CULDUZ

Of all the european electronic musicians I know and appreciate, Murat holds a special place of interest for me. His mix of unusual tunings, exotic timbres and musical sounds always gives me plenty to discover. This, the third part in a trilogy that has taken him a decade to complete, is no exception.
An incredibly hypnotic album, where electronics and world music influences blend in to a unique mixture that can be difficult to categorise. And once again I find myself marvelling at the breadth of sounds Murat has synthesised. Not all of them are apparent on the first listens, but let the music simmer a few times and they unexpectedly bubble up to the surface.
A prime example of this is 'Azimuth'. On first hearing it sounds as if a tuning knob has been knocked a tone or two to the left. Then distinct musical patterns, piano-like at first then, before cascading arpeggios appear, an oboe sound follows blown bottles, each taking their turn to introduce themselves. The whole building layer upon layer to create a net of mesmerising motifs.
Other highlights include the chorus of timpani that features in 'Piri Reis (Kaptan-I Acun)', creeping in through a slow build up of synths before rising to a blood pumping finale. And the trance-inducing figures of 'Cathay' that seem to circle the listener while guttural overtone singing provides a constant background. However, top track for me is the well named 'Creuset (The Melting Pot)'. Here, stripped bare percussion accompanies a simple sequence fading in and out, while pure electronic sounds blend with islamic and eurasian chants - two religions melting in to one great track that ends all too soon. Lacking only in more detailed liner notes about the afore mentioned Piri Reis, the inspiration for the album, I feel this will especially appeal to electronic music fans who like to broaden their horizons as well as those who like their world music with a twist.

Neil Leacy

New Age Specialist, Reviewer, Specialist Art Director "The Name" mag, U.K.

CULDUZ

Murat Ses, a Turkish synthesist, has completed his exploration trilogy with "Culduz", his first CD release. I was impressed when Murat released "Binfen" (part two) several years ago. "Culduz" is a marked improvement. Containing 10 tracks, "Culduz" is an amalgam of East meets West cultures. Each track has its own distinctive voice. Whether it is the Euro-synth pop of "Humbaba", the pseudo-harmonic chanting on "Ulug Bey", or the watercolor washes on "Cathay", Murat's music delights the ear.
Not afraid to try new ideas, Murat successfully integrates a slightly out of tune piano sequence as the foundation of "Azimuth", coincidentally the high point of the disc. To this foundation, he adds layers of drum machine, blown bottles, oboes, etc. evoking images of belly dancers and whirling dervishes. Also of note is "Piri Reis (Kaptan-I Acun)", a listening experience where you would be well advised to apply sun block as the blistering electronics are likely to fry your skin to a crisp. Rounding out the disc are two interesting tracks, "Creuset" with its sampled Arabic chanting and "Seven Seas" with its ascending/descending organ wavelets, electronic surf, and sonar pings. Support this independent artist and allow Murat Ses to transport you on a musical journey of discovery through Middle Eastern culture.

Henry Schneider
Writer, i/e magazine,Audion, Zenith, Gibraltar, Expose, TX