Kalaha - Mystafa (2021)

Kalaha's powerful and anarchist way of playing with genres and musical traditions shines through on their new album, 'Mystafa'

Kalaha are known for being eternally adventurous in their search through the outer limits of both the musical and the geographical spectre. As a live act they are captivating and energetic and they are known to set the dance floor on fire and put their audience in a trance. To obtain this, the band uses elements of everything from psych rock and improv jazz to Anatolian funk and acid techno.

An now Kalaha are ready with yet another well-produced and genre-bending album, which includes the tracks, 'Dans Det Op', which has been a big radio hit in Denmark, and features Danish psych rock icon Uffe Lorenzen (of Baby Woodrose fame) on vocals, plus the political funk banger, 'Özgürüm Ben', which incorporates the band's regular collaborator, Hilal Kaya, on Turkish vocals, and is currently getting a lot of airplay on Danish National Radio.

On 'Mystafa', Kalaha visit all four corners of the world; there is Brazilian samba from the west, Turkish 70s style music from the east, African highlife and desert blues from the south and Uffe Lorenzen, plus rising Danish folk star, Hjalte Ross, from the north.

Kalaha manage to create an entirely unique universe of sound, in which the listener is taking part in a trail blazing car chase through the bazaar of Istanbul in one moment, and in the next moment, they are floating through the cosmic eternity of outer space - only to land in the middle of a love ceremony in Mali, with Moussa Diallo as the high priest.

Especially the title track shows a far-reaching musical range and a certain flair for both depth and gravity, but also for humor, which according to the band itself is an essential part of the band's fellowship and musicality.