In the past year KARA DELIK have released four EPs entitled ‘Singularities l, ll, lll and lV’, with the latest dropping in December. The band’s unique sound is a blend of Anatolian influences, post-punk, and new-wave elements with dynamic poly-rhythmic psych-grooves. These extended plays have been collected together and have been recently released as `All The Singularities (l-lV)`
This international trio of Barış Öner [Istanbul Ghetto Club] on saz, Andi Sommer [Henry Fonda, Yacht Communism] on bass and synths and drummer Eilis Frawley [Anika, Laura Lee & The Jettes] interweave energetic complex rhythms soundscapes and effects creating an industrious post-punk melee of Anatolian heat.
The first couple of tracks `Strange Attractor` and `Iterations` made up the initial Singularities extended play release with `Strange Attractor` a kind of dub soundscape with what I presume is Eilis`s vocals sharing a spoken discourse that feels as if it`s a relaxation tape. Whereas `Iterations` has a twisting jazzy dub vibe with dual vocals.
The male voice has a gothy tinge while the female is again spoken.
` Dogs` has a rhythmic feel with a tapped drum rim and bass allowing vocals that seem like a stream of consciousness to be shared above with the female vocal sharing a dog associated rumination. The track gains pace as it evolves. There`s a real trippy feel to `Hayvan` which appears to translate as animal. It has an initial head rush before gaining a blend of Anatolian colours with a repetitive rhythmic reflection. `Eclipse` seems as if it will be a rock out but male and female voices almost compete with each other on this fast paced composition. These three numbers made up the Singularities ll EP.
`Kisa Hava` opens the four tracks that make up Singularities lll and it`s a number that brought to mind summer evenings forty years ago, sitting outside café`s in Turkish resorts as music drifted in and out. The literal meaning is short weather which kind of fits. `Matilda` has a female spoken word and a hazy distant male vocal sprinkled over an auditory blend of East meets West. `Counting Time` begins with an introspective day in the life kind of oral submission revealed over an enticing middle eastern sound which has a mesmerising baglama or saz leading us along. The final cut in this section is `Nereden Nereye` which appears to translate to the philosophical assertion `from whence we came and to where we will return`. It`s another spellbinding listen with Turkish Arabesque tinges, a rolling drumbeat, intermittent spoken word, and some Turkish sounding singing floated in, out and atop.
The final EP Singularities lV contains four tracks and begins with `Stones` which has a wonderfully magnetic texture which really draws you in and takes you on a real voyage of discovery. There`s a bewitching feel to `Keep It Business` which has a repetitive underlying beat and a spoken work oration of the tracks title.
`Gece` seems to translate as `Etymology` which is the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history. Another enticing irresistible listen that weaves it`s magic. This album or collection closes out with `Attack & Defend – Dogs Version` which is a spacey, trippy, earworm of a number with a reggae dub like texture towards the end.
There was so much to enjoy with `All The Singularities (l-lV)` where KARA DELIK take you on a journey or voyage through an aural soundscape that will nigh on hypnotise or mesmerise you. There was a beauty for me in the mystery that was as to what the song titles meant and not quite understanding what the lyrics referred to at times but this didn`t distract from the overall attraction of this release.
KARA DELIK appears to translate to Black Hole, which is a region of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing, including light and other electromagnetic waves, has enough energy to escape it and listening to `All The Singularities (l-lV)` who would really want to.
Rating 8.5/10
