Muskila – Ok, Fatma [Self-released, 2024-03-20]
Is this UK Bass, Garage, Breaks, Dubstep, House, World Music, Half Step, Lounge Music or Polyrhythmic Hypnotic Techno? Is it sunny or dark, deep or light, massive or subtle, modern or traditional, dancefloor-oriented or to trip at home? Is it just a melting pot of various sounds and vibes or does the whole journey hold a meaningful message?
To answer, let’s visit Istanbul in the blink of an eye…
According to Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk, “Istanbul carries a melancholic aura [“Hüzün” in Turkish], which is not a fleeting sorrow, but a deliberated choice that acknowledges defeat and poverty as conditions to be honoured before embarking on the journey of life.”
Muskila translated the sentiment in his 2022 track “Hüzün” and its dedicated video clip, depicting five best friends freeing themselves from the harsh reality thanks to the music:
Such endeavour hints at Muskila’s need to break the chains of the musical genres, driven by a noble cause: fostering joy and camaraderie among friends as a more important achievement than the music itself…
Therefore, at first sight, the sound is fresh, reflecting the language of the youth, and inviting to the dance in all simplicity. Yet the sound is also dark, impactful and not as “free” as it seems, lacking the experimental feel associated with the term. Rather, it takes cues from a fusion of traditional and contemporary genres, adding a higher level of understanding to Muskila’s art…
With one foot in the Kurdish community and another one in Copenhagen where he’s currently based, Muskila creates bridges between the cultures, and therefore between people. As such, he speaks the universal language of underground electronic music: the not-so-outdated call for “Peace, love and unity” the world needs to hear.
In particular, on the dark side, heavy bass and impactful darbuka jams mixed with intense techno beats evoke a struggle, such as the Kurdish’s search for independence, so dear to the artist, as confessed in another review. On the luminous side, the aerial synth and mizmar melodies translate a sense of hope, let it be that call for unity to be heard.
Muskila’s music, through its fusion of genres, is not only about gathering friends, but about uniting communities, in a world that needs an upsurge of solidarity. The other artists at work, HEDO HYDR8, Siu Mata and DJ Travella, successfully contributed to the message, more beautiful when said artistically than politically, and potentially more convincing…
WRITING BY: CEDRIC FINKBEINER | 3 JUNE 2024
