Danûk are a group of exiled Middle Eastern musicians who have joined to record a debut album Morîk and ‘Axir Zemana’ is the first release. The band are also donating all proceeds from the pre-sale of the album on Bandcamp to the victims of the 2023 Turkey-Syria Earthquakes.
‘Axir Zemana’ is a two-speed track which juxtaposes the slow passages which uses a recording of Syrian priests singing from 1921 (held in the Phonogrammarchiv of the Austrian Academy of Sciences) with the blur of electric Saz and Bilur flute swirling around each other, and the rhythmic backing, like starlings. Snarky Puppy’s Michael League, who produced the album, says “the recording of Morîk was incredibly special for me. Aside from the historical and cultural significance of recording songs never before committed to modern recording methods, it meant a lot to me personally to have the pleasure of spending this experience with an incredible group of musicians and people.””
Morîk – which means ‘Pearl’ – is released on May 15 and all pre-sale proceeds on Bandcamp for digital and physical will be donated to DOZ e. V. to fundraise for victims of the 2023 Turkey-Syria Earthquakes. The total proceeds will be donated at the end of the pre-sale term and all contributors will be notified with proof of donation by e-mail.
Donations can also be made to DOZ who are a non-profit organization based in Leipzig, Germany. DOZ works in Turkey, Syria and Iraq through local partners. Together they are mobilising their resources to provide long-term support including food, shelter and sanitation items to victims of the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquakes. The DOZ International website is currently being updated and should re-launch on April 15 but in the meantime you can donate directly here.
Danûk socials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Bandcamp
Lyrics (Translation)
What is this sound and what are these beats? What is this hill in the sky?
Some call it the doomsday to the sound of the horn and the trumpet
And some say it’s the end of time.
The sound of the centurion came from the sky and the sky and the earth shook
and the sound reached the ear of the dead man.
And the body of the stage of the final day has fallen on the souls, and they became angry.
Man, turn yourself and your face to the sky
how green those mountains are
Look at the turning of the galaxy,
full of colourful stars.
Ferhad Feyssal: Vocals
Hozan Peyal: Buzuki, Electric Saz
Tarik Aslan, Def, Bendir, Dhol, Darbuka, Raq, Bombo Legüero: Vocals
Yazan Ibrahim: Flamenco Guitar, Electric Guitar
Ronas Sheikhmous: Bilur, Mey, Zurna
Michael League: Acoustic bass guitar, Def
Main picture photo credit: Maria del Mar Marais
Review by Paul F Cook
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