Purveyors of an unparalleled sound, Altin Gün is back with their inventive, one-of-a-kind style of Turkish folk-rock psychedelia.
Videos by American Songwriter
The group recently announced their return with an upcoming release, Aşk, an album full of songs with the same infectious power that is palpable at their live shows. The 10-track project will see the band re-imagine traditional Turkish folk tunes, giving age-old songs a new, reinterpreted life.
“These songs have been covered so many times, always,” said vocalist and keyboardist Merve Daşdemir in a statement.
“But not really in psychedelic pop versions,” bassist Jasper Verhulst added. “It’s definitely connecting more with a live sound—almost like a live album. We, as a band, just going into a rehearsal space together and creating music together instead of demoing at home.”
With the news of their new album, the band also shared their hypnotizing new single, “Rakıya Su Katamam,” an otherworldly take on the Turkish folk standard composed by Mustafa Öztürk. Their latest track follows the previously released “Leylim Ley,” another dazzling folk reinvention.
Aşk is set for release on Mar. 10. The upcoming project marks the band’s fifth studio album and the follow-up to their two 2021 releases, Yol and Âlem.
In a conversation with American Songwriter about Yol, Daşdemir explained the importance of their music, saying “You’re introducing them to a new generation [of Turkish people]. Like my nieces: they didn’t know these songs. They’re young, so they didn’t know these songs at all before Altin Gün did them. So it’s also cool to introduce their own heritage to them in a contemporary way.”
On the heels of their album release, Altin Gün is scheduled to take on a near-month-long trek across North America, filling July with various tour dates. See the full list below.
Check out “Rakıya Su Katamam” and its accompanying video below.
2023 Tour Dates
July 12 – Thunderbird @ Pittsburgh, PA
July 13 – Beachland Ballroom @ Cleveland, OH
July 14 – Magic Stick @ Detroit, MI
July 15 – Thalia Hall @ Chicago, IL
July 17 – Turner Hall @ Milwaukee, WI
July 18 – Varsity Theatre @ Minneapolis, MN
July 19 – Wooly’s @ Des Moines, IA
July 21 – The Vogue @ Indianapolis, IN
July 24 – Basement East @ Nashville, TN
July 25 – Terminal West @ Atlanta, GA
July 27 – FloydFest @ Floyd, VA
July 28 – The Howard @ Washington, DC
July 29 – Union Transfer @ Philadelphia, PA
July 31 – Brooklyn Steel @ Brooklyn, NY
Aug. 2 – Danforth Music Hall @ Toronto, ON
Photo by Catharina Gerritsen / Big Hassle
