The aesthetics of imperfection and hybridization: What is so interesting about Turkish funk and pop music of the 1960s and 1970s?

This text by Holger Lund was initially published online on:
http://www.shintaro-miyazaki.com/archv/sonictheory/index-p=474.html, 2011

Initially published as part of "oscillation series - sonic theories and practices", see: http://www.generalpublic.de/nc/archive/eventsarchive/article/72/oscillation-series-sonic-theories-and-practices-6-aesthetics-of-failures-and-hybridization-in-t.html

Turkish funk and pop music of the 1960s and 1970s is very little known outside Turkey, though its special character makes it worthy of consideration. Today, the periphery is the new center, and B-music (following Andy Votel’s term) has become the new A-music—more and more people are focusing on phenomena of hybridization, where the former periphery (like Oriental culture) and the former center (Western culture) have come to intersect (and an ex-B-music can now be regarded as a model for a future A-music). But what is so special about Turkish funk and pop music? A specific aesthetic was developed through imperfection and hybridization. Due to the media technology used in the studios (instruments, sound, and mixing), and due to the an attitude toward the cultural industry that allowed an interest in following tradition and making experiments at the same time, Turkish musicians and producers built up something extraordinary, blending Western and Oriental cultures in an exceptional manner. This paper tries to explore that specific approach, basing the analysis on some characteristic listening examples.

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For sound samples see below.