Category: Music

HP Special Offer
Competition: two pairs of tickets to see BaBa ZuLa live in London

  Four lucky people have the chance to trip out to the eclectic sounds of BaBa ZuLa. Hailing from Istanbul, these ethno-electro specialists are globally renowned for their unique mix of Turkish folk, dance, dub, and rock, fused with politically-charged lyrics. Their gigs attract diverse audiences, from modern day shamans to veteran punk rockers and […]

Music
London’s Jazz Café set to host Oriental dub legends BaBa ZuLa

Probably Turkey’s best musical export, BaBa ZuLa has gained a huge global fanbase with their stunning delivery of Istanbul psychedelia. Performing since their student days at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul in the late 1980s, BaBa ZuLa’s authentic blend of Turkish folk, complete with electric saz and spoons, is fed through the musical filters of dub, […]

Music
Olcay Bayır brings her powerful vocals to East London

  This weekend, sensational singer / songwriter Olcay Bayır will be live in East London, delivering melodies inspired by her Anatolian roots and the cosmopolitan rhythms of her new home city London. The classically trained soprano from Turkey has become a firm favourite in Britain’s world music circuit, her contemporary sound a dynamic fusion of […]

Music
See Gazel perform dreamy electronic pop at Birthdays this Friday

On Friday, Gazel is in North London to play new music from her upcoming album ‘Gazel’s Book of Souls’. The young singer-songwriter is fast carving out a name for herself with her blend of dreamy electronic folk-pop fused with ancient and philosophical influences. Gazel’s debut EP Bone Key garnered nominations at the 15th Independent Music […]

Music
Get down to İlhan Erşahin’s Istanbul Sessions at Ronnie Scott’s in June

  New York City-based İlhan Erşahin created his Istanbul Sessions collective back in 2008. The renowned musician and record label head invited leading Turkish musicians he’d jammed with over the years to record a free-flowing music project with a dance edge. Istanbul Sessions have released three albums to date, each one a sonic adventure that […]

Columnists
Israel triumphs while Cyprus goes close in Eurovision

So Israel has won Eurovision with Netta’s quirky Toy song, which is themed around strong women and features chicken noises. While Netta had been the favourite to win for some time, Cyprus was the unexpected frontrunner after an impressive performance in both the rehearsals and semi-final. For a time it looked like Eurovision was heading to […]