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An indispensable venue offering new discoveries for those seeking alternative sounds in Istanbul since 2010, Salon İKSV is as vibrant as ever in May. The artists to take the stage at Salon include Kikagaku Moyo, Mammal Hands, Jonathan Bree, Papooz and Gaye Su Akyol.

Kikagaku Moyo / Friday, 3 May, 22.00

Japanese band who pairs the Far-Eastern inspired psychedelic rock formula flawlessly with Krautrock, traditional Indian melodies and acid-folk Kikagaku Moyo have a multi-layered, meticulously performed musical identity just like their namesake meaning “geometric patterns”. In their self-titled album released in 2013, Krautrock rhythms repeat with mechanic precision in harmony with multi-effect guitars, leaving the doors open for surprises while retaining all the mysteries of the Far East. What sets the band apart from its counterparts is the masterful way they blend Western norms of psychedelic rock with the East while introducing Indian and Far-Eastern inspired melodies. They released two albums titled Mammatus Clouds and Forest of Lost Children in 2014 full of extended guitar solos that launch us to the vacuum of space, wildly beating drums and sitar solos recalling the sitar maestro Ravi Shankar. On their tours through the US and Europe, they have been treasured by psychedelic rock audiences. They have released separate 7” singles with Moon Duo, Kinski and Kawabata Makoto, the leader of the cult Japanese psychedelic band Acid Mothers Temple. Following the release of their fourth album House in the Tall Grass, they left their commune house in Tokyo and moved to Europe. In 2018 they released their highly praised latest album Masana Temples recorded with Portuguese jazz guitarist Bruno Pernadas. Kikagaku Moyo will be as illuminating as an astral journey at Salon İKSV on 3 May for their first concert in Turkey.

Mammal Hands / Wednesday, 8-9 May, 21.30

British jazz, folk, ambient and electronica band with Nick Smart on piano, Jesse Barret on drums and tabla, and Jesse Smart on saxophones Mammal Hands was founded in 2012 with the addition of Jesse to brothers Nick and Jordan who had previously been an electronica duo. They enhanced their hypnotic influence with rhythmic and melodic foundations that Jesse borrowed from shamanic traditions, particularly from the tabla master Sirishkumar Manji, and created an effect similar to John Coltrane with jazz harmonies and contemporary classical music. They released their first album Animalia in 2014 and their second album Floa in 2016. Among their admirers are the visionary electronic music producer Bonobo, world famous music guru/DJ Gilles Peterson and British musician Jamie Cullum. Mammal Hands dropped like a bombshell on the soundscape of jazz with their concerts at the London King’s Palace and their astonishing performances at the Halden Pop Festival, ELBJAZZ and Montreal Jazz Festival. They received standing ovations at prestigious venues including La Cigale and Roundhouse. The band went on tour with yet another Salon İKSV guest GoGo Penguin. They have, in a way, embraced world music with their eclectic style ranging from Sufi and shaman tradition to Afro-trance, from Irish and Eastern European folk to Philip Glass. The band released their latest album Shadow Works in 2017 and released a three-piece EP Becoming in 2018. After the sold-out concerts in 2016 and 2017, they are at Salon İKSV for two days in a row on 8 and 9 May.

Jonathan Bree / Friday, 10 May, 22.00

Singer, songwriter and producer from New Zealand Jonathan Bree started his music career by founding the chamber-pop band The Brunettes in the late 90s. Joined Sub Pop family, the temple of alternative music. Founded Lil Chief Records in 2002 with another New Zealander musician, Scott Mannion. Toured the world with The Brunettes in the following years. Walked the same road as the kings of the indie castle like The Shins, Rilo Kiley, The Postal Service, Broken Social Scene, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and Beirut. The band ceased recording in 2009, leaving Bree to continue working on Lil’ Chief and in 2011, he and former Brunettes member Chelsea Nikkel collaborated on her album Lil’ Golden Book, which was issued under the name Princess Chelsea. Their collaboration on The Cigarette Duet turned into a viral sensation on YouTube. His solo career took off with The Primrose Path in 2013, followed by A Little Night Music in 2015. Another Youtube sensation You’re So Cool was a breakthrough for his solo career, and the kick starter of his third album Sleepwalking. The song drew viewers with its odd depiction of a 60s-style-band whose members’ faces were covered in spandex masks. True to its name, the album tracks the lo-fi paths. Istanbul is ranked the second city among the top cities he is most listened in. He will be at Salon İKSV on 10 May.

