Albums in Showcase - May 10, 2025

The nineties were pregnant with many things; not only in the future of the country, but also in music... There had not yet been a Turkish pop explosion, but the signals had begun to arrive. In this craze, countless subpar albums and names had emerged, but one of the best examples that opened the door was Akrep Nalan's "Dağ Çiçeği" album.

This work, released on cassette and CD format, was one of the most qualified pop albums of the period. Aside from the comments made by Akrep Nalan with her sympathetic and warm voice, the most important feature of the album was that it included the names that would bring the golden age of Turkish pop. The album, whose arrangements were made by Vedat Sakman (who also played the guitar and keyboard instruments), was accompanied by Uzay Heparı, Levent Altındağ, Çetin Akdeniz, Edward Aris, Gürcan Aktalay, Ergin Kızılay, Hakan İtik and Halis Bütünley.

The album, which includes songs such as “Sarhoş”, “Karlar Düşer”, “Çağır Beni”, “Dağ Çiçeği”, also featured a rich list of lyrics and composers ranging from Nâzım Hikmet to Zülfü Livaneli, Metin Özülkü to Garo Mafyan, Kadir Cerrahoğlu to Adamo. Akrep Nalan, who passed away in 2022, made two albums that still elevate the soul when listened to despite the years that have passed. Her first album, “Dağ Çiçeği”, is now available for the first time in vinyl format, 180 grams...

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MOJAVE 'DON'T FOOL YOURSELF' (NO5 RECORDS)

I met the Istanbul-based alternative rock band Mojave at the 21st Roxy Music Days in 2022. They were one of the 12 bands that would pass the eliminations and take the stage in front of the jury and guests. They filled the stage at a level close to professionals. What caught my attention was their ability to show that they were good musicians while on stage. They were rewarded with the “best performance” award won by their drummer Ege Soydan. The band, who continue on their path with determination, have been releasing singles since 2020 but have been working with the intention of an album for a long time, have now achieved their wish with “Kandırma Kendi”.

Four of the 10 songs on the album, which fit into 32 minutes, were released on digital platforms within the last year. Consisting of Ege Soydan on drums, Can Doğu Baykan on guitar, Uluç Beykoz on bass and keyboards, and Enes Cihan Güvenç on vocals, Mojave deals with topics such as individual and social alienation in their songs, and draws attention especially with their strong riffs in their music.

Although the new generation has a British community atmosphere, Mojave is giving a good test. In closing, advice from the dinosaur; they need to be more original, because the originality they need is in the talent they have. Good news: The young people not only released albums, they also pressed records.