Beloved family from the stars, I'm happy to share that "Mystical Her", an organic Turkish instrumented track that I composed, recorded, and produced in my first days in Istanbul, Turkey, and I've been playing in ecstatic dances along with Turkey. Samples of the prayers chanted 5 times a day by the muezzin from the mosques can be heard on this track.
"Mystical Her" features famous Turkısh ney player Burak Malçok, whose collaboration on this track is a story worth detailing in live streaming to share with you.
When I arrived in Istanbul, it was a real cultural shock to not understand a word and face that local people were not speaking English. After 9 days, I met my first and only friend speaking English, Ayşegül Türkoğlu. She told me that after listening to a snippet of the music I was composing, it reminded her of the music of Burak Malçok, she sent me a track from him, and I instantly loved him. I asked her if she had contact with this artist, and she told me a round "no" -" he's famous, I don't have contact with him."
A friend I met in Mazunte, Oaxaca, Mexico, told me that Piña Baran was in Turkey; I didn't even know he was Turkish. So I contacted him, and he told me to be in Antalya on a road trip with his mom. I could meet him in Adrasan, where Baran may play an ecstatic dance. He sent some friends to pick me up and take me to Adrasan, where the Kozmic Spiritual Fest was about to start the next day. I took a plane to Antalya.
We came to the organization to ask if Piña could perform at the festival. They answered that there was any slot available. He said, "You can stay anyway and enjoy the festival; I will keep this road trip with my mom." I stayed.
I was having a friendly intermittent conversation with Efi, who was really busy at the festival's reception. When I mentioned Burak Malçok to her, she told me, "he's here," and I told her, "no way, it's not possible. We're not talking about the same Burak Malçok". Yes, he's here; there is only one Burak Malçok in Turkey. "Come, I will introduce you to him." She took me by the hand and took me to the forest. He was getting ready to perform that afternoon.
While coming to him, I said to myself, "This is a synchronicity. What's the chance...". "Burak, I want to introduce you to Mason. He's a music producer too and wants to meet you. I introduce myself and let him know my admiration for his music and that story with Ayşegül in Istanbul.
I told him I was composing a track and recording in Istanbul and that I would be honored if he could record on it. He told me he would like to listen to the music before accepting.
I was excited and told myself, "of course, he's going to accept."
He passed by the camping table where I was putting some love to the mix of Marie Chain's 889 new single, and he sat down. "Do you want to take a listen?" I told him, "Yes, let's do it now," he told me. After 4 minutes of silence and analysis, he told me, "I love it. I will record my Nay on this track. I can do it in my studio and send you the track for you to mix". I said, "I love the idea, done!". I was so excited. A new manifestation from the flow.
The next day, attendants asked if an ecstatic dance was happening anytime during the festival. I raised my hand. The organization asked if I would be happy to play in the night fire ceremony. I accepted the invitation.
Lots of invitations started happening after that performance, so I decided to start this website from scratch to keep my friends updated about where I would be playing next.
I came to Fethiyé, where I met Ira Zabuga. We started singing together and played at Babakamp's Beyond Festival, a concert at Gogo, and a couple of mantra singing circles while Burak was recording.
He sent me his track. I was just loving listening to it. Of course, my arrangement changed a little bit. I always keep my mind open regarding modification when it is the best for the track.
The ney is an Ottoman variation of the end-blown flute that figures prominently in Egyptian music. It also plays a primary role in the theme of the Mevlevi Sufi rites. This sacred instrument adds a unique final mystical vibe to the track. This is the breath of life of our existence.
Mystical Her is dedicated to her, who believes in kindness, oneness, romance, and magic. The sensitive woman, warrior, and lover. She who believes in road trips to the stars and dances with the universe. Fearless, gentle, wondrous, and brave. She lives in waterfalls of the cosmos, a dense forest of feelings, sunsets, and galaxies. She is the artist, the thinker, the poem, and the dream.
Enjoy this journey, and let me know your appreciation in this post's comments.