In this series we’re asking artists to talk about the story (inspiration, how it was born, technical stuff, reason for the selection etc) of their album, mix or compilation. This time it’s BAHAR CANCA’s (Psy-boutique Festival/Sub Bubble Recordings) words about her Bahar’s Magic Soup album. The presentation of this release will be aired on radiOzora on 3rd of June at the same date of her album launch in London, so if you feel like that you can read this article super-hot audio-illustrated.

Firstly, the name: Bahar’s Magic Soup

I am surrounded by many amazing musician and producer friends. This album puts them all together. It is a concept album: each track is a collaboration with one of my favourite artists and they all have live recordings. Inspiration comes from my roots, with each track being inspired by traditional Turkish folk music. So, this action reminded me of my winter saver vegan vegetable soup. The recipe is this: cut all veggies available in the house into chunks, add water, coconut butter and stock. Blend it once cooked. I cook this every week and it always looks and tastes different as the content changes all the time, however it is always yummy and good for you.

Such are the tracks on the album, all have the same concept of me collaborating with a different musician and producer and all tracks are unique.

1. Snake Charmer – Bahar Canca & M-Theory feat. Toygun Sozen & Paolo Andriulo

Marcello aka M-Theory is an old friend. He is such an easy-going guy, a gentle soul and an amazing producer. I put on a Psy-boutique party in January in London and he mostly played stuff from his new album, which is coming soon. The dance floor was rocking and I was having the time of my life dancing. As soon as he finished his set, I asked him for this collaboration. Toygun Sozen, a famous saxophone player from Turkey and also an old friend and amazing musician, jams over this track and the parts we used reminded us of snake charmer’s music. One very late night I was in the studio and FlourEnzo was staying in my house. He called me out of a blue and said, “Bahar, I am bringing you an amazing guitarist, you should record him for your album.” That night I met Paolo Andriulo and did some late-night recording of his guitar playing.

2. Batum – Bahar Canca & Journey feat. Nilay Canca

Batum is originally an anonymous Turkish folk tune, which was my inspiration on this track. Jay OM aka Journey is a very dear friend, so being in the studio with him was great fun. We both fall under the Taurus star sign, so for every studio session he will light a special Taurus candle, I will bring the beers and the atmosphere would be set for us to produce. This is the third track I recorded with my sister Nilay playing the clarinet. My sister and I first met Jay in Montenegro at Sonica Festival in 2012. We instantly hit it off and started the journey of our friendship. This track smells like friendship and good vibes.

3. Black Sea – Bahar Canca feat. Dark-INDIGO

The original track is called Derulle from Turkey’s Black Sea region. Maltese-born Indigo M Lewis aka Dark-INDIGO brings psychedelic vibes as she delivers the track in such a way that it sounds Japanese to me yet it is my native language of Turkish. Psychedelic music for me is putting together the unexpected to widen our view and expand our minds.

4. Hayde – Bahar Canca, FluorEnzo & DuOhm

FluorEnzo and I met at a party just over a year ago, yet during this time we’ve managed to release two EPs, create many videos and shared a lot of knowledge and creativity. DuOhm is FluorEnzo’s twin sons, Thomas and Lourenco, who only turned 17 this year. They not only produced this track with us but also delivered vocals and live guitar.

5. Body Soup – Bahar Canca & Nikki S feat. Ozan Celikel

Psychedelic trance queen Nikki S, a most thoughtful friend, has an unhuman way of
juggling many projects. Words would run out if I tried to explain her. We have a deep connection beyond parties, as we are as crazy as each other and on the ball at all times. Adding in one of Turkey’s most talented musicians and of course an old dear friend Ozan Celikel on live trombone makes this track smell like awesomeness, lushness and funkiness… The track that inspired it was another Turkish anonymous folk song, Gesi Baglari by Selda Bagcan.

6. Saz – Bahar Canca & Nick Sentience feat. Anne-Elise Hansen

I feel like I am repeating myself, yet I must introduce Nick Sentience as another long-time good friend. He’s certainly a proven musical genius, having hit the UK top 10 charts when he was 19 years old. We locked ourselves in the studio and this dance floor pleaser was born. Anne-Elise is best known for capturing the magical moments of London’s underground party scene with her professional camera, yet her talents extend to also playing the jembe on our track.

7. AY – Bahar Canca & Aphid Moon feat. Taylan Von Agar

AY means moon in Turkish, so you can figure out the connection. Jules Hammer aka Aphid Moon is one of the core people of the psychedelic trance scene. Live recordings of Jules playing the guitar and Taylan Agar’s cello are used on this ever-changing deep musical journey into the darkness, but always via gentle moon light.

8. Ataturk – Bahar Canca & Nick Sentience feat. Taylan Von Agar

This one has a funny story. My long dear friend (of course) Taylan Agar originally played on my collaboration with Aphid Moon, yet we only ended up using a small amount of the great recording he’d delivered on AY. I thought I’d like to use more of it, so made another dance floor pleaser with Nick Sentience. The inspiration for the cello was from a very well-known poet, song writer and philosopher Asik Vessel, who brings melancholia to the pumping beats. It also uses vocal samples of Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic, from American news from the ’20s, which gives the track its name and sets its tone.

9. Sitayda – Bahar Canca & Mechanimal

Mechanimal is one of the most prolific producers around with more than 50 releases, and his production and engineering skills are of the highest standard. He had great input into this album, providing feedback and mastering all of the tracks. I travelled to Barcelona to work on this track with him. We had a really great and very intense couple of days in his studio and also shared our common passion of good food by having tapas breaks as a reward for our hard work. As the original inspiration track was called Fidayda and as we used a live recording of Nick Sega-house aka Mechanimal playing the sitar, we decide to call it Sitayda.

10. Kolbastı – Bahar Canca & System 7

When Steve Hillage agreed via a messenger message from his travels in Thailand to produce with me on Bahar’s Magic Soup, I was over the moon. Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy aka System 7 are simply one of the most iconic and unique acts in electronic music. Steve Hillage’s musical career spans over five decades and along with his partner Miquette Giraudy, they formed System 7 in ’89 and have been wowing crowds the world over ever since. The inspiration track for Kolbasti is high energy and the track is really fun and funky. It’s the only track that’s not psy trance, but more of the tech house genre. Steve made his guitar talk in their studio in central London.

All the collaborating producers and musicians are close friends, have previously performed at my festival, Psy-boutique, and are very much loved by our community. This project celebrates our friendship and aims to create repeating magical vibes on dance floors the world over. The release will be celebrated with a having it party on Saturday 3rd of June in London with a line-up that includes most of the contributing artists.