The Third Eye

The Anatolian psych rockers AySay will return with their second full-length album on October 13, 2023, called KÖY, a fascinating psychedelic-world-music experience good for Goat and Altin Gün fans.

Vocalist Luna Erashin’s voice in Turkish, Danish, and Kurdish is seductive, enchanting, and alluring as she creates a fascinating musical journey with bandmates Aske Døssing Bendixen and Carl West Hosbond. AySay’s unique expression arises in the tension between Anatolia’s musical traditions, hand-played instruments, and electronic productions. The result is poppy music without being cheap that’s also exotic and highly danceable.

“For the active listener, AySay’s music is colorful, interwoven, and surprising,” the band tells us. “The music will be enthralling, groovy, and uplifting for the dancing listener. And for those who use music for an inner journey, Luna’s voice and lyrics will show depth, honesty, and hope.”

This bright, colorful, passionate music will lift you up in these dark times we’re living in. Tracks like “Ninni” contain a bottomless well of soul – a veritable psychedelic magic carpet ride, especially for Americans like me who aren’t used to the kaleidoscope of exotic sounds and instruments the music contains.

KÖY translates to “village” in Turkish, and with this single word, AySay’s new album aims to encapsulate an exploration of identity, belonging, and communities. For someone like me who doesn’t know much about the Turkish world, the title is an invitation to AySay’s music and heritage.

“Sen Kimsin” has a Middle Eastern flair that will hook many listeners. “Yuksek Yuksek” comes at us slower and brings a soft, chill atmosphere. Luna’s voice is sultry on this track, hitting all the high notes just right. “Istanbul” brings an almost hip-hop feel, with Luna rapping her vocals over the Middle Eastern stringed instruments and dance beats. This is just a sample of the songs and wonders on KÖY – I highly recommend you listen to the rest of the album to discover the magic in your own time.

AySay has already accomplished some great things as a band. Their second concert ever was for the opening ceremony of the European Capital of Culture Aarhus 2017, where they played in front of 70,000 people. Since then, they’ve played several festivals, including Roskilde Festival, Heartland Festival, and Tønder Festival in Denmark. The band is currently touring worldwide, with dates scheduled in Canada and the European Union in 2023 and 2024.

AySay’s critically acclaimed debut album, Su Akar, was released in 2021, which is also worth your time. Check out these Anatolian psychedelic rockers when you get the chance – you likely won’t regret it.

Music from KÖY isn’t available online yet, so check out this track from AySay’s debut album Su Akar in the meantime:

Support AySay by finding them on Bandcamp or social media (Instagram, Facebook).

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