Ari Barokas - “Gavurlar” (2018) * LP: Lafıma Gücenme * Label: Garaj Müzik
Ari Barokas has been the longtime bassist for Turkish rock heroes Duman (smoke). They rose up from Istanbul in the early ’90s, having taken cues from the grunge scene that vocalist Kaan Tangöze had observed up close in Seattle. Their reliable espousal of open-mindedness has complemented, and perhaps propelled, their ongoing popularity but kept them in the throes of controversy. Song lyrics sympathize with protesters, condemn police brutality, and take liberties with holy Islamic writ, ensuring calls for boycotts from religious conservatives. Barokas’s album, like the music of the band he plays for, contains rootsy, acoustic music that is too undeniably Anatolian and irresistible to Duman’s primary listeners to get him too deep into cultural hot water. It’s called Lafıma Gücenme (no offense), and the jump-out track “Gavurlar” (infidels) wonders about the “weird state” he calls home but has nonetheless given him the tools to make the music he does.