Bosphorific!! Turkish Star Ersen compiled on Finder Keepers!

If you are somebody on the lookout for new things to hear, Andy Votel's Finders Keepers label never fails to come through. Whether it be obscure movie soundtracks, or psychedelic folk or pop music from around the world, these guys do the work of digging through the music bins so we can be conveniently introduced to exciting sounds that most of us would never run across on our own.

Ersen Dinleten is a perfect example. A popular performer in his native Turkey, but probably not too well known in the U.S., maybe a handful of songs found on Turkish Psychedelic compilations, maybe some beats sampled by rappers/Djs. Though there is some great musicianship to be found on this album, funky beats, psychedelic breaks, this is for the most part a collection of pop songs. Most of the songs are under 4 minutes. Just as many Western psychedelic bands have been influenced by music from the Mid-East, there is Western rock influence to be found here, most notably in the fuzz guitar incorporated in some of the songs. But to a great degree I hear traditional Middle Eastern pop informed by rock music. Sometimes it is amazing how quickly cultural trends can spread. I did a post a while back on Dara Puspita an Indonesian rock group inspired by The Beatles. They were putting out music in the mid-Sixties! I guess I shouldn't be that surprised, judging by the number of punk bands that suddenly sprang up in the wake of the Sex Pistols.



Ersen is a bit of a crooner. I don't know why but in his delivery, he reminds me a little of Colin Blunstone of the Zombies. His voice does not resemble his in any way, but he has a certain style that reminds me of latter period Zombies. Actually some of the songs even have some of that "Time of the Season" vocal effects. There is a definite sad sensitivity to his vocals. Guzan Mubarek Olsun is a particularly soulful example here. One of the nice things is that the songs aren't samey sounding at all---there is a lot of diversity to be found in this collection. From funky organ, to acoustic jamming, to more harder rocking tunes, the music doesn't get boring. And the tunes are originals as far as I can tell.
No versions of "Get Back" or "Get Off of My Cloud" in Turkish here.



Ersen is definitely an entertaining album, ideal for people who get tired of repetition in their music.
Probably not a bad place to start for anybody interested in Turkish rock music. Once you hear this you will probably want to get your paws on more.