When the political climate in his home of Istanbul started to take drastic turns for the worse, Ilker Kandur decided to relocate himself to one of the western world’s most historically progressive locales, and the home of many of his musical influences, San Francisco.
Teaming up with Berkeley’s legendary Fantasy Studios to handle production duties, Kandur was partnered with Dawn Richardson (4 Non Blondes, Tracy Chapman) on the drums and the pair immediately bonded over classic rock influences. The resulting EP, aptly titled Fantasy, features four heavy-hitting-yet-melodic alternative rock tracks that offer new life to a genre that hasn’t revisited its 80’s roots too much in recent years.
Lead single and opening track, Did You Ever, is based around a swampy two-chord blues riff whose charm lies in its simplicity. Featuring a rich and driving chorus, the recent immigrant shows no signs of culture shock as he proclaims to “elevate” the listener as the colorful Californian sunsets did to him upon arrival in his new city.
lyrics
Did you ever see the sky
Of blue and pink, the heavens lie
Come on let me hypnotize you eye to eye
Did you hear a lullaby
Makes you rise deep in the night
Come on let me elevate you I fly high
Did you ever see the light
Shine on up in the sky
No tomorrow just tonight
Shine on up in the sky
Never let me go near by
Just hide in disguise
Your eyes
Did you ever tell me why
I never heard you lie
Maybe sing me a lullaby
Let your smile light up the night
Come with me now, come give me love
Cold night and the day I need a little fire
Come on let me elevate you I fly high
Did you ever see the light
Shine on up in the sky
No tomorrow just tonight
Shine on up in the sky
Never let me go near by
Just hide in disguise
Your eyes
credits
from Fantasy,
track released August 19, 2016
Written and produced by Ilker Kandur
Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Jesse Nichols in Fantasy Studios Berkeley, CA
Photography by Diana Cordero
Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Piano: Ilker Kandur
Drums: Dawn Richardson
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