Wow ... Greatest Turkish Albums

50 GREATEST ALBUMS FROM TURKEY

1. Erkin Koray - Elektronik Türküler (1974) - 91/100

Genres: Anatolian Rock, Psychedelic Rock
Key Songs: Türkü, Karlı Dağlar


Quite mayhap the greatest album always from Turkish psychedelic maestro Erkin Koray – a mad blend of sounds that definitely lives upward to its "elektronik" title! Most numbers characteristic a weird blend of electrical guitar together with baglama – used inward a trend that's similar to Koray's before Arabesk recordings, but inward ways that are ofttimes to a greater extent than tripped out together with free-thinking – almost inward a groove that's similar to belatedly 60s blends of Eastern influences together with progressive stone inward the US together with Europe. There's a flake of vocals on the set, but the instrumentation dominates – together with titles include "Sir", "Karli Daglar", "Cemalim", "Inat", "Hele Yar", "Turku", together with "Korkulu Ruya".

 (Dusty Groove America)

2. Gülsin Onay - A. A. Saygun: Piano Concertos 1 together with 2 (2008) - 90/100

Genre: Western Classical Music

Key Part: Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 34: Allegro assai

If you lot tin imagine the combination of Bartók's alternately nocturnal together with percussive keyboard writing (and scoring) married to the chromatic luxuriance of Szymanowski or Scriabin, together with hence you lot conduct hold a adept sense of what to await from these ii marvelous concertos. Saygun was without inquiry a major composer, i of the lastly of the dandy ethnic nationalists. The influences of Turkish folk music conduct hold been fully absorbed into an evocative, personal idiom that has plenty ties to Western tradition that aficionados of the dandy Romantic concertos won't lose their bearings piece soundless savoring the many new, colorful, together with atmospheric sounds that Saygun evokes.

The First Concerto dates from the 1950s, the Second (composed for the splendid soloist on this recording) from the 1980s. There's perhaps a touching to a greater extent than refinement to the scoring of the Second Concerto, but both are total of ear-catching ideas together with offering plenty of virtuoso opportunities to the pianist. We in all probability won't teach whatever to a greater extent than recordings of these pieces anytime soon, hence it's a adept affair that the performances hither audio wholly fresh, idiomatic, together with total of fire. I've been pushing Saygun's distinctive, masterful torso of operate for years, but if you lot haven't taken the plunge together with hence this excellently engineered disc makes a dandy identify to start.

(David Hurwitz, Classics Today)

3. Bülent Ortaçgil - Benimle Oynar Mısın? (1980) - 90/100

Genres: Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk
Key Song: Anlamsız 

I tin soundless aroma that crisp foggy air, the morn of Dec 3rd, 1981. Birds were chirping, together with cars were driving yesteryear (business as usual), but the populace simply seemed to remain soundless that day. Work the yesteryear calendar week was difficult. I had meetings upon meetings, together with I was some other stack of papers away from simply losing it. To exercise goodness myown health, I decided to accept a break. H5N1 interruption that would accept me to the depths of the Sea of Love, together with through the fiery pits of Hell, together with spit me out feeling similar an immortal being, who is genuinely weaker together with to a greater extent than vulnerable than always before...


The bird left that day. I escaped operate midday together with simply rushed out to the airport. I sprinted through the terminal, determined to detect what I was looking for. I eventually fought my agency through, bumping each together with every way, until I finally landed inward my seat. It was coach, but I didn't care. As far as I was concerned, all of my cares were left inward Washington. I stared out the window to the anguish, together with agony I was leaving behind. My heed was inward a dissimilar place. Turkey, hither I come.


I didn't slumber once. My heed was working a hundred miles a infinitesimal piece I subconsciously went through everything I left behind. My family--gone. My friends--gone. My TV, together with other knick-knacks I bought out of all of those Sears catalogues--gone. For the offset fourth dimension inward my entire life, I was solitary inward this world. I didn't conduct hold a future, together with my yesteryear was gone. I couldn't concur it inward whatever more. I simply turned away from the crowd; planted my caput against the window, together with simply started to cry. I could conduct hold sworn I cried all the agency over the Atlantic Ocean, which was nix to a greater extent than than a puddle of tears yesteryear that point.


The bird landed inward Istanbul early on the side yesteryear side morning. The entire flying was a surreal experience for me, together with when I stepped off, I didn't fifty-fifty know what the populace would convey me next. I was hence small, inward a populace hence big. I was finally realizing that, 29 yr into my life. First affair I did was hailed a cab, got a room at a local motel, together with simply crashed. I had the best slumber of my entire life that night.


