TURKISH PROGRESSIVE MUSIC, PSYCH, INTERESTING FUSIONS & CROSSOVERS
-Part 2 : 1996-2006
Due to some chaotic situations in Turkey progressive music was impossible to stand, survive after 1978 until very recently (at the end of the nineties) some groups started to head towards original (progressive/fusion) approaches once more. Here are listed all music groups which I believe are interesting from a progressive, psychedelic or Fusion & crossover music point of view.
RECENT PROGRESSIVE MUSIC GROUPS LIST :
123 :
2/5BZ :
Underground Multi-Media Project, led by one man. Reminds at the 80's tape movement. Style is Underground Middle Eastern Punk. He played with Tim Hodgkinson in Istanbul. Review and links you can find at next review page
657
Hardrock/progressive poprock with powerful vocals, various progressive touches. I heard theor good, tather consistent release of them (**°).
A.YARR.K :
AKIN ELDES :
Akin Eldes made an interesting, calm, somewhat "progressive", partly bluesy electric/amplified guitar release (with some bass and drums), in 2002 called "Kafi" (**°) (published on Pb Music).
ALMORA :
Their "1945" album is power-sympho metal with operatic vocals in the vein of Nightwish,...
ANABALA :
project of Murat Ertel (Zen,Baba Zula) with and Ceren Oykut (visual artist), with collaborations of many artists from different disciplines like the belly dancer Deniz Kazma.
ANIMA :
(KAMIL ERDEM'S) ASIAMINOR :
A different group as the progressive French/Turkish music group Asia Minor (which originates in the seventies). This completely Turkish group makes jazz fusion with some additional Turkish music instruments, as a nice kind of ethnic chamber jazz fusion with double bass,sax,classical guitar,violin, drums and Turkish instruments.There's an easiness in their jazz fusion comparable with what I heared only in some Polish Jazz. I like their item "Cat's Dream" (Kedi Rüyasi) best, followed by "Sokak Boyunca". At "Longa Nova" all tracks sound more similar, because the group does not alternate their choice of instruments there.
Review of their first item and links to Web Pages at the review page
ARAPSACI :
ATLAS :
They have an improvisational structure and sound. I only heard one track from a compilation.
AYUKKA :
A new band (2005) that is heavily influenced by psychedelic music. They play a rather hard edged rock in a Turkish mode.
BABA ZULA :
This is a side project of Zen. They started as Jazzy folk eastern music with electric bass and guitar. They made some new ethno-psychedelic dlavoured items, and two ethno-rhythmic fusion albums in cooperation with Mad Professor. Live they are very good. Their duo core of saz/electronica is very talented.
BADEM :
BEKIR & ADVOCADO :
Side-Project of Orientatio, a duo project of Bekir Karaoglan (Killa Hakan, Waldemar Bastos, Levent Yildirim and others) and Andreas Advocado (Sultana, Tanmoy Bose, Aziza-A and others) with acoustic live music recorded in Germany. The music is not yet released.
BURHAN ÖCAL :
Open minded modern Turkish Fusion percussionist (darbuka,..)
Review of his latest item and further links at the next review page.
BLUES KUMPANYASI :
Former project of Orcun from Replikas. Not sure if they recorded anything.
BONUS TRACK :
Hard prog rock with Turkish elements. They now changed their name into Hazerfan, and moved to the US.
BUKALEMUN :
New Turkish progressive/rock group.
BULUTSUZLUK ÖZLEMI :
I think this is a "classic rock" group in a rather Western style. Their ùost interesting 2004 album is "symphonic" rock with a complete classical orchestra. This album is reviewed on next page.
CAMUR :
Anatolian rock group.
