“In Turkish you don’t say you sing a song, you say you burn a song”, says Netherlands based Turkish born Altın Gün vocalist Merve Dasdemir, speaking to Daniel Spicer in The Wire 444. “It’s a funny expression,” she continues, “but it comes from that depth of feeling. You burn it or light it up. Turkish folk music is a lot about life and death and love – basic stuff, but it’s always a tragedy.”

Here, the band's founder and bassist Jasper Verhulst makes a selection of songs by 1970s and 80s Turkish musicians who continue to influence the band's themes and psych sound. Read more about Altın Gün's inspirations, their new pandemic-imposed songwriting techniques and their forthcoming album Yol in The Wire 444. Subscribers can also access the article online. Yol is released via Glitterbeat on 26 February.

Tracklist

Özdemir Erdoğan “Gurbet”

Zafer Dilek “Hey Onbeşli”

Selda “Rabbim Ne İdim Ne Oldum”

Afet Serenay “Maden Dağı”

Gülcan Opel “Yat Kolumun Üstüne”

Arif Sağ “Şu Samsunun Evlerir”

Moğollar “Çığrık”

Nurtaç Düzgit & Grup Turbo “Bakkal Mahmut'un Kızı”

Yaprak “Olmaz Olsun Bu Kader”

Seyyal Taner “Sarmaş Dolaş”

Barış Manço & Kurtalan Ekspres “Sarı Çizmeli Mehmet Ağa”

İstanbul Şarkıcıları “Ayva Çiçek Açmış (Instrumental)”

Gülden Karaböcek “Özüne Özüm Kurban”

Mihrican Bahar “Harmandan Gel Harmandan”

Selma İstanbullu “Bir Çift Kumru Gibiyiz”

Nesrin “Adam Mı Oldun”

Kamuran Akkor “Ikimiz Bir Fidaniz”

Çiftetelli Turkish Belly Dances “Adana Üçayak”

Ferdi Özbeğen “Köprüden Geçti Gelin”

Figen Han “Haydi Bastırrr”