XXX

Description

After three decades of an extraordinary journey, the legendary collective BaBa ZuLa, based in Istanbul, celebrates this anniversary with XXX – a hypnotic, uncompromising, and undeniably vital statement in favor of artistic freedom. Blending shifting rhythms, hypnotic atmospheres driven by the saz, and deep sonic rituals, this new album pays tribute to a group that has been redefining the possibilities of Turkish psychedelic music for thirty years. Often mentioned alongside other internationally renowned figures of the Turkish psychedelic renaissance, such as Gaye Su Akyol, Altin Gün, and Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek, BaBa ZuLa have always pushed the boundaries of experimentation, improvisation, and unconventional musical forms. Their music has long transcended the borders of psychedelic rock, evolving into a unique sound universe where Anatolian traditions intertwine with dub, electronics, performance art, avant-garde aesthetics, and ritual trance. It is no coincidence that over the years they have collaborated with visionary artists such as Mad Professor, Jaki Liebezeit from Can, members of Faust and Einstürzende Neubauten, as well as Warren Ellis from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. XXX is the latest chapter in this story. The album oscillates between dreamlike narratives, social critiques, and contemporary mythologies. True to its style, XXX finds a balance between instrumental excursions and exploratory taksims on one hand, and a series of original lyrics that undeniably bear the mark of BaBa ZuLa on the other. Playful, visionary, and fiercely political, these lyrics establish connections between folklore, urban life, ecology, memory, and resistance, thus anchoring the sonic adventures of the album in a deeply human narrative.