Snipppets:
tinyurl.com/y8yq4qp6
-
Dervisis is a London based producer and DJ with an idiosyncratic sound. In his output he intertwines references from different styles and origins into percussive-driven productions with organic sound designs
and addictive hooks. For his new EP Akθάλασσαإيقاعات (which means « Eastern Mediterranean Rhythms » for people who haven’t mastered Turkish-Greek-Arabic). Dervisis studies the application of
the shared rhythms of the Eastern Mediterranean into contemporary club music.
The rhythms presented here can be found in many regions across the Eastern Mediterranean from Lebanon to Greece and from Egypt to Turkey with regional and nominal variations. This common musical culture was developed through the co-existence and movement of the region’s peoples throughout the centuries.
Such rhythmic elements have occasionally penetrated the Western dancefloor usually accompanied by a 4-on-the-floor kick, yet on this release they take the lead, rearranging bass-heavy UK club sounds and playful synths in accordance to their own distinctive characteristics. And who would say that such a combination is no fusion confusion, but goes hand in hand.
A1 lures you into the dance carpet with an indiscernible chopped-up vocal sample surrounded by a slinkily jumping synth. A2 may end up on a textbook for UK peak time bangers and needs to be consumed with extra care as you may end up humming that highly addictive synth line all day. On the flip side, the focus shifts towards complex drum rhythms. They can be proven a real challenge for your toes to tap to but you will likely get on to it instinctively as the sunny vibes wash you over with bliss, while spending Springtime indoors.
To keep you busy while listening to the EP we invite you to try and decipher the track titles.
Or, even better, try googling them. Give it a good go. When you give up on solving the riddle,
make sure to check Dervisis’s explanation :
“I tried to reflect the multiethnic origin of the rhythms in the titles, using letters of the Greek, Turkish and Arabic scripts. The idea reflects on the multi-lingual past of cosmopolitan cities around the Eastern Mediterranean. In order to decode the titles, which contain names of the rhythms you need to be sort of familiar with those 3 languages. 05تتφιÇ for example is read from right to left and if decoded properly says «chiftetelli», the track’s rhythm (ç is « ch »,ιφ is « if » تت is « t-t » and 50 in turkish is « elli »).”