The records opens with a track called “The Trip,” which is fitting considering the psychedelic vibes of  Grup Şimşek’s sound, and the new chapter this album represents: in Dost 1, the first of a two-part series, the quartet (down from a quintet in previous works) worked together to compose and arrange every track, further honing the collaborative spirit that they cultivated from the beginning. Their music is futuristic yet rooted in tradition, explorative yet introspective, meandering through Turkish folk and poetry while delving into the souls of Şimşek’s four members. 

– Megan Iacobini de Fazio