The side yesteryear side morning, refreshed as a bug, I constitute my self a local cafe, together with decided to swallow some breakfast. It had been a twosome of days since the lastly fourth dimension I ate, hence as you lot could in all probability tell, I was famished. I ordered a huge stack of Turkish pancakes, together with yesteryear the fourth dimension I was done amongst the offset stack, I already had some other i ordered. I saw my plate coming, together with hence I glanced up, together with right away simply dropped my fork, together with my jaw. The most beautiful adult woman I had always seen inward my life was serving me food. I was dumbfounded, together with I simply ate my meal, together with disappeared dorsum into my motel room. I made the determination to maintain going dorsum in that location every unmarried day, hence I could view to a greater extent than together with to a greater extent than of this woman.


The side yesteryear side day, I went dorsum for breakfast again, together with I simply stared at her googly-eyed. This same routine continued for the side yesteryear side week, as I simply watched this adult woman travel dorsum together with forth, dorsum together with forth. Eventually (I believe it was the 6th twenty-four hours or so), as the waitress gave me my nutrient together with started to walk away, I told her to sit. I told her almost how my trip was going, together with basically made chit-chat amongst her. I could tell nosotros were falling inward dearest from the start, together with I went dwelling i happy man.


This routine continued on together with on for the side yesteryear side few days, together with yesteryear then, I actually was getting to know her. Eventually I asked her out, together with it was all slow sailing from there. We eventually ran off to her house, together with together with hence rushed into her bedroom, and...well, I'll simply leave of absence that upward to your imagination. Hehe...


On Christmas twenty-four hours of 1981, I got on my knee, together with I asked her to conjoin me. She said yes, together with gauge what album was playing? That's right, Benimle Oynar Mısın. I right away demanded that they teach me a re-create of this album, because from that twenty-four hours on, it would officially live my adept luck album.


We went to bed together that night, together with the next morning, I awoke to nobody side yesteryear side to me. I constitute a regime annotation on the bureau that read:


"Dear Mik,

I'm writing this missive of the alphabet amongst tear filled eyes, for I cannot imagine a lifetime without you, but I must go. I can't tell you lot why, or how, but yesteryear the fourth dimension you lot read this, I'll live long gone. Don't essay to detect me. I am hence sorry... My pump belongs to you, together with I desire you lot to conduct hold it for the balance of eternity.

With love,
Turkish-chick"


It was the lastly I would always hear from her. I got a cab to the drome where I would teach a ticket for a flying dorsum to the United States. There wasn't an opening for iii days, together with I spent those iii days sitting solitary inward my motel room; motionless together with emotionless. H5N1 interruption from reality that would interruption me at my core. Life was over.


Three days later, I dragged myself through the rainy streets of Istanbul, create to board my flight. I drudgingly took my seat, together with remained motionless throughout the entire flight. My heed was gone, my pump missing; my torso had travel a emotionless robot. Although my torso remained on earth, my pump died together with went to Heaven amongst her on that dreary winter's day...


Each fourth dimension I play this album, I call upward of her...


Now let's speak almost the actual music, shall we? Bülent Ortaçgil's basic trend is singer-songwriter folk stuff, sort of akin to Nick Drake (but he's much improve than Nick Drake), or fifty-fifty Donovan. I don't speak Turkish, hence I actually can't comment on the lyrics at all, but some of these arrangements are really good. Mostly centered around acoustic guitar together with sometimes accompanied yesteryear pianoforte or horns, Bülent Ortaçgil beasts this album similar no other. The best songs are "Sik Latife", "Yagmur", "Benimle Oynar mısın", together with "Gunaydin".


And it turns out I listened to the entire album backwards. How great...


Oh, together with yesteryear the way, I completely made that entire flush up. Not a unmarried flake of it was true. Heck, I wasn't fifty-fifty live inward 1981!

