ALBUM REVIEW: Altin Gün – Aşk

ATO Records

Released: 10.03.23

Feted for their indelibly assiduous grooves and effervescent verve, Altin Gün have long since displayed a proclivity for inventively refracting the traditional through a contemporary lens, delivering results nothing short of breathtaking. Awash with rapturous reimaginings of Turkish folk tunes, the Amsterdam-based sextet’s fifth LP is no different, though the jangly sensibilities here mark a departure from the synth-drenched sonics of both of its 2021 predecessors.

Gracefully grounded in its innate traditionality yet brimming with patently modern vitality, Aşk roars to life, unleashing a propulsive barrage of Anatolian neo folk buttressed by unfettered psych rock and disco-adjacent flourishes in its wake. It all makes for a soul nourishing mosaic of enthralling soundscapes peppered with undeniable moments of pure gold. Long may it continue!