Even though NYC is a hodgepodge of ethnicity, it’s certainly not famous for producing musical artists influenced by Middle Eastern music (at least as far as we know…). That’s a void filled in part by Sirma, a Turkish singer and producer currently based in NYC who mixes musical elements from her native land with Western pop, English lirycs, and electronic sounds. In her latest single, the opening sustained notes of a Yaylı Tanbur remind us that musical drones weren’t invented by The Velvet Underground. A wall of sound of synths unexpectedly explodes mid-song, giving the tune an edge that almost counteracts its open melodies. Check it out streaming below, and see Sirma live at Pianos on June 7 for the single’s release show.
