Catalogue

Jananeh (The Remixes) [HAL009]

Kora - Golconda (Halaken Soundsystem Remix) [HAL010]

The Scream. A modern being in a moment of deep anguish and existential despair. Painted over a century ago, today more relevant than ever. Pouring the 1893 Edvard Munch masterpiece into the present day through the ancient Ebru art form is one of Turkey’s finest contemporary artists, Garip Ay. Stroke by stroke, touch by touch, delicately manipulating the liquid scene into life as the rhythm builds. The Oud of Özdemir Güz leads the story, supported by a haunting choir that gives voice to those in the distance. The Ney of Burak Malcok cries with the screaming figure before the big reset. Building back from a dark and heavy place, the reassuring beat carries a mysterious atmosphere into melody as the Ney gives a final solo.

“I sense a scream passing through nature. I painted ... the clouds as actual blood. The colour shrieked.” - Edvard Munch

Produced by @mercandede & @dextercrowe

Full Video

Scream - Mercan Dede & Dexter Crowe ft Garip Ay [HAL005]

The first release of Halaken Soundsystem, the duo project of Halaken founders Mercan Dede and Dexter Crowe, opens a new avenue for experimentation and exploration of the space between generations, cultures, sounds, space and time. Showcasing the collaborative nature of the project with live musicians and field recordings from around the world, the track builds on powerful rhythms, an evolving arrangement and emotive melodies.

Originally written and performed decades ago by filmmaker, artist and dear friend of Halaken, Fernando del Sol from Caravan of Light, the sermon evokes the spirit of the Halaken mission. Inspired by Del Sol’s words during lockdown the energy reflects lessons learned in isolation, disconnected from the fundamental necessity of collective expression. As “we return to community and escape the psychosis of the collective mind” we call for artists to embrace the fire within and drive us back into life and our search for truth and freedom. 

As the world opens up, we travel from India to Turkey, Balkans, and across the Atlantic to the West, guided by voices and chanting, synths and chopped samples, finding mystical harmonies in the hum of the city. The thickly textured soundscape features the flourishing gypsy melodies of Aykut Sütoǧlu’s klarinet and brass, and the raw percussions of Hüseyin Ceylan, driving forward the movement of the piece. Illuminating our path to a new beginning, this story is a sonic invitation to look around and believe in magic.

Video

Halaken Soundsystem - Magical Beings Ft Fernando del Sol [HAL006]

The Persian word ‘Jana’ means “beloved, my dearest, my soul”. Often used as a term of endearment, “Jananeh” is the response that completes the greeting between two lovers. The mystic Persian poets Rumi and Shams, two lovers in heart, write in these words to each other like kindred spirits united by the resonance of their souls.

It is a similar connection that binds the collaborators on this mystical multimedia release. The central figure, Bahramji, has been a source of inspiration for everyone involved for decades, not only for his music but for his liberated sufi spirit. Resurfacing Persian folklore melodies on his santoor and the poetry of Shams and Rumi, he lights the flame of inspiration that illuminates this unique project.

Honoring Bahramji as a beloved and dedicated trailblazer in the unification of traditional and electronic music, the release taps into the energy of Rumi and ancient Persian culture and manifests art in the context of today and all that is to come. A mission that has been taken on by all three collaborators throughout their careers, each representing a generation inspiring each other and the next with their art and message.

Representing the second generation, Mercan Dede has for over 30 years fused the traditional and contemporary, always carrying the spirit of Shams and Rumi with a pure heart, expressing his own experience of their life and work through multiple forms of powerful art.

The youngest of the three, Iranian duo Baham who are based in Montreal, built their project around bringing traditional folkloric recordings and artists into today’s dancefloor context. Having been friends and admirers of both Bahramji and Mercan Dede for many years, they served as the vessel between theset two legends. It wasn’t until 2018 when the two kindred spirits finally met in person on the playa at Burning Man along with Baham and Golshifteh Farahani.

@Bahramji
@MercanDede
@BahamCollective

Bahramji, Mercan Dede & Baham - Jananjeh ft. Golshifteh Farhani [HAL007]

A Mirage is a phenomenon where perception is altered by illusion. Something appears real when it’s verily playing with your sense of reality. 

The second original multimedia release from Halaken Soundsystem (Mercan Dede & Dexter Crowe) plays with your senses and transports you to a mysterious place of magic where big percussion, rumbling bass, and high melodies dance together in unison. 

