Words by Nick Mee
Discovered via http://musosoup.com
Exploring the rich sonic delights of Turkish psychedelia isn’t just a case of trawling the past – it’s clear that the scene is in rude health coming into 2020, as evidenced by Islandman, an Istanbul-based electronica project by Tolga Büyük, who also finds eclectic expression as a member of the more clamorous Farfara.
Islandman released their second album, ‘Kaybola’, at the tail-end of the last decade and it’s already spawned five singles. The latest of these, ‘Zebra’ is out now as a three-song package and the title track is a cool yet colourful instrumental of laidback beats layered with hypnotic Levantine guitar that spins a delicious hook. Though subtle in its exotica, it’s a transgressive release, offering a fusion of trad Anatolian folk and minimal, melodic electronica.
An even more ethereal dub version of ‘Zebra’ forms part of this release, as does the infectiously percussive ‘Marrakesh’, forming an accessible sampler for a band whose growing reputation across Europe is such that they’re headlining London’s Jazz Café on 13 March.