[engl] Originally released in 1981, this is another killer album by the Turkish legend, recorded with the same line- up as the previous ?Yeni Bir Gün? album. Psych / Funk / Progressive sounds full of heavy drums & basslines, Moog / analog keyboards and psychedelic guitar. Featuring the killer duet with Deniz Tüney (?Alla Beni Pulla Beni?), the superb boogie- funk styled ?Adem Oglu Kizgin Firin Havva Kizi Mercimek, cosmic- progressive sounds on ?2025 (Üçüncü Ve Son Yolculuk) and more! Remastered Sound. Gatefold sleeve with original artwork.

[engl] The late 70s found Turkey in an economic slump, and there was a huge rise in political violence. Baris, who so often put out collections of singles, rose to the occasion by spending 6 months holed up with his longtime backing band the Kurtalan Ekspres. The result was this studio album of Anatolian bummer psychedelia, often unfairly overlooked because it came out in the rather un- cosmic year of 1979, but also considered his best work by many. Yep, there are still electrified versions of Turkish folk songs, and the spaceshot ARPs & Korgs of 2023 are here too, but dont expect a happy swing around the ceiling of a planetarium. The real star of the album is the keyboard player, whose name translates to Sword Agent. Yeni Bir Gun is viciously funky & brilliantly arranged, with tidbits stolen out of the latest disco hits, & lean, mean synthesizers that emerge from the beats like carbonated bubbles. Melancholy maqams & catastrophic Korgs collide when the Turkish psych master glides unflinchingly into the grim late 70s!! First time ever reissue, this release comes in gorgeous gatefold cover as the original, has a repro of the original poster as well, and brings an extra insert with extensive linernotes.

[engl] Turkish Pop Star Nº1, Baris Manço, released this album in 1983,a slightly funky prog-pop-folk affair and a grower as we’re used to with Manço’s works. Lots of cool analog keyboards (including Minimoog, Prophet-5, Omni-2), superb rhythm section, tasty electric guitar and the incredible vocals of Baris. Features the killer Oriental groove jam “Selahaddin Eyyübi’nin”, the superb boogie-disco-funk of “Aman Yavas! Aheste” and more!

[engl] It’s a Turkish Jazz–Funk Delight..! Some hard–hitting rhythm section blending into a prime example of the swingin’ sound of the cool influences of Jazz, Funk and Folk music, with a Turkish flavor. It’s fantastic funk jazz groove built on a titanium synth bassline! An instrumental library of traditional Turkish Jazz session reaching a great climax in drums and percussion sets + electro–bass break with moog and synthesizers from the beginning to the end. Traditional Turkish songs are based on drums and synth bass over moody 5/8 fuzz guitars... Album recorded & released in Denmark, 1979, and it has never been released in Turkey.

[engl] Makam madness gives way to instrumental prog on this burned–out last album, released in 1976, by Turkey’s Anadolu Pop heroes. Mogollar was the band that never had a singer attached for long, and yet even more than Baris or Erkin, they consciously highlighted what was different about the new sounds of the era. Incredible fusion of ancient Anatolian melodies and instruments with prog/psych with ocassional piercing fuzz guitar. Recommended to anyone into John Berberian, Devil’s Anvil and vintage Turkish psych. Includes liner notes by Angela Sawyer.

[engl] In 1970s Tehran, the classically- trained Ramesh played the serious, quiet marquess against Googooshs langorous pop princess. Both singers made the papers every time they changed their haircuts & appeared on tv frequently. However, while Googoosh now runs a cosmetics company in Los Angeles, they say Ramesh was killed in the political turmoil of the late 70s because she was a lesbian. Nobody knows for sure. What we do know is that she was a funky queen whose rich voice sits like a fat mink coat, twirling its melancholy way around long- necked lutes, backed by flurries of frame & goblet drums. And the sleazy, Western brass, strings & synths are here too, slathered across rare singles for your shameless dancing pleasure. Welcome to the unpredictable world of pre- revolutionary Iranian pop music.