(Seattle Junkie Queen, RYM)

4. K. Karaca, U. Ergüner, M. Cemil, A. G. K., N. Sayın, C. Orhon...

Mevlana Serisi, Dede Efendi Saba Ayini
  (1963 - Recording Date, 1996) - 89/100

Genres: Turkish Classical Music, Sufi Music

Key Part: Saba Peşrevi 

5. Okay Temiz - Zikir (1981) - 88/100

Genres: World Music, Instrumental, Jazz

Key Song: Muş

6. Yansımalar - Yansımalar (1991) - 86/100

Genres: Instrumental, Sufi Music, World Music

Key Song: Sonbahar 

 “We wishing to convey a slice of lucidity together with serenity inward contrast to the complexity of life”

Yansımalar, translated as ‘Reflections’, is the collaboration of ii Turkish musicians, Birol Yayla together with Aziz Şenol Filiz. Fusing together traditional Turkish music amongst a to a greater extent than contemporary style, the elementary chemical scientific discipline betwixt the ii results inward what is a wistful together with ultimately beautiful slice of music, seemingly uncomplicated together with effortless from the outset, but amongst a magnitude of depth to live uncovered within. As their offset recording, Yansımalar is solely live, amongst Yayla on his guitar together with Filiz on the traditional reed flute, known as the ‘Ney’ inward Turkish. Although Yayla plays a pivotal purpose inward creating the backdrop upon which Filiz expands amongst the Ney, it is without a dubiety Filiz who characterizes the beauty of Yansımalar; exemplifying the mystical together with fluid surge that is traditional Turkish music, the Ney has an almost hollow sound, yet overwhelmingly shapes the album’s atmosphere. Moreover, together with most importantly, the success Yayla together with Filiz conduct hold inward conveying diverse themes together with moods is what actually gives Yansımalar its appeal; sluggishness aside, the grasp the ii musicians conduct hold over actually creating an enveloping atmosphere from the basic utilization of ii instruments is astounding.

Yansımalar, inward a nutshell, is a serene together with graceful album; it breathes novel life into a traditionally styled cast of music, together with has been the inspiration for many contemporary Turkish musicians. With a modern outlook that occupies both traditional together with religious history, the album explores themes as picayune as Winter’s flowers (‘Kar Çiçekleri’), together with as meaningful as friendship (‘Dostluk’), all piece giving a deep insight into Turkey’s musical heritage. It’s timeless together with peaceful, astutely reflecting a plethora of moods, together with its touching on as an album remains, together with volition remain, undiminished.

(Rasputin, Sputnik Music)

7. Selda - Selda (1976) - 85/100

 Genres: Psychedelic Folk, Anatolian Rock, Anatolian Folk Music

Key Song: Yaz Gazeteci Yaz


Unfamiliar amongst the Anatolian Joan Baez? So hither it is: the long-awaited reissue of Selda Bagcan's 1976 eponymous debut. Long-awaited, that is, if you're an aficionado of Anatolian folk music together with were as thrilled yesteryear the recent appearance on CD of Mustafa Ozkent's Genclik Ile Elele. The balance of us must live grateful to tape producer Andy Votel (whose credits include Badly Drawn Boy's Mercury Prize-winning debut), DJ together with designer Dominic Thomas together with tape collector Doug Shipton. Their Finders Keepers label specialises inward turning upward extraordinary records from around the populace from artists who conduct hold generally long since retreated into obscurity: yes, it's them to give thank you lot for those Susan Christie together with Bruno Spoerri albums, as good as Welsh Rare Beat, lastly year's compilation of Welsh prog (compiled amongst the assist of Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals)


Later this month, the Barbican inward London plays host to the first-ever live presentation of Jean-Claude Vannier's 1972 album L'enfant assassinator des mouches, which was for sure some form of lost masterpiece until Finders Keepers rediscovered it. The eventide volition also characteristic the music of Gainsbourg's Histoire de Melody Nelson together with appearances from Badly Drawn Boy together with Jarvis Cocker (so mass now!).


And hence to Selda, who was Turkey's answer to Joan Baez inward the Seventies when she released her offset record, an outspoken vocalizer from the folk tradition. Unless your Turkish is upward to scratch, the protestation chemical component division may live lost on you, although the sleevenotes comprise translations to half-a-dozen songs together with they appear to live firecrackers.

'The sweat of the working-class amalgamates amongst the soil,' is how she kicks off the album, on 'Meydan Sizindir', before careering into a rousing chorus of 'Today is yours, but tomorrow is ours ... The universe is ours, friendship is ours, brotherhood is ours!'

It's the music, however, that's captivated Votel together with co, i suspects, together with inward this abide by 'folk' won't actually launder as a descriptive term. Instead, it's all distorted saz, fuzzy guitars, swirling electronic effects together with driving percussion, piece Selda wails over the top. Some tunes are fast together with heavy, others stretch out into something to a greater extent than filmic.

Yes, it's a form of psychedelic, trippy prog that could only conduct hold been made inward the Seventies, somehow. It's also an eye-popping reminder that 'world' music doesn't hateful something recorded acoustically yesteryear ii goatherds upward a hillside.

