Song of the Day: Erkin Koray “Cemalim”

Turkish psych rocker, Erkin Koray, remains one of my absolute guitar heroes. He combined a subtle lyricism in his playing (that nicely amplified the poetry of his song lyrics) with an appetite for the heavier side of the electric guitar. He is wont to solo-extensively, combining both Western and classical Arabic/ Turkish scales with aplomb, scales that are perfectly suited to psych rock. His singing voice also has a deep and otherworldly intonation that adds a whole other level to Koray‘s already trippy charms. Koray was also a real trendsetter bordering on punk rock rebel in his day. In interviews, he talks about being attacked and even stabbed on the streets of Istanbul for the crime of wearing long hair during the early 70s.

“Cemalim” is a great example of Erkin Koray doing what he does best. The track starts off fairly straightforward, Koray singing and playing chords (something that would already single him out as a Turkish music rebel) before the song goes into double time and he launches into a truly cosmic extended guitar solo. Great stuff! Dig it!