Psychedelic folk and rock outfit Altin Gün have reworked Turkish folk singer Âşık Veysel’s “Kara Toprak,” which will be featured on their upcoming studio album Yol, out February 26 via ATO Records. This cover had its premiere on The Matt Wilkinson Show on Apple Music yesterday, February 8.
“Kara Toprak” is an eclectic blend of genres, taking cues from 1970s funk with its guitar licks, synth lines and bass, which work well with the song’s traditional Turkish vocals. During the chorus and closer, the song goes into more of a traditional Turkish folk style, while retaining hints of modern rock and funk.
Yol is set to feature a number of singles such as “Ordunun Dereleri” and “Yüce Dağ Başında.” “Kara Toprak,” is a tribute to Veysel, who was a blind poet, in addition to a musician. While Altin Gün hail from Amsterdam, they are very influenced by Turkish folk music, which they often cover in live performances. While only a few of its members are Turkish, the rest of the group is inspired by the nation’s music style.
“Even though we don’t understand the language or the culture necessarily, we are intrigued by the sound and rhythms of Turkish music and we try to interpret the music in a way which is also close to ourselves,” the band’s percussionist Gino Groeneveld explained in 2019 interview. “We also relate to the music in a way that the energy and attitude of a song just speak to you sometime and one can feel what they try to convey.”
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