Papooz / Saturday, 11 May, 22.30

In their words a Parisian ‘tropical garage’ band consisting of Ulysse Cotin and Armand Penicaut who blend the palm scents of the tropical climates with garage aesthetics in their music Papooz’s debut single Ann Wants to Dance became the backdrop music of the summer of 2015, and the video Soko filmed for the song with her lover Sasha starring left the listeners with emoji sweetness. Their followers love for them has grown with their playful social media posts. Although they are from Paris, they are not “Parisian” and have become the new favourite of today’s generation for their style which instead cruises past tropical climates and the shores of California. Their first album Green Juice released in 2017 was an effortlessly cool, full of sweetness, leave-your-troubles-at-home sort of pop. Following a grand intercontinental tour reaching Japan, they met their Istanbul audience for the first time at Salon IKSV in October of the same year. This meeting was at least as sweet as the band itself, and we couldn’t get over it for a long time. Fortunately, they are returning after a short break to the place where we fell in love for the first time in Istanbul with their new album Night Sketches due to be released on 8 March. Get ready to refresh your love with Papooz, and listen to their brand new tropical pop songs for the first time at Salon İKSV on 11 May.

Gaye Su Akyol / Friday, 17 May, 22.00

Princess of cosmic music Gaye Su Akyol hosts our holograms tired of the daily grind at the Hologram İmparatorluğu (Hologram Empire) while emphasising that İstikrarlı Hayal Hakikattir (Consistent Fantasy Is Reality) in her latest album. Her interpretation in projects such as Toz ve Toz and Seni Görmem İmkansız have impressed many. The development of her story has grown to influence not only Turkey but the rest of the world. Cosmic forces brought rock and Classical Turkish music together in her first solo album Develerle Yaşıyorum released in 2014. The fame brought on by her highly theatrical shows performed with her galactic band consisting of Görkem Karabudak, Ali Güçlü Şimşek, Gökhan Şahinkaya and Emrah Atay has spread from ear to ear, town to town, festival to festival, country to country. Her sound that rockets forms of traditional Turkish music to the space age with rock’n’roll elements has declared total independence with her second album Hologram İmparatorluğu released in 2016. From Roskilde to Finland, Switzerland to Germany, Holland to Spain and Japan… Her latest album İstikrarlı Hayal Hakikattir released in 2018 has been praised in respectable media outlets including The Guardian, NPR, The 405, Pitchfork, MixedworldMusic, The Wire, Songlines, Louder Than War and The Times. She has brought pleasant cosmic peace to TV series and films such as ‘Dip’ and ‘İstanbul Kırmızısı’ with her songs. Most recently Gaye Su Akyol has crossed paths with Hey! Douglas for the song Ayva Çiçek Açmış, and she took us on a colourful space tour that we’d rather not leave in the video clip for İstikrarlı Hayal Hakikattir. Our captain Gaye Su Akyol will be at Salon İKSV on 17 May for a galactic voyage to abstract the faithful passengers of steady dreams from this world with her cosmic powers.

Tickets for Salon İKSV can be purchased from Biletix sales channels and the box office at İKSV (without service charge, every day, except for Sundays, between 10.00-18.00).

Members of Vodafone FreeZone gets one free ticket with each ticket purchased.

Garanti Jazz Green concerts, sponsored by Garanti Bank, meet the audience once again at the new season of Salon İKSV.

MasterCard supports Salon İKSV in the scope of its Priceless İstanbul programme.