KIRINARDI

GEVENDE and SIDDHARTHA are my two favourite bands out of Turkey. GEVENDE's previous album "Sen Balik Degilsin Ki" is a top ten record for me for 2011 while SIDDHARTHA's 1998 psychedelic beauty is a top ten for me for that year. As on their two previous albums GEVENDE once again features trumpet and viola but this time around we have guests adding sax, violin, viola, violincello plus the trumpet player of GEVENDE also plays flugelhorn now. In other words we get what sounds like orchestral music to my ears. The multi strings and horns are normally something I'm not into but it works here. I like the singer's voice as it's always familiar sounding in a good way. The music is almost always pleasant and while I consider how I'm describing the music I'm realizing this isn't music I'd normally be into but I'm so into this album. It's fairly straightforward as well as I liked it from the first spin while their debut took me many listens before I finally grasped the sound.

"Omelas" opens with these intricate sounds that come and go. Drums kick in before a minute and dominate the sound but soon it's fuller and vocals arrive around 1 1/2 minutes. Catchy stuff that becomes impressive instrumentally before 3 minutes as the vocals step aside until they return at 3 1/2 minutes. Not a bad opener, quite pleasant. "Tophane'de Gunesli Gunier" has relaxed horns and not much else to start but then synths take over after a minute then intricate guitar with bass. It turns orchestral with strings and horns. It does turn more powerful before 5 minutes as the horns and strings continue.

"Sossiz Gibi Bir Yea" is uptempo and drum led with vocals. Horns, guitar, strings and more help out. Again pleasant is the word. A calm before 4 minutes with piano before it starts to build but then smooth horns end it. "Kirinardi" is one of my favourites on here for the emotion I feel when listening to it. Picked guitar as the vocals join in. Love the sound here. Violin and horns after 1 1/2 minutes as the vocals step aside. They return after 2 minutes. "Saroyan" is uptempo with drums and horns leading the way. Soon smooth horns take the lead. Nice.

"Aglaya Aglaya" has this beautifully picked guitar with bass as strings and vocals join in. Gorgeous sound to this one and the atmosphere helps. Sax before 3 1/2 minutes as the picked guitar and bass continue. Great song! "Ters Okyanus" is different as we get some tension with the forced drumming, atmosphere and other sounds that come and go until it all kicks in beautifully just before a minute. Vocals 1 1/2 minutes in and horns follow. Guitar to the fore after 3 1/2 minutes as the vocals step aside. Love how it builds almost to the end.

"Domino"opens with picked guitar? and then we're hit with a full sound that is quite powerful and catchy. Vocals a minute in and they sound treated. Nice driving rhythm here and we get synths as well before 2 1/2 minutes. Then it's the guitar standing out. "Vertigo" opens with drums and there's some depth to the sound here as the tempo picks up. This is surprisingly heavy then the horns kick in. Growly guitar replaces the horns but then the horns are back 2 minutes in. Then these theatrical spoken vocals arrive. Interesting stuff.

The music has changes from album to album but this is such a talented band. The music here is a bit of a paradox for me but I like it anyways. Wait a minute...