Yeni Dunya

Honed on the streets of Istanbul, the message of Light in Babylon comes out loud and clear, across time and space. No fake Orientalism or chilled-out lounge sounds are to be heard from this strong band, which today represents some of the best music coming out of the east of the Mediterranean. They are centred around the powerful personality of Israeli-Iranian singer Michal Kamal, whose voice soars over the textured instrumentals created by French guitarist Julien Demarque and Turkish santur (dulcimer) player Metehan Ciftçi. Their taut sound is enhanced by the streamlined rhythm section of Jack Butler on bass and Stuart Dickson on percussion, while guest soloist Ceyhun Kaya is a welcome addition on ‘Canim Benim’, a dancing original in Turkish. The band is a rousing act that deserves to be experienced live.

Besides original compositions, the band perform two Turkish folk songs, ‘Bursa'nin Ufak Tefek Taslari’ and ‘Divane Asik Gibi’. They give them new energy, making them relevant to the current times. The second one, from the Black Sea tradition, is a love song for the ages: ‘You will be the rain, I will be the clouds.’ Spicy and inebriating, this is an outstanding release.