(Caspar Llewellyn Smith, The Observer)

8. İlhan Mimaroğlu - Musiques Noires (1983) - 84/100

Genres: Electronic Music, Experimental
Key Part: Immolation Scene 

9. Nekropsi - Mi Kubbesi (1996) - 83/100

Genres: Progressive Rock, Experimental Rock, Post Rock
Key Song: Yollar 

10. Erkan Oğur together with İ. H. Demircioğlu - Gülün Kokusu Vardı (1998) - 83/100

Genres: Anatolian Folk Music

Key Song: Zeynep 

11. Cem Karaca - Nem Kaldı? (1975) - 83/100
Genres: Anatolian Rock
Key Song: Namus Belası 

12. Erkan Oğur - Bir Ömürlük Misafir (1996) - 82/100

Genres: Anatolian Folk Music, World Music
Key Song: Mor Dağlar 

13. Fikret Kızılok - Zaman Zaman (1983) - 82/100

Genres: Singer-Songwriter, Folk Rock

Key Song: Zaman Zaman 

14. Cem Karaca together with Edirdahan - Safinaz (1978) - 82/100

Genres: Anatolian Rock, Progressive Rock

Key Song: Şeyh Bedrettin Destanı 

15. Bülent Ortaçgil & Fikret Kızılok - Pencere Önü Çiçeği (1986) -82/100
Genre: Contemporary Folk
Key Song: Değirmenler 

16. Maffy Falay together with Sevda - Jazz i Sverige '72 (1972) - 81/100

Genres: Jazz, Folk Music

Key Song: Karadeniz 

17. Erkin Koray - Erkin Koray (1973) - 80/100
Genres: Anatolian Rock, Psychedelic Rock
Key Song: Yağmur 

18. 3 Hür-El - Hürel Arşivi (1972) - 79/100
Genres: Anatolian Rock, Anatolian Pop, Psychedelic Folk, Psychedelic Rock
Key Song: Ağlarsa Anam Ağlar

Trippy stone from the iii Hurel brothers of Turkey – a fuzzed-up, freaked-out trio that comes off amongst some dandy psychedelic touches! The audio hither is a dandy blending of modes – similar to some of the other Turkish stone from the fourth dimension that merged electrical guitar amongst folkloric inspirations – but the overall Hurel groove is much to a greater extent than strongly progressive, together with sometimes slightly funky at times – due to a tight laid of rhythms at the bottom. There's a heaviness hither that almost hits Cream-like intensity for the ability trio – salve for the fact that the lyrics instantly score the operate as existence of non-Anglo origins, as exercise the eastern shadings inward the work of guitar together with some of the percussion. Titles include "Kol Basti", "Hoptirinom", "Yara", "Doner Dunya", "Agit", "Aglaras Anam Aglar", "Kucuk Yaramaz", together with "Canim Kurban".

(Dusty Groove America)

19. Moğollar - Moğollar (1976) - 78/100

    Genres: Anatolian Folk Music, Anatolian Rock
    Key Son: Katip Arzuhalim Yaz Yare Böyle

20. Replikas - Köledoyuran (2000) - 78/100

Genres: Experimental Rock, Anatolian Rock

Key Song: Kuh



21. İdil Biret - Boulez: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1-3 (1996) - 78/100

Genre: Western Classical Music

Key Part: Piano Sonata No. 3: Commentaire 

22. Kani Karaca, Necdet Yaşar, A. G. Kutbay, Niyazi Sayın, Ulvi Ergüner
Mevlevi Rites / Mevlana "Enstrümantal" (2008) - 78/100
Genres: Turkish Classical Music, Sufi Music
Key Part: Bayati Taksim 

23. Kudsi Ergüner - Rembetiko From Istanbul (2001) - 77/100

Genre: Rembetiko

Key Song: Karabiberim 

24. Nevzat Atlığ, İstanbul D. K. T. M. K.

Ölümünün 150. Yılında Dede Efendi (2000) - 77/100

Genre: Turkish Classical Music

Key Song: Ey But-ı Nev Eda 

25. Baba Zula - Üç Oyundan Onyedi Müzik (1999) - 76/100

Genres: Psychedelic Folk, Experimental Rock
Key Song: Babasız Kızlar Balosu

26. Pentagram - Unspoken (2001) - 76/100

Genres: Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Folk Metal

Key Song: Unspoken 

27. Yansımalar - Pervane (2004) - 76/100

Genres: Instrumental, Sufi Music, World Music, Turkish Classical Music

Key Song: Pervane 

28. Cihat Aşkın together with Mehru Ensari - Minyatürler (1997) - 75/100
Genres: Instrumental, Folk Music
Key Song: Sarı Gelin 

