Anatolia is the home of some of the world’s oldest civilisations and a land of heartfelt musical expression. Its current inhabitants draw on the languages, drawings, and culture of multiple tribes that have settled there. Two virtuosos, tanbur master Özer Özel and bağlama master Coşkun Karademir, come together to present their interpretation of Anatolia’s rich […]
There’s already a huge buzz among London’s Turkish community about pop star İlyas Yalçıntaş, as he prepares to make his debut appearance in the capital on Sunday 13 October. The singer-songwriter from Erzincan amassed a huge fanbase after appearing on a national television talent contest in 2014. The judges and TV audiences quickly fell in […]
Oriental dub legends BaBa ZuLa’s extraordinary live performances are a legend unto themselves. By mixing traditional instruments such as the darbuka, electric saz, and spoons with electronics and dub, BaBa ZuLa create a unique sound. Known as the “Kings of Istanbul psychedelia”, their style of ‘rock’ rolls in a way that Westerners haven’t heard since […]
A former X Factor Turkey [Star Işığı X Factor] finalist and favourite to win before the channel took the show off air, pop star İlyas Yalçıntaş’s electrifying performances on national television and song writing ability proved his star quality. His debut single, İncir, which he had penned and sang live on X Factor in 2014, […]
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 […]