This cinematic soundscape is like a Mirage. You’re put under the spell of powerful rhythm and groove that syncs with the AI generated images displaying beautiful oriental and psychedelic figures and landscapes; moving to the music like a distant body of water glistening in the desert. 

Support the release: https://lnk.to/iw89z1tz

HalakenCollective.com

Halaken Soundsystem - Mirage [HAL008]

♬ Click for more ☞ https://trndmsk.de

⚡ Follow us on YouTube ☞ https://www.youtube.com/c/TrndmusikDe
🌃 Follow us on Spotify ☞ https://spoti.fi/2jzGmv2

Get @shannash's remix on @halakencollective here: 
➟ Beatport: https://www.beatport.com/track/jananeh/18295349

🎧 More Music in our Playlists on Spotify ⤵
💃 It's Time to Dance: https://spoti.fi/2FjcR9k
⚡ Melodic & Deep House: https://spoti.fi/2JVCgJH
🌃 Mosaic: https://spoti.fi/2qMavuY
🍍 Organic House & Downtempo: https://spoti.fi/2K0w7vN
 👯‍♀️ Yoga Electronica: https://spoti.fi/2qJt0A9
💥 White Ocean (Burning Man): https://spoti.fi/2vrVN0W
🌌 AfrikaBurn: https://spoti.fi/2qMRUOy

🐧 trndmsk's weekly Spotify charts: https://spoti.fi/2sgrlms

Click for more ♬

Bahramji, Mercan Dede & Baham feat. Golshifteh Farhani - Jananeh (Shan Nash Remix) [Halaken]

♬ Click for more ☞ https://trndmsk.de

⚡ Follow us on YouTube ☞ https://www.youtube.com/c/TrndmusikDe
🌃 Follow us on Spotify ☞ https://spoti.fi/2jzGmv2

Get @madota's remix on @halakencollective here: 
➟ Beatport: https://www.beatport.com/release/jananeh/4320393

We share a special connection with every artist involved in this project. Mercan Dede and Bahramji are both musicians we've admired for a considerable time, and their unwavering commitment to bridging the musical traditions of our homeland with the global stage is truly remarkable. Golshifteh, likewise, is an artist whose work has been a part of our lives through timeless films, both within and beyond Iran. And of course we hold deep respect for the Baham duo, not only for their musicality but also for their profound insight, extending beyond the realm of music.

Our approach to this remix can be described as somewhat purist. The original composition has so much richness, depth and beauty that we were determined not to undermine that in anyway. Our intention was to add our groovy gritty club vibe while preserving the core essence of the piece. The dry and slappy percussions interact with a line of ancient yet playful melodies of the Santoor and Ney. Golshifteh’s voice lures you into a vulnerable place only to create space for Bahramji to make a profound entrance, channeling his divine energy into the track. The drums and melodies continue to push you deeper into the experience as more revelations unfold the deeper you go, much like the original composition.

🎧 More Music in our Playlists on Spotify ⤵
💃 It's Time to Dance: https://spoti.fi/2FjcR9k
⚡ Melodic & Deep House: https://spoti.fi/2JVCgJH
🌃 Mosaic: https://spoti.fi/2qMavuY
🍍 Organic House & Downtempo: https://spoti.fi/2K0w7vN
 👯‍♀️ Yoga Electronica: https://spoti.fi/2qJt0A9
💥 White Ocean (Burning Man): https://spoti.fi/2vrVN0W
🌌 AfrikaBurn: https://spoti.fi/2qMRUOy

🐧 trndmsk's weekly Spotify charts: https://spoti.fi/2sgrlms

Bahramji, Mercan Dede & Baham feat. Golshifteh Farahani - Jananeh (Madota Remix) [Halaken]

Follow: @namito / @armeiofficial / @bahramji / @mercandedeofficial / @bahamcollective / @halakencollective

Connect: When We Dip on Spotify - open.spotify.com/user/whenwedip

www.whenwedip.com
YT: youtube.com/user/whenwedip
FB: facebook.com/wwdofficial
IG: instagram.com/whenwedip/
TW: twitter.com/WhenWeDip

Premiere: Bahramji, Mercan Dede & Baham - Jananeh (Namito & ARMEI Remix) [Halaken Records]

Kora classic 'Golconda' receives elegant and nuanced remix treatment from long-time friends Halaken Soundsystem. 

