Primitivism by Velittin Keskin

Velittin Keskin is a musician&producer, who has studied the art of playing the Kurdish frame drum, known as the "daf," and the Turkish wind instrument, the "kaval." This debut album showcases the seamless fusion of these two ancient instruments with Velittin's distinctive vocals under the project name "Minor Hodja".

Immersed in the minimalist nuances of Asian and Middle Eastern music, Velittin skillfully expresses himself with an understated elegance throughout the entire album.

Particularly noteworthy is the track "Grinded Grounded," where the kaval performance draws inspiration from the meditative style of shakuhachi musicians in Zen music.

In "Sufi Trance," Velittin takes listeners on a nostalgic journey to his childhood memories of a Sufi ceremony in Turkey. The monks' continuous chants and the rhythmic beats of the drummers created an atmosphere of ecstasy. People around him were deeply affected, as some lying down in a state of paralysis, others weeping, some breathing heavily in harmony with the beats, and a few spinning around clumsily like whirling dervishes. This experience left him astonished by the profound impact music can have on human consciousness.

The first four tracks, titled in English, are original compositions by Velittin. The final two tracks feature covers of Anatolian folk music, all adhering to the distinct rhythmic pattern of 10/8 beats (3+2+2+3), known as Jurjuna. This rhythm holds special significance in the traditional music of Turkey, Kurdistan, Iraq, Iran and Armenia.

Recorded, mixed&mastered by Velittin Keskin.

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