Blessed with a heavenly voice, Olcay Bayır has been singing for as long as she can remember. She was born in Gaziantep to a Kurdish Alevi family steeped in the âşık (wandering minstrels) tradition, and her career as a classically-trained singer-songwriter is a perfect marriage of her roots and global music experiences following her move […]
On their debut album ‘On’ (Bongo Joe Records), Altın Gün showed what happens when you open doors between Turkish folk songs on the one hand and a dirty blend of funk rhythms, wah-wah guitars and analogue organs on the other. The Amsterdammers who come from various backgrounds (Turkish, but also Indonesian and Dutch), comfortably create […]
Not seen live in the UK since Wembley Arena 2008, after a long break Tarkan is set to return to Britain to light up the stage at the Apollo Hammersmith on 6th October. For those not familiar with the multi-million album selling megastar, Tarkan was born in Alzey, Germany, on 17 October 1972. One of […]
Olcay Bayır’s music is a natural marriage of her time-honoured Anatolian heritage and the vibrant, eclectic sounds of London. Classically trained in the UK as a soprano, collaborations with musicians from all around the world have informed Olcay’s music as much as the rich folk traditions of her youth. Expect a rhythmically powerful, soulful, rooted […]
Habibi Funk returns for his quarterly residency at the Jazz Cafe in early August with guest selector Kornelia Binicewicz aka Ladies On Records. Originally from Krakow, Poland, anthropologist turned DJ Kornelia has been living in Istanbul since 2015, where she has been curating an incredible collection of music recorded by lesser known female artists in […]
House-heads are slowly but surely discovering the sublime music of Aleksandir, the Istanbul-born DJ, producer and co-founder of label Artesian Sounds. The rising star, who spends part of his time in London, has been in demand ever since his debut album The Turtle Nipper (Blind Jacks Journey) dropped three years ago, showcasing his fresh take on […]
It’s a warm weekday lunchtime in May when I meet Hassan Redif (aka Hass or J Junior) and Bekir Remzi (aka Ramsey) in the bar of Trent Park Country Club, located at the far end of the Piccadilly Line in Oakwood. The pair are relaxed and in casual attire, with Ramsey tapping at his watch […]
Turkish indie folk sensation Kalben is set to give her first live performance in the UK in July. Thanks to hits like Haydi Söyle and Sadece, the singer-songwriter has earned a strong cult following in her homeland, and will be popular among the younger Turkish diaspora. Kelben’s interest in music began at the age of […]
UPDATED, Aug 2019: concert postponed to February 2020 Okay Temiz is a musical icon who has been at the forefront of multi-cultural music, blending European instruments with their Turkish counterparts to create a unique joyful synthesis of the two. This summer, he brings his awesome sounds to London. Born in Istanbul in 1939, Temiz […]
This weekend, The Mid Summer Ball takes over a brand new stage at the Turkish Cypriot Cultural Festival, taking place in Enfield, North London. Now in its third year, the one-day, family-friendly community event is seeking to broaden its appeal to the younger generation by extending an invite to leading Turkish Cypriot DJs and artists […]
