We’re warming up for MENT 2020 with a dose of Turkish psychedelia! Festival ticket holders are entitled to tickets with a discount, attendance is mandatory.
The legendary Turkish quartet BaBa ZuLa have been perfecting their heady brew of traditional instruments and contemporary sounds, of rock, psychedelia and electronica, since the mid-1990s. The unrivalled masters of so-called Istanbul psychedelia are regarded as one of the most active bands of the Turkish underground in the 21st century, and their shows are rarely just a concert – rather, they are rituals at the crossings of various disciplines, from dance, poetry and theatre to fine art, a tantalising feast for the senses.
In recent years, they’ve drawn attention primarily due to their career-spanning compilation XX, released by Glitterbeat Records in 2017. The album has received praise from media such as The Guardianand Louder than War, and in line with the band’s long-time openness to collaborations, it also features Alexander Hacke (EinstürzendeNeubauten) and Jamaican reggae veterans Sly and Robbie, among others.
The band has performed at some of the most famous festivals in the world, from Roskilde in Denmark to the Venice Biennial, and following an exhilarating live set for Boiler Room, the latter decided to make the band the subject of one of their documentaries as well. At their first visit to Šiška, they’ll present their heavily anticipated first LP since XX,Derin Derin (Glitterbeat, 2019). The album tempers the wildness of Turkish psychedelia and the pure emotion of Anatolian tradition with the tireless exploration of the band’s inspiration Can. “That BaBa ZuLa navigate so many styles on this album, with equal levels of confidence, ease and sophistication, is impressive enough, but their continued ability to surprise and astound never fails to inspire,” wrote Bandcamp when declaring it the Album of the Day. We’re certain they won’t fail to inspire in January, either.
Tickets on sale online and at Eventim outlets.
Organisation: Kino Šiška.
