Buzz’ Ayaz

In Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, there are very real and longstanding physical and political divides between the Greek and Turkish populations. With their debut album, Buzz’ Ayaz seek to transcend barriers and build bridges, incorporating both Greek and Anatolian folk flavours and singing lyrics that mix Greek Cypriot dialect with Turkish words. Their sound is dark and scowling, thanks to idiosyncratic instrumentation. Antonis Antoniou plays an electrified tzouras (a kind of bouzouki), often run through a wah-wah pedal and other gnarled effects. Manos Stratis contributes stabbing 70s-style organ and rumbling bass synthesizer. Ulaş Öğüç’s bottom-heavy drums summon pounding, tribal beats. And the wild card is British expatriate Will Scott, who adds a murky, electrified bass clarinet. While a brooding, post-punk heaviness is the primary mode, there are some surprises too. ‘Fysa’ with its freak-out psychedelic organ solo and growling fuzz bass could almost be an East Mediterranean Soft Machine.