Tags: Turkish

Review: The Brazil 45 series from Mr Bongo bursts through the picture with yet another rocking 7" fire starter by two vintage pop greats - we have to say, their format simply works. First up is Elis Regina, a Brazilian singer who released a countless pop records back in the '60s, and "Ye Me Le" is a soft, seductive Brazilian soul warmer complete with blasting trumpets and that inimitable South American percussion swagger. Turkey's Senay features on the flip with "En Buyuk Sansin Yasiyor Olman", an incandescent lover's ballad that makes a welcome change to the more widely heard Turkish psych sound of the '70s.

Review: Hot Casa France reissue a sultry drum workout from master Turkish darbouka player Yasar Akpence's 2004 album 'Passion Percussion'. 'Desert wind' layers unbelievably tight darbouka trills and phrases over a pulsing, almost dembow-esque core, making for a perfect Balearic DJ tool for any occasion. We can imagine this one bookending hypnotic techno wormholes in a small hours Donato Dozzy set, with its wide stereo drum intrusions and tight production longing to be aired off a suitably weighty soundsystem. Truly chameleonic and compelling music!

Review: The intriguingly named Humus Per Tutti label has made us wait well over two years for a seance EP after the tantalising first volume of this self-titled series. It comes from a section of artists who are all editing some worldly source material. First off is a Jean Kefta edit that locks you in a guitar loop while intoxicating vocals up top bring the charm. The Babach Flangerman mix of the A1 is another loopy disco cut with a Middle Eastern flavour and the comes Jean Kefta & Max Houmous's snake charming and psychedelic disco groover 'Muharaqa'.
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Review: Berlin-based Turkish singer and multi-instrumentalist Derya Yildirim fronts Grup Simsek - a psych-pop delight which channels the unmistakable lilt of Anatolian musical tradition. After releasing the first instalment last year, the band return to deliver the second half of their double album DOST. In the interim since that first half dropped they've recorded a BBC Radio 6 Music session, been featured all over the place and played internationally. The release of DOST 2 should cement their ascendance in a swirl of 70s informed funk driven by Yildirim's enchanting vocals and the fluid grooves of her backing band.

Review: Ahead of their European tour, Turkish electronic group Islandman share their EP 'Popsicle Obstacle', the new material on which tracks a heady musical pathway from archaic folk traditions and regional acoustics right through to the modern-day tonic-sonics of the electronic sequencer. Having made headway from the spiritualist dream of primitive past to the glossy utopia of a digital future, Islandman's core members are multi-instrumentalist & producer Tolga Boyuk, Eralp Guven (percussion) and Erdem Baser (guitars). The title is a misnomer, if not for the fact that the six tracks here are hardly obstacles at all; rather, they're hugely well-produced, flavoursome treats, chief among which has to be the incredible track 'Simple Man', which - take it from us - just gets cooler and cooler, timbrally and tastefully.

Review: Eje Eje - the solo project of one Itamar Kluger - blends tropes of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, funk and dub music to produce thoroughly danceable multi-instrumental trances, as is evidenced by their compelling new release here, 'Five Seasons'. Springboarding from his former work with the Satellites, Kluger deploys his skills as Eje Eje to incantate a special blend of perspectives, reflecting his own interest in humankind's subjective perception of reality. Informed by national and global cultural movements and traditions, he insists on collectively creating and sharing stories, at times to explain the unexplainable.

Review: The latest niche disco compilation to froth forth from Germany's Seismographic label is a self-described 'mysterious record', intending to both hide and show something at the same time. Indeed, we know the feeling, since when it comes to dubious emotions such as ennui and bittersweetness - both common to pop and disco - it takes a skilled artistic, productive and curative effort to pin down both emotions (unskilled hands would liken the art to catching eels in a barrel). Made up entirely of two records that were 'most probably' released in the mid-1970s on Turkish Roma, Disco Dances From Turkey does exactly what it says on the verso. Psychedelic motifs, hard-hitting drums, Arabesk percussion, and hip-hop friendly breaks all collide to produce a careful combo in nine takes, delving into the heart of Romano-Turkish pop music from the 70s.

Review: Satellites' self-titled debut album, released on Batov Records, is a dynamic addition to the Anatolian Rock scene. This Haifa-based band, led by Itamar Kluger, deftly balances tradition and innovation. With their mastery of the saz and baglama, they infuse vibrant electric beats with swooning melodies, prog rock intricacies, and disco flair. The album's highlight, 'Seni Sen Oldugun Icin Sevdim,' is a tradeark example at Satellites' adventurous spirit, blending full-throttle jazz rock with psychedelic interludes. Their reinterpretation of the traditional 'Yagmur Yagar Tas Ustune' merges dark folk with alt-rock, featuring Yuli Shafriri's ethereal vocals. Satellites' enthusiastic approach breathes new life into classics like Zafer Dilek's 'Yekte' and Kamuran Akkor's 'Olurmu Desin.' The former revels in distortion with robust synths, while the latter's skanking guitar and harmonies add urgency to the ballad. Instrumentals like 'Big Baglama' set the tone with twanging saz and disco rhythms, while tracks like 'Yar Oi' and 'Disco Arabesque' offer buoyant, danceable beats. The closing song, 'Cecom,' is a gentle, soothing coda that hints at future explorations. With their inventive blend of genres, Satellites promise an intriguing musical journey ahead.