CAN K.:
CAZYAPJAZZ :
Turkish group of Oriental Drum N Bass mixed with fusion, funk and jazz, based in Germany :
"Cazyapjazz combines dark, profound and entertaining elements, sometimes coarse, sometimes complex, regardless of genre and time. This sextet presents an amazing synthesis of eastern themes based on drum & bass, fusion, funk and jazz. cazyapjazz was founded in sept 2003 and plays oriental sound that is based on drum & bass, jazz and fusion. The bandmembers: Semih Yanyali ( guitar ), Reinhard Buchner ( bass ), Mathis Riehm (drums), Ozan Aydogan ( darbuka ), Murat Kücükboyaci ( keys ) and Matthias Kaiser ( Saxophon, Querflöte). Semih Yanyali ( lived 15 years in culture metropole Istanbul ) and Murat Kucukboyaci (born and grown up in Munich) present an eclectic sound that mixes the Romany (Gypsy) sounds of Istanbul with the electronic rhythms and influences of London, jazz grooves and improvisations of New York and cosmopolitan culture of Munich."
CEM GÖKSAL :
CEYLAN ERTEM :
CHANGE OF PLANS :
Istanbul post-rock/psyche crossover band.
CILEKES :
CIN DÜGÜNÜ :
CUBICLE CIRCLES :
DAK :
Indie Rock group with experimental improvised ideas, with a constant evolution..
DA-DA GABOR :
Experimental pop(?)-electronica group. Don't know any info yet.
DANdadaDAN :
New group. They arise from the ashes of Tamburada, and are supposed to be strong in performance, I'm told that this is mostly psychedelic or fusion. Korhan Futaca- - vocal, sax, Berke Can Ozcan - drums, backing vocals, Burak Irmak - synth, org, Feryin Kaya - bas, back vocal. I was told they are like a local Soft Machine or something.
D.100 :
One beautiful folk prog track is found on the second Ada Müzik compilation.
D2GG :
Avant garde experimental group from Istanbul. They opened for Einstürzende Neubauten there in 2005.
BEBU :
D.E.F.ORKESTRA :
Daghan Baydur, Erdal Kizilçay & Fuat Güner (last one from MFÖ) formed this group to redo the Beatles songs in a Turkish way. The music odea is interesting, the singing is rather American styled.
Review is done on next review page (with additional links).
DEHR-I YALAN :
DEJA-VU :
The style is harder edged rock, but Anatolian elements and instruments are alsi used. An interesting compination.
DISENCHANT :
DDR :
Indipendent rock group from Istanbul. They have German styled postpunk wave influences and a slight psych touch.
Small review of 2 demo's with webpage and audio links on next review page.
DEVYL :
primitive / straight forward hardrock/heavy metal, with first album from 1987.
"The group's first and one albüm DEVÝL (1987) is the first heavy metal album in Turkey)(Second Album preaperd in studio with Guitarist ERCAN BÝROL but he died in 2003 and album's projet was cancelled). Mr Sabahattin TAGDÖÐEN-Leader of the DEVÝL-has finished the project january 2005. Listen to Kabus from first album, and "Beyaz Güvercin" from second album. These give an idea from DEVÝL's style." M. Celik.
DINAR BANDOSU :
In 2005 they changed line-up with a female vocalist. Since then they sound better than before. I received many recommendations of this band. They also play live with Murat Ertel, saz player from Baba Zula. Since 2006 they had a new line-up. They are a 5 piece band now with a singer called Asly. They also have a theremin player called Asaf.
They now have their own recording studio in Kadikoy, Istanbul where they will launch the Frekans label soon, gathering the most interesting new generation of Turkish psych flavoured rock groups around them.
Seperate webpage on Dinar Bandosu here.
DIREC-T :
Alternative rock band.