29. Moğollar - Danses et rythmes de la Turquie (1971) - 75/100
Genres: Anatolian Pop, Folk Rock, Progressive Pop, Anatolian Folk Music
Key Song: Madımak 

30. Ezginin Günlüğü - Ölüdeniz (1990) - 75/100

Genres: Pop Jazz, World Music
Key Song: Çocuğun Kurguları

31. Burhan Öçal together with Istanbul Oriental Ensemble 
Sultan's Secret Door (1997) - 75/100

Genres: Turkish Classical Music, Gypsy Music

Key Part::Nihavent Oriental

32. Münir Nurettin Beken - Art of the Turkish Ud (1996) - 75/100
Genre: Turkish Classical Music
Key Part: Çeçen Kızı 

33. Ahmet Sinan Hatipoğlu - Musiki (1993) - 75/100
Genre: New Age, Contemporary Folk
Key Song: Yirmibeşinci Kısım 

34. Yansımalar - Bab-ı Esrar (2000) - 75/100

Genres: Instrumental, Sufi Music, World Music

Key Song: Bab-ı Esrar 

35. Okay Temiz - Oriental Wind (1977) - 74/100

Genres: Jazz, World Music, Experimental

Key Song: Dere Geliyor Dere 

36. Fazıl Say - Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps (2000) - 74/100

Genre: Western Classical Music

Key Part: Second Part: The Sacrifice: Evocation Of The Ancestors 

37. K. Karaca, A. G. Kutbay, C.Koşal, S. Heper, D. Ergin, N. Uzel...

Music of the Whirling Dervishes (1979) - 74/100
Genres: Turkish Classical Music, Sufi Music
Key Song: Naat-ı Mevlana 

38. Mercan Dede - Su (2004) - 74/100

Genres: Sufi Music, World Music, New Age

Key Song: Ab-ı Hayat 

39. Erkin Koray - Erkin Koray 2 (1976) - 74/100
Genres: Anatolian Rock, Arabesque
Key Song: Hayat Katarı 

40. Levent Yüksel - Med Cezir (1993) - 74/100

Genres: Turkish Pop, World Music

Key Song: Tuana 



41. Özdemir Erdoğan - Canım Seninle Olmak İstiyor (1976) - 74/100

Genres: Turkish Pop Music, World Music

Key Song: Canım Seninle Olmak İstiyor 

42. Aşık Mahzuni Şerif - Yuh Yuh, Dertli Köyüm (1979) - 74/100
Genre: Anatolian Folk Music
Key Song: Nem Kaldı 

43. Replikas - Avaz (2005) - 74/100

Genres: Experimental Rock, Anatolian Rock

Key Song: Zift 

44. Toros Can - Paul Hindemith: Piano Works (2008) - 74/100

Genre: Western Classical Music

Key Part: Suite, '1922' 

45. Şivan Perwer - Kine Em (1979) - 73/100
Genres: Folk Music, World Music
Key Song: Kine Em 

46. Taksim Trio - Taksim Trio (2007) - 73/100
Genres: Turkish Classical Music, Instrumental, World Music

Key Song: Derdin Ne 

47. Siddhartha - Trip to Innerself (2009) - 73/100
Genres: Progressive Rock, Space Rock
Key Song: Baroque 

48. Sezen Aksu - Gülümse (1991) - 73/100
Genre: Turkish Pop
Key Song: Vazgeçtim 

49. Orhan Gencebay - Yalnız Değilsin (1994) - 73/100
Genre: Arabesque, Fusion Music
Key Song: Nihavent Üvertür 

50. MFÖ - Ele Güne Karşı (1984) - 73/100
Genre: Pop Rock
Key Song: Ele Güne Karşı



Honorable Mention

Yeni Türkü - Yeşilmişik
Ali Ekber Çiçek - Türküler
Nazan Öncel - Göç
Nur Yoldaş - Sultan-ı Yegah
Yavuz Çetin - Satılık
İhsan Özgen - Anatolia
Sertan Erener - La'l
Mustafa Kandıralı - Caz Roman
Zen - Bakırköy Akıl Hastanesi'nde
Edip Akbayram - Nedir Ne Değildir?
Barış Manço - 2023
Bülent Ortaçgil - Light

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