Berk Icli - Glimpses of an Eternal Bloom (2021)

An introspective dive into an ethereal atmosphere, “Glimpses of an
Eternal Bloom” is the debut album of Turkish producer, composer
and pianist Berk Icli. The album is an attempt to frame certain
moments of “being” no matter the emotional state concerned,
whether euphoric, sentimental or dark and contemplative. At times,
this is done through orchestrations of strings, brass and woodwinds.
Other times with solo piano, field recordings, electronics and the use
of samples.

Born in Istanbul, Berk Icli recorded his album in NYC, which had
been his home for the past several years. Studying classical and
jazz composition at The New School’s Mannes Conservatory
allowed him to practise unconventional ways of obtaining sounds
from various instruments, to produce a timbre widely unbeknown to
their true nature. The album was recorded, produced and mixed in
Berk Icli’s apartment over a year. “I wanted to project the sound of
my personal space and in this fashion refrained from pushing for a
clean and sterile sound” he explains.

Glimpses of an Eternal Bloom opens with dramatic scenery
enhanced with spiritual chants. Throughout the album, Icli
incorporates simple yet emotive piano-led pieces in tracks such as
“Lullaby for Laika”, “Unsan Musho”, “Postlude” and “Ils sont devenus
Intemporels”. In “Bambino’s Nap” evolving rhythmic patterns with
liberating vocals create a dreamlike state in which the sounds &
sentiments get mixed up, evoking feelings of joy along with
melancholy. Varying musical tones are set with the use of synths,
bass-heavy soundscapes, a powerful brass section in the track
“Blossoms”. It spirals in & out of tremulous episodes paving the way
for a spirited ending. Berk Icli incorporates real-life field recordings
from his neighbourhood, voices of his friends and the children from
the elementary school he worked at. The tracks were composed in
succession and sequenced to construct a coherent sensual
experience.