DIVAN :
"We started with a mix of hard rock and turkish elements. Now it is more anatolic : it is a symbiose of Oriental and Anglosaxen Music, Like the old Barish or the old Mogollar. With modern sound and the lyrics are very fairy tale like. We perform on stage with Sultan Costumes. It is a flair from old 1001 Night Tales." Gültein
DOUGLASVEGAS :
Songwriter/musician, DJ, originally from canada, but currently living in istanbul. His style is in his own words "a mixture eastern folk music, Irish & Scottish folk music, and rock". He self-released a demo cd, "The Kara Bayram Series". It's interesting to hear him approach there Turkish music with a western background, but with an ear and curiosity to discover what he can do with this. Currently, he is playing with the indierock band Not Since the Illness. Also a side project with multi-intrumentalist, writer, song writer Ali Ece (Dinar Bandosu).
DUBL'O'R :
Indie Anatolian group.
DÜS MACUNU :
Interesting progressive-alternative rock band :
EVSANATCICI :
ERCAN BIROL
I asume this former (Ersen with) Dadaslar guitarist started making primitive hardrock in various groups until his death : Elmas Gato, Egzotik Band, and last one Devyl : "Ercan Birol played with ELMAS GATO before 1980.After 80's Group DEVÝL and many more.The Leader of the group DEVÝL is Mr.Sabahattin TAGDÖÐEN.He was also the member of EGZOTÝK BAND in 1981.He is stil making music in istanbul's pubs. " M. Çelyk
ERDEM HELVACIOGLU :
Electro-acoustic composer from Istanbul. His work, "A Walk Through The Bazaar" is compared to Holger Czukay's shortwave radio experiments. "Altered Realities" is new music with ambient guitar. Review on next page->
FAIRUZ DERIN BULUT :
Underground rock, as a complex garage progressive rock with Middle Eastern touches, and with a funky and a progressive rock drive. A different new Anadolu Rock. I think the style evelved and changed a bit over the years but I'm not very sure how or in which direction.
FARUK GREEN :
"Faruk Green are from Bremerhaven. They sound very interesting to me, although they don’t have any Turkish elements in their music. They do a nice crossover of Funk, TripHop and Indie. You can hear some samples of their album called “A certain Mr. Green" Akin Ercan
FEATHER FALL :
neo-progressive and progressive-metal
FUNGU :
Alternative group.
GARAJDA :
GECE :
Australian based all-Turkish Indie Ethnofolk group.
GEVENDE :
Excellent Progressive Jazz Fusion with Ottoman elements. They have a brilliant finished demo ready for release.
GIRL :
Interesting alternative (boys only) band.
GÖKALP BAYKAL :
GRANGULEZ :
Alternative rock band.
GUNYUZU :
They are from Ankara. They perform at Nefes Bar, a good performance based on traditional songs, especially from blacksea region and elsewhere.
HAKAN TUNA :
HARDAL :
This group is also listed in the first entry, but the style is more modern. Psych Rock pop with a mainstream singing style combined. They were one of the first new groups to appear that tried something different.
Review at next review page I'm also prepairing a seperate Hardal page (under construction)
HAREM :
Project group of percussionists cooperating with singers and groups. Latest project Harem IV includes new remixes & compositions of the most important DJ team of Turkey including Can Hatipoglu, DJ Fatih, DJ USY, Kaan Gökman, Umit Kuzer. From the 12 tracks, 3 vocals on 5 songs are done by Funky C, Elif and Nery.
HAYKO CEPKIN :
I heard an album with good independent/alternative rock, with a bit of electronica beats on some tracks, "Sakin Olman Lazim"(2005)**°.
HAYVANLAR ALEMI :
Psychedelic, Krautrock like improvisational Anatolian band. I think they are from Ankara.
HIRTLAMBA :
Progressive group.
IHTIYAC MOLASI :
This is an improvisational rock group with ethnic touch and violin. I have their fine album "Milad". I heard they were one of the pioneers of the renewed Turkish prog style. There's much complexity (RIO) in the instrumental part, but also some pop element now and then. I am not sure if their second album still is ok, or more mainstream.
