This year has been filled with many music highlights, and it’s a bit sad that it is coming to an end. On November 16th, 2023, we attended one of our last concerts for the year in the region. SHE PAST AWAY, originally from Turkey, had been on tour throughout Europe for weeks, and luckily, they decided to make a stop in Kiel, Germany.
The evening began with the Turkish post-punk/dark wave duo, DUCTAPE. In general, the interaction was kept to a minimum. Far from being detrimental, we believe it contributed to a sense of commitment and relative seriousness that the band conveyed to the audience. For readers unfamiliar with the work of the up-and-coming duo DUCTAPE, I would describe Çağla Güleray‘s voice as a mixture between the deeper tones of Siouxsie Sioux and former SISTERS OF MERCY vocalist Gary Marx. While her range remained steady, the quality of her entire performance did not diminish. She is also in charge of the electronic and synth part of their sound, while Furkan Güleray lays the foundation with the guitar.
After a short pause, SHE PAST AWAY took the stage and began their set with “Durdu Dunya” from their critically acclaimed album “Disko Ankisiyete.” We were surprised by the choice, as it is one of their most streamed tracks. We thought (and hoped) such a track might come later in their set. It served as an incentive for the crowd to start moving immediately, and little did we know what was coming right after it. “Katarsis” followed with its characteristic haunting melody that will pretty much be stuck in your head for the rest of your life. This is, of course, one of the strengths of this duo. The combination of their electronic elements with their guitar melodies creates super catchy and, at times, quite atmospheric music that compels the listener to move.
Guitarist and singer Volkan Caner‘s voice adds great character to the musical composition due to the attributes of his voice. Among them is the percussive style at times, and a remarkably low tone that, while remaining constant, still adapts to the instrumental landscape throughout their different songs. One factor that also influences the latter is the poetic lyrics in Turkish. SHE PAST AWAY could rightly be categorized in the same genres and subgenres as DUCTAPE, with even the same influences, which made their support a perfect fit for the tour. One thing is for sure; they both delivered a pristine performance, and we will surely be following their touring plans. Check our photo gallery of DUCTAPE and SHE PAST AWAY here…
DUCTAPE
SHE PAST AWAY
Text and photos by Michelle Rosales
