Import Export A La Turka – Turkish Sounds from Germany

“Import Export a la Turka – Turkish Sounds From Germany” is actually the pre-history to Ipek Ipekçioglu’s 2006 compilation “Beyond Istanbul – Underground Grooves from Turkey, “ with its survey of the most important contemporary sounds in and around Istanbul. The new compilation demonstrates how Turkey is a multi-ethnic state (with Kurds living there too, for example!), how immigrants to Germany have come from the most diverse social contexts, and how these immigrants have generated a great deal of creativity and change over the decades and generations. Through music, this compilation indicates a great vitality and capacity for transformation. It dauntlessly defies the cliche of the melancholic immigrant who will be “going back home again” one of these days. Because of their great success, films by Fatih Akin and books by Feridun Zaimoglu have become part of the German cultural legacy. What has been lacking thus far, however, is a broad musical foray through the Kanak sound cosmos in Germany. DJ Ipek Ipekçioglu, MC of transcultural understanding, narrates an emblematic immigration history with 19 pithy songs about:

How the first Mohicans made it to Germany/Alamanya (Ahmet Gündüz I-II); What music they brought with them (Gönül, Ax lê yeman Çaçanê, Ayr⁄l⁄k); How their descendants maintained this musical legacy and developed it further (Warum kannst Du mich nicht lieben?, I Liebes Liedchen); How they carried these sounds into society and passed them on to other people (ÛstanbulBerlin, ZDK, Escape from Alamut); How these new sounds changed and shifted toward new sounds (Ein Lied an uns); and How ideas from Alamanya re-pollinated the Turkish music scene (Neymâne, Hâlâ, Esterabim, Mamanî). DJ Ûpek Ûpekçio©lu, longtime host and resident DJ of Berlin’s legendary “Gayhane” parties, known internationally for her wild, unpredictable “Eklektik BerlinÛstan” DJ-set, takes creative inspiration from more than just her rich musical repertoire.

On this CD, Ipek Ipekçioglu calls together the culturally sovereign “Almancis” – a mildly pejorative Turkish label for migrants from Türkey in Germany. Here, these musicians have the chance to show their sometimes disapproving but increasingly curious brothers and sisters on the Bosphorus some brand new and different paths in music.