The much-hyped Istanbul band Islandman continue their stratospheric rise with their biggest UK show to date early in the New Year. The electro-acoustic live trio provide a unique mix of mellow electronic dance beats with spacey live guitars, backed up by shamanic rhythms. Combining Turkish psychedelia and rhythms rooted in East Africa with electronic structures, […]
Kaan Tangöze has been at the forefront of Turkish indie rock for the past two decades. The singer songwriter found fame as the lead singer of seminal rock band Duman, which he helped found in 1999. While the band continue to perform live, new material has not been forthcoming. Instead, Tangöze has been focussing on […]
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 […]
The British capital is a hotbed of musical fusions, as epitomised by Don Kipper. The multi award-winning ensemble play a wide range of musical forms reflecting the cultural diversity of their North East London home, from Romani, Turkish and Greek Folk, to Klezmer, electronica and jazz beats. While born of traditions that surround them and […]
I finally had the chance to listen to the legendary Turkish musician Selda Bağcan live at her recent concert at KOKO in Camden. I have known of her since my early childhood (the 90s), thanks to my parents who admire her just like many other people their age in Turkey. Today, it’s funny to think […]
Next Friday, London based Nefes will be taking guests on a musical journey across Anatolia and the Balkans, playing a selection of contemporary and centuries-old folk songs from the region. The music is inspired by both Sufi and secular cultures of love. ‘Nefes’ in Turkish means breath. It is the essence of the self […]
Earlier this year, London-based Turkish rock & folk singer Canan Sağar followed up her debut release 13 with Kalbim. The eight-track album takes its cue from the tragic events occurring in Turkey. Canan will be performing a selection of her new songs at her UK album launch party in Beans and Barley, Harringay, this weekend. We […]
Gaye Su Akyol’s second album takes you to places that no current Turkish artist has done before. It’s not just the diversity of sounds that you find on Hologram İmparatorluğu that makes it so unique, but how she has beautifully melded Turkish classical music, Anadolu pop, surf music, dub, punk and psychedelic rock on individual […]
If you’ve ever wanted a taste of authentic Anatolian music, then look no further than Erkan Oğur, Bülent Ortaçgil and İsmail Hakkı Demircioğlu. Turkey’s three legendary folk musicians will be live in London next month. The trio will be performing at the magnificent Grade II-listed Islington Assembly Hall on Sunday 27 November. Expect a masterful […]
A song by Turkey’s Selda Bağcan features on Compton – the new chart-topping Hip Hop album by Dr Dre that was released worldwide earlier this month. The superstar producer samples the psychedelic guitar riffs from Bağcan’s 1976 classic İnce İnce for Issues, which features Ice Cube, Dem Jointz and Anderson Paak. It’s the eighth of […]