ILHAN ERSAHIN :
Important jazz figure. "born in USA from a Turkish family, plays the saxophone in a style reminiscent of the late great John Coltrane, and has an all-acoustic trio plus several projects with turntablists, poets, samplers. Among his recent output, the complex Wax Poetic was originally released by the Turkish label Doublemoon, but has been picked up by a major label and is now available in Europe and USA." (info by F.Martinelli)
He fused also hip hop andmiddle eastern folk music.
ILHAN IREM :
Although some say he's related with Symphonic music according to M.S. "he just tried to compose mainstream western-style stuff with romantic lyrics."(M.S.) and S.K.: "His music is something like a lame ass version of Alan Parson's Project. A has a big fan base though." I think these remarks are somehow foundated. I think his strong points are not the music in general, from a musical point of view, but the various moments of creating a personal subworld. Ilhan has a beautiful voice. His so called symphonic moments are actually more like accompanying a personal inner content and emotions. There's something more commercial in most music, but when he is at his most personal, like on the albums "Romance" and "Korridor" it's worth enough to discover him rspecially from that personal point of view and for that part of his musical career.
See my personal remarks at the seperate page for Ilhan Irem.
ISTANBUL BLUES KUMPANYASI :
Interesting prog / alternative / Fusion / Blues / BoogieWougie / Rock group, especially their first album where they fused new combinations of styles, more than just trying to play in a certain traditional style.
KAFABINDÜNYA :
Istanbul band. Description I was given : "Kinda post-rock meets mogwai but in a psychedelic way. Some darbuka and tabla and great spacy psyche guitars." I hope to be able to provide more info soon. (only songsis part of the Frekans label compliation).
KARAKIRAZ :
KARDES TURKULER :
Still need to find info on this band.
KLIQUE :
Descrotion I was given : "Electronic psychedelic with weird touches. They sing half in german half in Turkish; Faust/Krautrock meets electronic." They recorded for the new Frekans label.
KIRIK :
Alternative rock group
KIRIKA :
KRIZ :
KUPKA :
Alternative rock band.
KURBAN :
Hardrock flavoured indie rock band. I only heard their 2004 album "Ters Sert" *°° which has good hardrock versions of Baris Manço's "San Cizmeli Mehmet Aga", Cem Karaca's "Namus Belasi", tracks which more or less stand out on this album, together with "Yosma" a famous Kurban traditional.
LACO TAYFA & HUSNU SENLENDRICI :
Group led by Hüsnü Senlendirici. He fused Gypsy music with jazz, Turkish folk (mostly traditional Tracian songs),.. His latest release has been reviewed at the review pages.
LEO MALANDRO :
LEVLEKASH :
LODOS :
I think they have a more jazzy approach, with bass clarinet improvisation with rock rythms and electric guitar.
I heard only one 1996 track.
MAI :
Interesting new Turkish styled progressive group from eastern Istanbul, related with the upcomming Frekans label and community of artists.
MEHMET GÜRELI, AYSE TÜTÜNCÜ, TAHSIN ÜNÜVAR, ILKIN DENIZ
I have this really very nice item of them based upon piano,sax,flute,..Chamber Jazz fusion called "Vapurlar/blues". No extra info or webpages known.
MELIKE :
This Belgium based Turkish singer cooperates with Iraqui composer Osama Abdulrasol and some Turkish and Belgium, Dutch, Moroccan musicians created a ethno-fusion folkopera called "Long Distance" in 2006.
MERCAN DEDE :
A talented Sufi DJ composer of chill out like mixture of ethnical sources, somewhat spiritual Sufi inspired.
METEOR :
This is a visuliation of Hardal into a straight forward, primitive Progressive Rock / hardrock pop.
Group METEOR made one album in 1999. PS. They were not entitled to make use of the name METEORLAR (there was a 60's band with that name) so they tried under the name GRUP METEOR.
MOR VE ÖTESI
From what I heard from Ozgur T. " this is a new "rock" group", which might have a couple of tracks which are more interesting at their album "Dünya Yalan Söylüyor", especially the 19 minute bonus track (if it was still theirs on my cdr try-it copy). I didn't check out the group myself well yet.