Read more: https://whenwedip.com/2024/07/premiere-kora-halaken-collective/

Follow: @kora-musique / @halakencollective

Connect: When We Dip on Spotify - open.spotify.com/user/whenwedip

www.whenwedip.com
YT: youtube.com/user/whenwedip
FB: facebook.com/wwdofficial
IG: instagram.com/whenwedip/
TW: twitter.com/WhenWeDip

Premiere: Kora - Golconda (Halaken Soundsystem Remix) [Halaken Collective]

Back with his first original track since HAL002, Dexter brings a revived energy to the Halaken catalogue with his power groover 'Masra'. Balancing an uplifting spirit with a drive fit for peak afterhours, this release initiates a new wave of the Halaken frequency. 

Masra

Download

Đexter Crowe - Masra [HAL011]

Full video: https://youtu.be/Ygk-gIb4qyM

After a three year period of artistic incubation and reinvention, Mercan Dede returns to the music sphere with the inaugural video release on Halaken Records, 'Kapadokya'. From sunrise to sunset on the 25th of May 2018, Dede soared above the majestic ancient landscape of Cappadoccia playing an intimate set between him, the pilot, the clouds and the purveying spirits. With his modern electronics powered by a compact generator, he performed his multi instrumental set cradled by woven wicker, suspended by hot air and propelled by nothing more than the morning draft. At the journey’s end, he touched back down to join a crowd of enthused locals at Cappadox Festival and close the night with a 3 hour DJ performance.

Making use of contemporary technology blended with traditional instruments from a variety of cultures, the release pulls both the landscape and sounds into an ageless work of art. The haunting vocals of Bryce Lamar float a top a rich symphony of strings while classic Turkish gypsy percussions engage in conversation with warm analog synths and electronic sound design. Signature to his music, the Ney elevates the music to another level, singing a powerfully mysterious melody to bring the song to climax.

Released: 26.7.19
Halaken Records 

Follow: @mercandede
INSTA: instagram.com/mercandede
INSTA: instagram.com/halakenrecords

HalakenRecords.com

Mercan Dede - Kapadokya [HAL001]

Sending out the first Halaken Transmission are Halaken co-founders, Mercan Dede and Dexter Crowe. Kicking it off with the first Halaken release. Mercan's 'Kapadokya', the mix blends both of their sounds and styles into an hour long ride from East to West. 

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuGvs-tl-yo

Tracklist: 
Kapadokya Mercan Dede
Paloma (Kermesse Remix) - Miret, Tugce Kurtis
Pokhara Love - Yør Kultura
Drunk Salomé - Chirstos Fourkis
Stone Flower - Namito
Save the Children - Zakir
Katana - Timujin
Enkidu (Adam Port’s Tulum by Night Edit) - Simple Symmetry
Hidden Treasure - Rinat Latif feat. Jazzamo
I Don’t Love You Anymore (Damian Lazarus Remix) - Teddy Pendergrass 


Follow Halaken:
WEB: www.halakenrecords.com
INTSA: instagram.com/halakenrecords

Follow @MercanDede:
WEB: mercandede.com
INSTA: instagram.com/mercandede

Follow @DexterCrowe
INSTA: instagram.com/dextercrowe
SC: soundcloud.com/dextercrowe
FB: facebook.com/dextercrowemusic

Halaken Transmission 01: Mercan Dede & Dexter Crowe

Offical Video: https://youtu.be/6VHNxeXsHX4

Dexter Crowe puts in his first contribution to the Halaken Records catalogue with his release 'The Party’. Musically, this dance floor groover is a step up in intensity from previous releases. A strong percussive beat and rich didgeridoo sounds lay a deep tribal base for playful melodies and mysterious tribal chants. The bouncey, one note bassline drives the track through a unique arrangement that is always evolving. 

The video is another creative output from the Australian/Canadian artist made from early Charlie Chaplin films. Fusing Chaplin’s old films with his own groovy sound, Dexter carries the endearing Chaplin’s timeless message into today’s electronic music scene.

Purchase: https://www.beatport.com/release/the-party/2800362

Released: 27.12.2019
Halaken Records

Purchase: https://www.junodownload.com/products/dexter-crowe-the-party/4381187-02/

HalakenRecords.com
INSTA: www.instagram.com/halakenrecords
SC: www.soundcloud.com/halakenrecords
SPOT: https://open.spotify.com/user/xg8l8rqnjv9ywsbpj6e176wxt?si=q2VpCuvDRfGm4LtKLcs75g

@DexterCrowe
INSTA: www.instagram.com/dextercrowe
SC: www.soundcloud.com/dextercrowe
SPOT: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2MdTMSsrjQTTvP1Jc5g0Zk
FB: www.facebook.com/dextercrowemusic

Watch the Video

Dexter Crowe - The Party [HAL002]

