biensüre: s/t

The hip sound of Biensüre, based in the vibrant city of Marseille and mixing hypnotic synths-fueled disco grooves with Turkish/Kurdish music, infused in the hip urban spirit of the Mediterranean French city. The group's music, inspired by the personal stories of its singer, Kurdish Hakan Toprak, speaks of impossible loves, friendship and exile and is wrapped up in an unmistakable groove. The eponymous album is the group's first release, written, composed and produced by the four musicians and it is composed of seven groove-infused tracks that will please all global music lovers. Biensüre was born in the setting of Marseille: Inspired by the diverse influences of the city and moved by an urge to experiment, the four band members, Milan Petrucci, Hakan Toprak, Anselme Kavoukdjian, and Benjamin Dauvergne met there and quickly started jamming together. The alchemy was instant and after a handful of sessions, the desire to build from there and start a group was the natural way forward. Their name also came naturally: it is drawn from the French expression "Bien sûr" ("of course") "You worked all day today, aren't you too tired?" -- "Bien sûr" "Are we still meeting up to jam?" -- "Bien sûr" Hakan (vocals, saz) talks in a French that is not completely fluent, having learned the language on the go. Hakan says "bien sur" frequently, as to proclaim his unwavering enthusiasm despite the difficulties of his everyday life. This simple, engaging expression also sums up the creative intention of the group. Biensüre's influences are varied and transcend generations and borders. Ranging from the Anatolian pop scene of the '70s and '80s with key figures like Erkin Koray and Barış Manço to '70s jazz, disco, and early electro, their music is at the intersection of several musical continents. Obviously, Hakan's close connection to traditional Kurdish music is at the heart of the group's music, embraced by all the other members. In addition, Anselme, who is of Armenian origin, brings his own influences to the mix playing such instruments as the saz, an Anatolian lute found in the whole region. Blending these influences to their pulsating disco beats, Biensüre show the breadth of their inspirations and their desire to build bridges between distant cultures.