MOZAIK :
"is a group led by Aishe Tutuncu. They released at least 3 cassettes from 83 to 88, on Ada Muzik, some made it to Cd and some not. It blended jazz-rock influences with folk songs, not only from Turkey but from all over the world. Their own original compositions were inspired by the "art" music tradition. Instrumentation included keyboards, electric bass and guitar, different acoustic traditional strings, percussion and voices." Franseco Martinelli
MURAT SES :
I included at the 70's pages because he has its roots there. His new solo work is ethno-electronica, mostly rather rhythmic and with a world beat influence. Nowadays he lives in Austra with a Phd in Economics.
Review of two of his later works in Ethnobeat electronic style you can find at next review page.
NEGATIF :
NEKROPSI / NEK :
Heavy experimental advanced prog rock/ psychedelica with some heavy influences (instrumental music with heavy bass with structured rhythm) but with some atmospheric guitar-ambience as well. Their album "Mi Kubessi" is recommended, and extremely well produced, one of the best early new progressive Turkish CD's. The early version of the group played as far as I believe speed core heavy metal. (Their demo was called "Speed lessons part 2").
"In 1999 Anne Ramade suggested that Ferdinand Richard book Nekropsi for the MIMI Festival in Arles, France, and they played a very good show. Also Moondog played his very last concert there with French pianist Dominique Ponti (Moondog died one month later). In 2000, she got in touch with people in charge with 'année 2000 en France' projects in Amiens and she suggested Michel Schick (Les Enfants des autres) do something with Nekropsi. 'les Enfants des autres' French drummer, Orkhan Murat is half French and half Turkish and he enjoyed Nekropsi very much. At that time, Nekropsi changed its name to Nek, when French bassist player Patrick Chartol joined the band. So, les Enfants des autres went to Istanbul for a 2 weeks artistic residency and played one or 2 concerts linked to the French ambassy. They proposed each 2 compositions and worked together : 2 drummers, 1 cello, 2 clarinets, 2 electric guitars and one bass guitar. They published an album in France in 2000 called "Bulbes" (PIAS Rec.)." It's great chamber music like R.I.O. with some adapted folk influence (East European, Ottoman and French folk mostly). The new band also made one recording ; I'm noy sure if it was ever published.
OGUZ HADOGRU :
more about him later..
OKAN ERENLI :
OKAY TEMIZ :
Gifted jazz and jazz fusion percusionist mostly & composer who was discovered by Don Cherry. He studied jazz in Sweden and formed Oriental Wind their woth some remarkable releases. Nowadays he survives in Turkey with workshops, but he still performs now and then with gyspy, Kurdish and Turkish based musicians.
Seperate Okay Temiz page with links, more detailed info, pictures, and an interview I did with him.
ORIENTATION :
Modern electronic-acoustic Fusion pop group. Review from their two albums at review page.
OTURMA GRUBU :
OYTUNAMI :
Home-project of drummer and co-founder of Replikas
OZGUR YILMAZO :
PARANOYA :
This sounds like an interesting alternative heavy rock band.
PISERIFF :
PSORIASIS VULGARIS :
RASHIT :
A minor interesting poprock group with mostly slightly more mainstream tracks on their 2003 album "Adam Olmak Istemiyorum (Ada Müzik)°, but with some potential in their sound/playing at times, if only they would would work out their Anatolian elements better. The bonus track from the 2003 album, "Öldüren Eglence"***° is much more psychedelic and is exactly as I would expect them to sound at their best.
REDIYEZ :
REPLIKAS / REPLÝKAS :
One of the most interesting new groups, with some evolution. I read a description saying "They play a psychedelic mix of Erkin, Baris baris and krautrock ala Can..." In the two first albums they did remarkable things. On their first album there are many perfect experimental tracks showing a mixture of Anatolian rock with psychedelica, and a bit of electronica. Their second has Kraut influences and more electronica. Their last is more rock and more quickly made, and is less surprizing. Still their first albums are legendary to me.
