Oyun Havaları

Zafer Dilek is one of the unsung heroes of Turkey’s 1970s psych folk rock, and although his is not a household name, he was behind some of the era’s greatest albums, arranging and producing for the likes of Hülya, Selda, and Yeliz. This 1976 record revolves around the “oyun havalari” folk style usually played at weddings and other celebrations, and is propelled forward by a smattering of nimble darbuka rhythms, dextrous baglama melodies, and soaring zurna, underpinned by looping bass and tight drums. Oyun Havalari is on the more traditional side of the Antolian rock spectrum, but with only a light touch Dilek harnesses all the hypnotic power of traditional music and elevates it to almost transcendental heights.