[engl] The music you are about to hear defies categorisation. But for all intents and multi-purposes, this record is a folk album. Embodying all the aesthetic watermarks of a private press country LP, Selda Bağcan’s debut long player from 1976 has masqueraded as lamb dressed as mutton, throw- ing many a discerning wolf from the gourmet scent. Behold! Space age, Anatolian, electronic, progressive protest psych folk funk rock from the Middle East! All of the above ingredients are presented immaculately with utmost authenticity and conviction to create a delectable hybrid con- coction that has never been replicated or equalled in the three mutant decades since it’s record- ing. When Selda first released her long-awaited LP (the first of two confusingly eponymous titles in the same year), she was enduring/enjoying her halcyon as one of the most politically outspoken pop- ular folk singers to hail from Turkey. In the previous decade she had made a household name for herself as a traditional Anadolu protest singer with a spectacular emotive vocal capacity (for idle argument's sake, begging comparison to a Turkish Joan Baez). A figurehead and poetic driving force for a radical generation of politically motivated creative revolutionaries, her raw, stripped- down folk songs yearned for political change with heart-wrenching earnestness; embodying a uni- fying traditional sound which mainlined the veins of a free-thinking, united Turkey. Selda had, and still has, a reputation as an individual omnipresent strength who was willing to brave grave con- sequences in the name of change and humanity which would later see her serve time in prison on account of her vociferous attitudes on behalf of her like-minded but seldom outspoken peers. Until now, Selda played the role of musical martyr in a lonely void, but by early 1975 (when Ms. Bağcan was given an unexpected opportunity to commit a collection of ten new songs to an LP for the for- ward-thinking Türküola label) the silent free-thinking cognoscenti of musical Istanbul came to her aid in droves, thus creating one of the most extraordinary hybrid folk albums you are ever likely to hear. Fusing Selda's radical prose with equally radical musical gestures from some of the most lauded musical mavericks was a match made in psychedelic heaven. Artists such as Anadolu beat combo Moğollar (also known to a growing French audience as Les Mogol) had previously recorded a run of singles with the singer in a traditional folk style but in recent years had enjoyed critical acclaim after releasing two progressive albums fusing jazz, funk and electronically treated instruments with typical Anatolian styles. Selda would also utilise the talents of popular backing band Dadaşlar under the guidance of Anatolian rock stalwart Arif Sağ and master electronic producer and pioneer Zafer Dilek (who would later gain critical acclaim amongst collectors of Turkish library music such as the TRT releases that he recorded alongside Okay Temiz). The bands were assembled at mul- tiple sessions at both Yeni Studios and the über legendary Studio Elektronik where the record was finally completed and mastered. Released in 1976 to huge critical acclaim and skepticism in equal parts, the album smashed new boundaries both lyrically and musically. Sonically the LP begs comparison to the second LP by post folk, sibling three-piece Üç Hürel who used a balance of electronically treated saz and proto- polyphonic synthesisers to similar effect (exemplified here on tracks such as Gitme and Yaz Gazeteci Yaz). However, the fact that Selda was one of the few female voices to adopt the use of such cutting edge techniques put the LP in a league of its very own. Frowned on by the paranoid Turkish authorities, songs like Meydan Sizindir and Ince Ince were viewed as a call to arms for the working classes - little did Selda know that now her songwriting was available to a wider market (and soon to be available to an unlimited audience via the introduction of the compact cassette) she would face the threat of imprisonment due to her unwaning desire for freedom of speech and demands for a better quality of life. Selda would face future jail sentences and travel restrictions as her popularity spread amongst Turkish communities in Europe and America. Luckily Türküola arranged the immediate release of a second album that was released in late 1976 (some songs recorded in the same sessions are presented on this release as bonus tracks). Selda's second LP retained some of the psychedelic touches found on her debut but the passing phase of Turkish electronica (which began to manifest in popular music such as disco and pop) was less prevalent. Selda still performs songs from her extensive repertoire all over the world with many cassettes and CDs released under her singular name. Each of the artists involved in the recording of this LP continued to record radical and experimental music and are considered the cream of the crop among Eastern psych aficionados. In recent years the legacy of Anatolian progressive rock has gone from strength to strength, gaining popularity amongst DJs, producers and record collectors as an unrivalled source for unique sounds rarely found in other genres of international music and, until now, rarely heard outside their native environment Thirty years down the line, the Anatolian Invasion is on its way to a record store near you.

[engl] First album by Selda Bagcan, originally released in 1976. A collection of well-known poems and folk-songs, recorded in cooperation with the most progressive Turkish musicians / arrangers of the 70s: Mogollar, Dadaslar, Zafer Dilek & Arif Sag. Combining traditional instrumentation from Anatolia with Western psychedelic grooves: fuzz-wah guitars, electric saz, funk drums and above all, Selda's passionate vocals.

[engl] Imagine if Julia Child had marched against Vietnam, stood on the steps of the Pentagon & placed a flower in a gun barrel. Selda Bagcan's later records have that same cross of easygoing motherly warmth & righteous anger. This 1979 album (technically her 4th, although 6 of these songs were also released on her 3rd), was recorded when Turkey was at its most politically polarized. Selda was sentenced to a total of over 500 years in prison right about the time it came out. A pile of acoustic guitars & baglamas all going off at once under a blanket of reverb, with lyrics about blood, wood, mountains, families, and desperate troubles, so it's a thick squirt for a folk album. Selda's voice can either be sultry or really surge with emotion, and when she does belt one, it's oddly high & completely unique. Her reward was the love of Turkey's people, but also 9 trials and 3 prison terms from the right wing military government of the 80s.