Review of their first prog item with alternative and psychedelic touches and the last two albums at review page.
REVERIE FALLS ON ALL :
Side-project of Replikas members.
THE SACRED :
Progressive rock group ?
SAD EYED LEMURS :
A promising new home-based group. They rehearsed and recorded improvisation of which some are very psychedelic and with a female singer. Other influences range from post-punk to a romantic song with an operatic voice.
SAKIN :
SAKARELLER :
"A band influenced mostly by traditional Anatolian, electronic and psychedelic music, as well as Turkish progressive rock from the 70s. They record their music in their own studio and make it available online at their website."
SAKU :
SASKA :
Band of Savas Carman. They recently released an album titled Sokkur Saska. He is from "Blues Kumpanyasi", former project of Orcun from Replikas. Nowadays he plays Asian and Caucasian songs.
PS. Savas is also giving lectures on psychedelic music here and there.
SAVA :
This is not progressive, but might be still interesting. He makes combination of pop, a good feel for rhythm samples with an easy melody added. The group says they blend house, trip hop ethnic and industrial, and the singer sung in jazzbands before.
SELIM SARACOGLU :
Alternative project from the same people like from Dandadadan & Girl.
SENEM DIYICI QUARTET / SEXTET :
Their album "Tell me Trabizon" is highly recommended. It's an extremely good warm recording, beautiful singing and playing ; in between Indian music, and jazz but with mostly Turkish Folk references in Jazz Fusion style. With a French band and Turkish female singer. Also "Morceaux Choisi" is as good. Live they're worth checking out. Turkish influences mix with jazz, with freeer improvised moments. They also have a very presentable live album out.
SENKOP :
SEPIA :
I'm told that this is a "Progressive/psyche band from Istanbul. They are all 16 years old, very very talented, the singer is the mother of the frontman. She's a great singer and professional. The boy is great, very influenced by Fripp and Hammill." More info will be soon. They recorded for the new upcomming Frekans label.
SERT :
Alternative rock band with some Anatolian elements here and there
SEVKET AKINCI :
One promising folk track on a compilation album is the only thing I heard of this group/man.
SEZGI OLGAC :
SIDDHARTA :
The group was inspired by Pink Floyd. There style is psychedelic rock with lots of electric guitar layers, some singing in English. They released one very good progressive and mostly instrumental album with long tracks.
SIDPA BARDO :
STOP IT! YOU'RE KILLING ME! :
Serious & underground, experimental, acoustic fun project.
STONEHEADS :
"They are from Berlin and do a straight, slightly Turkish flavoured Hard-Rock" Akin Ercan
I heard a few soundfiles but found them a bit too straight rock to be interesting for the Turkish or an international rock scene. Homepage : http://www.stoneheads.org
TAKSIM TRIO :
Skilful and moody improvised trio between Turkish folk and jazz. Review and links on next page->
TANER YÜCEL :
Interesting progressive-alterantive rock musician.
TATUFLY? :
New progressive group.
TIBBI ATIK / TUNNEL:
Rock group. They now changed their name into Tunnel.
TURQUOISE :
Fusion group based in Denmark.
UGUR DOGAN :
Ugur makes electronica/ethno/jazz/minimalism fusion-contemporary music.
UNIFIED GECKO
Australian Turkish group that mixes Turkish folk mixed with reggea and folkrock dance popmusic
VAHSHIKHAN-KAN :
VARIOUS ARTISTS :
Various : Sesimizi Yükseltiyoruz. This great sampler has been reviewed on my review page.
These two releases and many more more compilations you can find reviewed at my next review page.
VOLKAN DOGAN :
YOLDAS :
YUNUS DISKAYA :
