Anadolu ejderi

"The musical hybrid is as wild as ever. Anatolian folk tunes remain a well spring, and there are traditional instruments in the mix, but it's largely a blend of rowdy psych-rock (Kurt Cobain is among her heroes) and Turkish pop. It's all precision played, led by her long-time guitarist Ali Güçlü Şimşek, who fuses surf guitar with Middle-Eastern flavours. As its title translates, an Anatolian dragon".

Read review

"Translated as 'Anatolian Dragon', Akyol's first album in four years reaches for combustive metaphors to explore the emotional trials of life in her native land, her call for collective action echoed in the title track and "Martilar Opiisiir, Kediler Sevisir"'s fevered visions of exile".

"Top of the world" - "Turkish retro-futurist leans further into the past: On 'Anadolu Ejderi' past and present collide beguilingly as Gaye Su Akyol hitches a ride on the Anatolian wagon with an opening title-track setting high expectations via bold synth flash, fierce drum roll, punchy guitar lines and haunting refrain. At last Gaye Su Akyol has delivered a made-to-measure dance track. One searches greedily for a follow-up to this dance floor killer, which might come in the form of 'Gel Yanıma Gel'. The track begins with quirky, quavering keyboard flourish and then descends into a dark mood with some great saz-like guitar riffs - it is a cover of an old evergreen by Neşet Ertaş, which Akyol gives an introverted twist, inwardly grooving".