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MEYDAN
LP in gatefold sleeve. On MEYDAN, Meral and her band continue their exploration of Anatolian and Mesopotamian music, particularly the Turkish psychedelic rock revolution of the 1970s and the ancient Kurdish Dengbej traditions. Meral primarily showcases her own voice, that of a woman exercising her right to live on her own terms, free from the oppressive interference of patriarchy. For fans of Altin Gün, Gaye Su Akyol and Baba Zula.
| Genre | Rock |
|---|---|
| Style | Groove, Psychedelic |
| Format | VINYL |
| Cat. no | WERF280LP |
| Label | W.E.R.F. |
| Artist | MERAL POLAT |
| Release Date | 19/09/2025 |
| Carrier | LP |
| Barcode | 5414166686018 |
| Stock | Pre-order |
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Tracklisting
MEYDAN
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In 2022, Meral Polat released her debut album "Ez Ki Me" as a singer under the name Meral Polat Trio. "Ez Ki Me" roughly translates to "Who am I?". The album was a search by the singer for her Alevi Kurdish roots. In her lyrics, Meral incorporated many poems from her late father, Adi Ihsan Polat. The album received positive reviews and was nominated for a Music Award by Songlines.
Musically, MEYDAN takes it a step further than the debut album. Meral welcomes drummer Jens Bouttery to the band, along with many inspiring guest musicians. The track "Cenek" features a determined choir of 26 women of various ages and cultural backgrounds. In "Çiya Icaro", Meral shares a duet with Bolivian artist Ibbelise Guarda Ferraguti.
On her new album MEYDAN, Meral primarily showcases her own voice, that of a woman exercising her right to live on her own terms, free from the oppressive interference of patriarchy. The album celebrates female strength, inspired by the philosophy of "JIN, JIYAN, AZADI" (WOMAN, LIFE, FREEDOM), a phrase originating from Kurdish-led women's movements. JIN, JIYAN, AZADI symbolise resistance to oppression and the fight for women's rights.
Musically, MEYDAN takes it a step further than the debut album. Meral welcomes drummer Jens Bouttery to the band, along with many inspiring guest musicians. The track "Cenek" features a determined choir of 26 women of various ages and cultural backgrounds. In "Çiya Icaro", Meral shares a duet with Bolivian artist Ibbelise Guarda Ferraguti.
On MEYDAN, Meral and her band continue their exploration of Anatolian and Mesopotamian music, particularly the Turkish psychedelic rock revolution of the 1970s and the ancient Kurdish Dengbej traditions. The band travelled to Istanbul to record with Murat Ertel from Baba Zula and trumpet player Can Omer Uygan. In addition to Anatolian music styles, influences from Mali Blues and Nigerian Afrobeat are embraced. Another notable guest is Senegalese musician Mola Sylla, who lent his voice and improvisational talent to the track "Govend".
While the drums, keyboards or guitar, and Polat's voice still form the core of the album, each track also contains its own collage of synthesisers, vocal harmonies, percussion, organ, piano, distorted guitars, and guest musicians. All tracks were mixed by the exceptional Belgian mixing engineer Pieterjan Coppejans, who added depth to their sound. All of this results in a particularly rich and uplifting album with a message.
LIVE:
04/07/2025 Wonderfeel, Baarn (NL)
06/07/2025 Down the Rabbit Hole, Bergharen (NL)
11/07/2025 Concertgebouw, Amsterdam (NL)
09/08/2025 Boulevard, ’s Hertogenbosch (NL)
23/08/2025 Jazz op de Hei, Kalmthout
30/08/2025 KAAP, Oostende
06/09/2025 Darwin Park Festival, Zaandam (NL)
28/09/2025 Paradiso Noord/Tolhuis, Amsterdam (NL)
24/10/2025 WOMEX ’25, Tampere (FIN)
16/11/2025 Amare, Den Haag (NL)
20/11/2025 t’ Heerenlogement, Beusingem (NL)
23/11/2025 Lantaarn Venster, Rotterdam (NL)
13/12/2025 Paradox, Tilburg (NL)
22/03/2026 Harmonie, Leeuwarden (NL)
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