[engl] There were female Turkish folk singers before Selda Bagcan, but none whose hot- blooded voice carried such righteously angry words & none who also accompanied themselves on guitar. She began her career singing at her brothers' Beethoven nightclub in Ankara while she went to school for physics during the day. Her 1st album had help from the cream of the crazy Istanbul pop scene, and cuts from the same sessions were also released on this 2nd one. While the direction is folky overall, there's fuzz, zooming synthesizers, and heavy flute to be found. When Selda performed the title track in 1977 in a coastal town not far from Istanbul, her protest lyrics, though taken from an old poem, got her heckled by audience members who screamed that she should go back to Moscow! Find out why this brawny mama couldn't be stopped by a military government that put her on trial 9 times, and could call herself the bitter voice of the Turkish people.

[engl] Groovy Tehran 70s pop singles swirl like the skirt of a dancing dervish!! With 5 volumes, this series is now the most complete investigation into Iranian singles ever issued. By now, you?ve probably developed an ear for the way that 70s Tehran pop stitches phrases together. And you know generations raised during the Pahlavi dynastys warmth for the West were excited to apply arranging tricks they gleefully swiped from disco & funk hits. Hear the microtonal grace notes as powerhouse singers like Soli & Sattar hit devotional ecstasy. Or just groove to the glamorous party when magazine stars like Neli & Nooshafarin knock- off bass lines they heard in English language movies.

[engl] Following the footsteps of the celebrated ''Zendooni'' (shipping your orders now), here comes another comp dedicated to the Persian pop scene of the 70s. And what a comp! Exotic psych, funk and pop doesn't get better than this. We offer you a 19 track selection culled from rare vinyl pressings and cassettes which have miracously survived until now. East meets West in an explosive way...wait till you hear fuzz bombs like ''Woman'' by Shahram and ''Baanoye Sahar Aavaaz'' by Soli, awesome sitar funk by Neli ready to burn any dancefloor; Famous Persian pop star Dariush appears with a powerful instrumental funk number, ''Nefrin Nameh''. Dig the processed flute and heavy drum breaks of ''Bia Bare Safar Bandim'' by Mohammed Noori. Catchy psych- pop by Amir Rassaie. Persian ladies are also represented by ace tracks from Marjan, Mahasti, Beti...

[engl] Finders Keepers Records present some of the finest Persian pop songs ever recorded. Many are acknowledged classics within Iran and throughout the Iranian Diaspora. Some are obscure. This collection is a trove, ripe for discovery and rediscovery, worthy of inclusion in the canon of idiosyncratic musical gems from the global south. It’s no accident that the phoenix is an exalted moral, mythical, and figurative symbol in Iran. Like the phoenix, Iranian culture is in constant flux and, at times, elusive, with its existential wavering and blurred panoramas. Most of contemporary Iran’s artistic and creative leanings, its grapples with history and identity, are loosely and mystically conjoined and contested in memory. Iran is marked by the complex interplay of diverse constituencies, philosophies, and influences: ethnic, religious, political, geopolitical and historical. The glorification of pre-Islamic antiquity (in search of authentication) marked the socio-cultural attitude of a bygone era and is witnessing revival in the present day. The discordant reality of eastern traditions complicated by the rampant confusions of modernity has become a norm in Persian dialogue, not to mention revolution, exile, and diaspora. Like many other countries, the 60s and 70s were a time of tumult in Iran, bringing growth (via petrodollars) and freedom (under the banner of socioeconomic development) while exacerbating inequalities within the country. The music and voices that blossomed during those decades exemplify the turbulence and excitement of the age. It is worth recognizing these ‘left out’ and ‘lost’ artists individually and as a group in the global happenings of 60s/70s psych, rock and folk, while exploring their influence and relevance to the present day. Is it possible that there is a genus of delectable sounds and fetching images that almost exclusively reside in the elbowroom of memory and nostalgic ‘yesteryear’ storytelling? Little consideration has been given to the correlation of these sounds and stories within the universal psychedelic phenomena: parallel to the shared stylistics of British and American players, and the radical politicking of their Turkish and Korean counterparts. This collection endeavors to re-contextualize these songs from the realm of reminiscence, nostalgia, and memory into a specific and accessible narrative to share and relate within the universal musical gamut. It is for aficionados, the curious, and collectors alike. We hope that Iranians around the world will rediscover these songs. This collection is, in some sense, dedicated to a generation in self-imposed mental exile, due to years of war and catastrophe; decades of lies and bombs; a fundamentalist theocracy of reformist shams; addiction; isolation and alienation; unemployment, and inflation. These are voices and stories that may again prove relevant to a psychologically damaged and spiritually corrupt society, a society whose discontents recall the latter years of the Shah’s rule. The recordings excavated here are highly sexual musings, voluble love songs, and simple folk tunes. In many of these songs, there are subtle voices of political protest. Here is a personal best, a handful of artists and diversely stylized songs, presented on Finders Keepers.