As the first collaborative work on Halaken Records, co-founders @mercandede and @dextercrowe join forces with mystical Canadian vocalist, @Ra-faelle, and expedition film makers, ParaFilms to create 'Radiata'. With chapters from ParaFilms’, Plankton Chronicles, the release fuses multiple sonic genres and gives a breath of new life to the alien creatures of the aquatic underworld. Opening with a granular texture that highlights the polarity between the microscopic and vastness of the sea, the traditional Turkish ney and the hauntingly mysterious presence of Ra*faelle converse to tell the story. A thick bassline and powerful drums and percussion soon drive the electronic soundscape forward, sparking the luminous dance of the ctenophora. 
Lush orchestral strings bring the track to its height as surreal jellyfish fly unhurried through the deep. Softly falling into emptiness, Ra*faelle floats above gentle melodies as lacy tentacles drift away.

All proceeds from this release will be donated to EcoMaris, an organisation offering education and discovery trips on Quebec's St Lawrence River. https://ecomaris.org/

Purchase link: https://lnk.to/XvIftz1W
Released: World Ocean Day - 08.06.2020
Halaken Records

HalakenRecords.com
INSTA: www.instagram.com/halakenrecords
SC: www.soundcloud.com/halakenrecords
SPOT: https://open.spotify.com/user/xg8l8rq...

Watch the video

Dexter Crowe & Mercan Dede - Radiata Ft. Ra*faelle [HAL003]

Joining the Halaken family with the release of their rework of Mercan Dede's 'Dream of Shams' on October 9th, Ankara based duo Ikaru showcase their rich and diverse sound with the second Halaken Transmission. 

Tracklist:
Mercan Dede - Dream of Shams (Ikaru Rework)
Ikaru - Nara
Ikaru - Enkidu
Nadav Dagon - Walking Tree ft. Space Age Poetry
Paul Traeumer - Junction
Noema - Twilight (Acid Pauli Remix)
Rapossa - Nirvana (Dandara Remix)
Ikaru - Sun
Be Svendsen - Decoy
EXZ - Pulso (Carrot Green Remix)
Kerala Dust - Spiegel
Stavroz - Perron 11
Christopher Groove - Secret Garden
Pawas feat Arooj Aftab - Naja
HouseWork - Salaman
Kollektiv Turmstrasse - Addio Addio

Follow Ikaru:
FB: facebook.com/ikarumusic
INSTA: instagram.com/ikarumusic/
SC: soundcloud.com/ikarumusic

Follow Halaken:
WEB: halakenrecords.com
INTSA: instagram.com/halakenrecords
SC: soundcloud.com/halakenrecords

www.HalakenRecords.com

Ikaru - Halaken Transmission 02

Welcoming a new member to the Halaken family, Turkish duo Ikaru breathes new life into one of Mercan Dede's earliest works, 'Dream of Shams' from his ‘Sufi Dreams’ album of 1999. Inspired by Dede’s stewardship of world music and traditional Eastern sounds into the electronic realm, the young trio carry the torch as part of a new generation of Middle Eastern producers, adding their own unique voice. Their reimagination is a fusion of the spirit of the original score, the voice of the electric guitar and the fresh power of synthesizers. 

The story manifests itself as an illumination in the darkest of times, and realizes an intimate and unique understanding of Shams al-Tabrizi's dream. It reveals the connection between two seemingly distant but inherently unified stories: Rûmi and Shams. As one of the most distinguished stories of companionship and love, they unite in the Dance of the Sufî -semâ- as they follow each other in an unstoppable and ecstatic oscillation of light and dark, dream and reality, yin and yang. 

This is an invitation to overcome and accept what we're all living through. In Rûmi's words, "there is a great secret here for anyone who can grasp it'.

Follow Ikaru:
FB: https://facebook.com/ikarumusic
INSTA: https://instagram.com/ikarumusic/
SC: https://soundcloud.com/ikarumusic
SPOTIFY: https://sptfy.com/5e1f

Follow Halaken:
WEB: https://halakenrecords.com
INTSA: https://instagram.com/halakenrecords
SC: https://soundcloud.com/halakenrecords

www.HalakenRecords.com

Mercan Dede - Dream Of Shams (Ikaru Rework)[HAL004]

Ikaru - Dream Of Shams (Ikaru Rework) [Extended Version]

Collective multimedia label, united by the power of art for change.

HAL011 | @dextercrowe - Masra 
 
{Out on Dec 12}: lnk.to/hal011

Halaken Collective

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