Olcay Bayir - Neva / Harmony (2014)

The international debut release by the new voice of Anatolia. Inspired by the meeting of Asian and Mediterranean musical traditions, Olcay Bayir's songs unfold ancient stories of love and mystery, which takes the listener on a mesmerising journey.
Olcay lives in London and is a classically trained soprano with a velveteen voice like no other. On this stunning debut album her Western training collides perfectly with her passion for the rich musical heritage of her Anatolian homeland, allowing her to craft intricate and unusual melodic phrases, distinct harmonies and captivating, richly-layered textures.

Throughout much of the album Olcay sings in high tessitura, sliding across complex ornamented figures with a deft, natural-sounding ease. On the elegantly pensive track "Lay Lay" Olcay's haunting voice ululates and echoes sky-high above the rumbling string and percussion accompaniment. Her sensitive arrangement of the traditional Kurdish tune sheds new light on the folk song: the interpretation is filled with drama and a sense of the epic, a nod to her operatic background.

Olcay Bayir's sensitive portrait of Anatolian culture sketches shade and light on the region's fascinating musical interplay. Hear the ancient stories sung aloud on this enchanting, hypnotising debut album.