[engl] Khosh Amadid, friends, to this 4th volume in a series of compilations highlighting fiercely rare 45s from Tehrans pre- revolutionary golden age. Vivacious ladies with sassy Dorothy Hamill haircuts and skin- bearing pantsuits were once plastered across Tehrans newsstands. Those gorgeous sirens and their hunky male counterparts made all the teens sway to hand drums that boinked in 6/8 time. Plush brass & string arrangements took their cues from Latin grooves, psychedelic guitars, ritzy soundtracks, and sugary pop from the West. Within months of the 1979 Islamic revolution, pop music was labeled a symbol of the previous regime and became illegal overnight. In those same months, it also became illegal for women to be in public without conforming to the hijab dress code. By hook and crook, these little round records survived, and they attest to a time when Tehrans homegrown and exiled populations would have been united in an easygoing love for funk bass & buzzing synthesizers. Hear the tunes that rivaled the hits of Googoosh & Kourosh by singers who only recorded a few precious singles, but don?t think for a minute that Tehrans nightingales have run out of surprises for your ears. The discoveries are just beginning.

[engl] Ohhh, those rolling 6/8 time signatures, wah- ed out guitars, throbbing bass lines & shimmery disco strings. After two sets of singles from the jet- setting 1970s Tehran pop scene, Pharaway Sounds brings you a third round- up of tunes from just before the Iranian revolution. You'll find rockers from bands like the Rebels, making their way through the western sounds of the late 70s. But maybe more important, hear the voices of the girls, sweet & tough alike, who all ran out & got their hair cut in a foxy Hamill camel just like trend- setter Googoosh. A set that veers from gypsy fiddles to crime jazz piano to Abba knock- offs, and it's all from the teen idols of stage & screen who once filled glossy magazines to promote their latest musical adventures. Remastered sound, colour insert with pictures and detailed liner notes. CD comes with colour booklet with pictures and detailed liner notes.

[engl] Z?r is a possession cult practised on the outskirts of the rapidly modernising societies of North Africa and the Middle East. It’s a phenomenon that crosses not only geographical boundaries but also those determined by the rational mind. The boundaries here are not clearly defined; multiple worlds intertwine. Zar cant be enclosed in a single frame or functional model. If needed it could be perceived as a healing practice. However, the first stage of dealing with illness is always diagnosis, which in zar is made using music. Songs and rhythms form a bridge between the two worlds. Every z?r spirit has its own song. Consecutive rhythms are used to establish which spirit is being dealt with, and the initiate responds with rhythmic body movements called tafqir. The hypnotic rhythm increases until, usually about 30 minutes in, the dance turns into a trance in which the dancer’s personality merges completely with that of the spirit. JuJu Sounds travelled to Egypt to experience, record and share with you this well hidden culture. This album presents all three varieties of z?r still practised today. Hypnotic rhythms and mesmerising melodies were recorded not only in studio but also live during hadra - weekly z?r ceremonies. Sound recordings and in depth liner notes offer absolutely unique insight into z?r micro-communities in the Nile Delta and Cairo. Each of them is slightly different, but they all function as self-sufficient systems, remaining practically invisible in mainstream culture. Zar: Songs for the spirits is the second production of independent micro-label JuJu Sounds. The project focuses on building bridges between musicians from marginalised communities and niche audiences from around the world. The mission of JuJu Sounds is to revive valuable musical ecosystems, not just to sell exotic products.

[engl] Zendooni celebrates a time when Pop artists in Iran ruled the country. During the 70s, before the Revolution, Occidental and Middle East mannerisms collided and the result was a new kind of Iranian Pop which incorpotated different genres and arrangements to its Persian roots. Touches of Funk, Jazz, Latin, Bossa, Progressive- Psychedelic sounds and Morricone / Blaxploitation styled soundtracks can be heard on this collection, culled from miraculously survived vinyls and cassettes. A surreal voyage back to the Golden Age of Persian Pop. A vibrant time when female singers like Nooshafarin, Azita, Pouran or Ramesh appeared in colourful teen mags dressed in full hippie fashion. We are proud to present for the first time to Western ears amazing examples of Persian psych- prog like ''Safar'' by Hassan Shamaizadeh and ''Vi Bafa'' by Kambiz ; Persian funk by Azita, Nooshafarin, Emad Raam, Pooneh ; Bollywood styled sounds by Ahmad Wali & Hangama and much more.