etchells , Tamar Osborn @tamarosborn , Kareem Dayes @kareemdayes , Hammadi Valdes @hammadivaldes , Maureen Onwunali @monwunali_poetry , and Oluwaseun Olayiwola @itsamule . Live electronics collide with performative poetry, unearthly melodies, noise, twisted beats, heavy subs, and glitchy words — creating a space where language destabilises, inviting audiences into a space where dark fantasy, experimentation, and unexpected encounters unfold. 15 May // Cafe OTO //Follow the takeover on Shubbak’s socials @thesonicagent

Next on our line up for this Friday is Maureen Onwunali (@monwunali_poetry ) 15th of May at @cafeotodalston . We’re excited to have Maureen back, she was first on our nights in 2023 at the @themosaicrooms and also last year at Cafe OTO. She’s also featured on our album with her chilling poem ‘Empire’. MAUREEN ONWUNALI is a Dublin-born Nigerian poet and a two-time national slam champion. Her work has been featured by various musicians, radio shows, and organisations, including BFI, Pearson, Penguin, BBC Radio London, Roundhouse, TEDx, Apples and Snakes, and the Poetry Society.  Empire is Produced, arranged & Mixed by @PouyaEhsaei , also featuring djembe moments by @koroleko_moussa , released on @akazibrecords 🍒Tickets via @lipstomoon  bio or Cafe OTO website. 💦Doors 7.30 PM Poster design @nahalmarzban  with illustration by @fashqai . Photo by @jemimayong A night by @pouyaehsaei  and Tara Fatehi @tarafteh

Joining us at our album launch at @cafeotodalston on 15th of May: @kareemdayes was first at @lipstomoon in our live show March 2025 and is also featured on the track “Plant Me” of our newly released album. Plant Me is Produced, arranged & Mixed by @PouyaEhsaei , also featuring words and voice of @nomakhwezi.becker and released on @akazibrecords Kahlil Ibn Barbara (aka Kareem Dayes ) is a cellist, composer, community organiser and mathematician. Kareem aspires to become a transdisciplinary movement builder and is committed to building alternative community led organisations to meet the crises of climate breakdown, inequality and war. He has performed with United Vibrations and his most recent project is Tom Skinner’s Quartet Kaleidoscopic Visions. 🍒Tickets via @lipstomoon  bio or Cafe OTO website. 💦Doors 7.30 PM Poster design @nahalmarzban  with illustration by @fashqai . Photo by @jack_louis_batchelor A night by @pouyaehsaei  and Tara Fatehi @tarafteh

Listen to Desert on our new album with words and voice by Oluwaseun Olayiwola (@itsamule ) and join us on Friday 15 May for the live experience of @lipstomoon at @cafeotodalston Desert is Produced & Mixed by @PouyaEhsaei featuring @tamarosborn on baritone sax. Oluwaseun (Seun) Olayiwola is a poet, critic, choreographer and performer based in London. HJis choreographic work has been presented at the V&A, The Place, The Central School of Ballet, and Studio Voltaire. He’s been commissioned by RSL, Ledbury Poetry Festival, Southwark Council, and Studio 3 Arts. Seun has an MFA in Choreography from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where he was a Fulbright Scholar in 2018-2019. He is a lecturer in dance in the Kingston School of Art and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. 🍒Tickets via @lipstomoon bio or Cafe OTO website. 💦Doors 7.30 PM Poster design @nahalmarzban with illustration by @fashqai . Photo by @hollyrevellphotography A night by @pouyaehsaei and Tara Fatehi @tarafteh

@tamarosborn brought fire to our lipstomoon show in Feb 2024 @referencepoint180 . She’s featured on four tracks of our upcoming album and surely will bring 🔥🔥 to our album launch at @cafeotodalston 🫆Fri 15 May 🐚Cafe OTO 🚪Doors 7.30 PM 🌙Tickets via link in our bio or via @cafeotodalston 🎠Album coming on @akazibrecords Saxophonist Tamar Osborn is a composer, bandleader, band member and session musician. This versatile and prolific artist is also a solo artist making powerful left-of-centre music across multiple genres.  Her band Collocutor released three albums with On The Corner Records and she has toured or recorded with Kelis, dance maestro Akram Khan, and Spiritualized. Since 2009, she’s been a member of Dele Sosimi’s Afrobeat Orchestra and performed in Fela! The Musical. She took part in the London, Marseilles and Roskilde editions of Africa Express. Ensembles include Flock, Unknown to Known and Tryp Tych Tryo, alongside collaborations with Sarathy Korwar, Tommaso Cappellato, Camilla George, Momoko, Ill Considered, Rosa Brunello and Cape Town’s Asher Gamedze. In 2024 award-winning Moments Notice launched their record label with Osborn’s improvised trio performance. She has a monthly show on Soho Radio. 👄🌙 From the Lips to the Moon is a night of words, hums, music, glitch, poetry, performance. In this edition @pouyaehsaei and Tara Fatehi @tarafteh ) are joined by Tamar Osborn @tamarosborn (multiwinds), Hammadi Valdes @hammadivaldes (percussions), Kareem Dayes, @kareemdayes (cello) and writers and spoken word artists Tim Etchells (@tim_etchells ), Maureen Onwunali (@monwunali_poetry ), Oluwaseun Olayiwola (@itsamule ) Design: @nahalmarzban , illustration by Farhad Qashqai (@fashqai ) 📸 by: @jemimayong 💗Thanks to our promotional partner @shubbakfestival 💚