For Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, the past is not a refuge but a launchpad into the present. While a band like Altın Gün restages classics of the Anadolu tradition from the late 20th century as record-collecting rock, the approach of the Berlin-based Hamburg and French-British band is a more recontextual one On the mini-LP »Dost 1«, the first of two, besides a few nostalgic-retroesque sounds – the opener »The Trip« and a reinterpretation of the folk song »Hop Çerkez« – there are therefore also unfamiliar sounds to be heard: The advance single »Haydar Haydar« brings in synth and organ tones with dragging downtempo, »Hastane Onu« offers a kind of slo-mo psych disco groove for more than seven minutes and »Sunrise« is probably the jammiest and thus most experimental piece of the band. Indeed: Even if Yıldırım’s vocals vibrate with longing and the – compared to previous releases rather restrainedly used – Bağlama dominates the sound picture, there is no pre-distantness to be heard out of it, but instead the full present. After all, »Dost« means »friend,« and Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek would obviously like to see them again very soon. Preferably from the stage, as these six songs suggest. More will soon follow them: »Dost 2« will be released later this year.
Home Is Where
Hunting Season
Wax Bodega