2023

Baris Manco from Turkey was apparently one of the pioneers of Anatolian rock and apparently a household name. 2023 shows him exploring the world of space rock. Turkish folk influences show up with the occasional use of saz and kanun but mainly rock instruments including a Korg synth and Solina String Ensemble. The singing is in his native Turkish which I can't say what he's singing about although I'm pretty sure it's a concept album, perhaps about the future given the title 2032. I get reminded a bit of Pink Floyd, had they been Turkish. Lots of spacy synths and occasional flute and as mentioned instruments common to the area. The albums does feature a couple of ballads. While the Turkish folk influence is a bit obvious when it surfaces I was surprised to find a bit of Latin American influence in one of the songs but you won't mistake for Santana but retaining that proggy spaciness. The production of the album and the sound quality isn't particularly good the music is wonderful. The Turkish vocals work very well. Well worth getting!

2023 was Manço's first proper full-length album. He did release a compilation of earlier singles in 1974, though those were more beat or old-school rock 'n' roll in style.

This album opens on "Achı'da Bağa Vir" ("Vineyard in Achi). The melody is immediately recognizable as Eastern Mediterranean, with lute, guitar, and synthesizer harmonizing in unique ways. The percussion is also notably un-rock-like for the most part. The synth has a strange, quacking quality to it, and Manço's vocals are both delicate and strong.

"Kayaların Oğlu" ("Son of the Rocks") follows. Gentle sounds of splashing and synth strings open this song under Manço's narration. Hints of krautrock show up in the form of some electronic percussion and wildly wobbling synthesizer lines, but things soon refocus on the narration. I don't speak Turkish, and I'm often not a fan of narration, but Manço makes this engaging.

The album's title track comes next, and it starts with a similar sound palette. Lush synth strings kick things off, though it has a more urgent feel than one might expect. Hints of blues mingle with prog and Anatolian folk in the languid melody. Around the midpoint, this instrumental shifts gears. While remaining rich and astral, a saxophone enters to lend a jazzy touch. The earlier theme is eventually reincorporated in a satisfying way.

After the deliberate pace of "2023", "Yolverin Ağalar Beyler" (Google failed to give a coherent translation here) has a peppy, funky opening to it. Saxophone, hand percussion, and light, wah-wahed guitar makes this piece feel like a Turkish version of a blaxploitation film soundtrack. The verse, though, feels more like a traditional Turkish ballad.

"Uzun İnce Bir Yoldayım" ("I'm on a Long and Narrow Road") continues with the slow pace, but it's relaxing and not tedious. The flute line here is especially pretty. Despite my usual aversion to balladry, Manço manages to make it compelling. Creative compositional choices, wonderful instrumental tones, and his sonorous voice go a long way toward making tracks like this one feel engaging.

Side B opens with some psychedelic Turkish country music. "Yine Yol Göründü Gurbete" ("The Road Home Appeared Again") has an upbeat feel that draws heavily from acts like The Grateful Dead and Moby Grape. It seems that the Turkish folk melodies work wonderfully within the template of country music.

Up next is the 13-minute, five-part suite "Baykoca Destanı" ("Baykoca Epic"). (Saruhan Baykoca (more often called Bayhoca) was a nephew of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, who died heroically in battle.) Part one ("Gülme Ha, Gülme" - "Don't Laugh, Ha, Don't Laugh") has a laid-back, funky feel. Turkish string instruments, psychedelic guitar, and proggy keyboard arrangements mingle well with one another.

"Gelinlik Kızların Dansı" ("Dance of the Bridesmaids") continues with the energetic Turco-prog. Saz and synthesizer share the lead melody in this short instrumental passage. "Kara Haber - Turnanın Ölümü" ("Black News - Death of Crane") is a brief, somber organ drone with guitar, wind instruments, and synth embellishments.

The pace picks up again as this epic moves into "Vur Ha, Vur" ("Shoot, Ha, Shoot"). I'm especially fond of the synthesizer line on this song. It buzzes over the top of the bouncy, funky, folky backing track. The final movement ("Durma Ha, Durma" - "Don't Stop, Don't Stop") opens on a more morose note. It has an upward trajectory, though, and the vocal performance here is as strong as ever.

"Tavuklara Kişşşt De" ("Say 'Kisshht' to the Chickens) is possibly the folkiest piece on the whole album. An insistent saz theme holds the piece together as other folk instruments pop in and out. There's a sense of fun and playfulness to this short cut that I like a lot.

2023 closes with "Kol Bastı" ("Arm Pressed"). This is one of the more guitar-forward songs on the album. However, this is the one point on the album where I feel there's any bloat. The first five minutes of the song could have been trimmed down a bit, but it still manages to end strong. 

Barış Manço's debut LP is a rich, interesting release. It's one of the highpoints of the Anatolian rock movement. Psychedelic rock, space rock, progressive rock, and funk all mix with Turkish folk music in rewarding, natural ways.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2023/01/03/lesser-known-gem-baris-manco-2023/

3.5 stars. Baris Manco was well known in Turkey not only for his hit songs, but he was an actor and TV host as well. He seemed to have that perfect formula of combining traditional Turkish folk music with what was then modern rock music. The people of Turkey ate it up. His one single sold well over 700,000 copies. I'm pretty sure if it wasn't for this his debut studio album from 1975 that he would be on the site here under Prog Related.

Folk actually makes more sense in many ways, but this debut features his foray into prog as we get a concept album about the year 2023. So yesterday. Actually my plan all along had been to review this is 2023, but after a spin of this record last year I decided to put it off. This is the album where he brings out the Korg 700 synth and the solina string synth to create some spacey music for the concept. Some spoken narration too but all the words on this album are in the Turkey language. Gobble gobble.

So Baris has combined that spacey style with songs that are straight up ethnic folk with vocals. And I have to say some of it is hard to take. I also feel that as a singer songwriter Baris is very talented. He's playing his 18 string on this album for the most part, plus we get some ethnic instruments like the saz and more. I have to mention that fifth track because it's a trippy hand percussion led piece with flute that is so Krautrock. I love it.

There's as many misses as hits on this album for my tastes, but I have a respect now for this artist after spending time with "2023".