Genres be damned! And just such an ideology, if not a conscious decision, then certainly indicative of the band’s creative default setting, is found at the heart of Akrobat’s “Dirty Gathering.” More likely, it is the sound of a generation of music makers no longer weighed down by the expectations, adherence, and allegiances of the more sonically tribal years of way-back-when.
But that said, even in light of such open sonic borders, this latest single is a bit special, a blend of hazy neo-soul vibes and articulate indie music, in turn laced with soulful guitar licks and delicate piano, and made even more intriguing by strange sonic touches that you can’t quite put your finger on.
And as the band rides an eloquent and dynamic wave, a tide that ebbs and flows between delicate understatement and rock and roll energy, it is Selen Korkutan’s warm and welcoming vocals that remain the focal point. Of course, musically, they make an intricate and intriguing sound, but the vocals are the icing on an already succulent sonic cake.
If the music is elegant, the lyrical message is eloquent, with the song tackling issues of misogyny and a lack of understanding and empathy, which seem to be becoming ingrained once more in modern life. But the band does so with a clever understatement, prompting the listener to lean in and read between the lines to engage with the dialogue fully.
Musically great, lyrically astute, vocally stunning. What more do you need?
