Paris-based collective Al-Qasar brings its distinctive blend of Middle Eastern musical traditions, psychedelic rock and hypnotic grooves to Babylon on Saturday 28 November, joined by pioneering psychedelic outfit BaBa ZuLa for a special collaborative performance. Part of the Babylon Picks series, the concert brings together two acts whose approaches to music draw on regional traditions while pushing them into more experimental territory. With Al-Qasar’s heavy, fuzz-driven arrangements meeting BaBa ZuLa’s electric saz and improvisational sensibilities, the evening offers a meeting point between contemporary Arab psychedelia and the enduring legacy of Anatolian psych rock. Tickets are available via Biletix.
Producer Thomas Attar Bellier founded Al-Qasar in 2016, bringing together musicians from different musical backgrounds and countries to develop a sound that draws on North African rhythms, Arabic musical traditions and the heavier edges of psychedelic rock. The collective’s debut album, Who Are We? (2022), established this approach through collaborations with Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo and Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra, among others. Its follow-up, Uncovered (2024), expanded the project’s cross-cultural perspective through reinterpretations of material ranging from Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” to traditional Arab repertoire. The record places electric saz, oud and Arabic vocals within dense, fuzz-heavy arrangements, reflecting Attar Bellier’s interest in connecting musical histories rather than treating them as separate traditions.
Joining the collective are BaBa ZuLa, a group formed in 1996 following the dissolution of experimental band ZeN. Led by electric saz player and vocalist Osman Murat Ertel, the ensemble has spent three decades developing an approach to psychedelic music that brings together Anatolian folk, dub, electronics, improvisation and experimental performance. Their sound draws on the legacy of 1970s Anatolian rock while moving well beyond its established conventions, incorporating electronic textures and extended rhythmic explorations. Their work has also reached beyond recorded music, with contributions to film soundtracks including Tabutta Rövaşata and Dondurmam Gaymak, as well as an appearance in Fatih Akin’s documentary Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul.
BaBa ZuLa’s collaborative history includes work with British dub producer Mad Professor, Can drummer Jaki Liebezeit and members of experimental groups such as Faust and Einstürzende Neubauten. Their 2026 album XXX, released as they mark three decades together, continues their commitment to experimentation rather than revisiting a fixed formula. The pairing with Al-Qasar brings these two distinct but complementary musical languages into conversation, with electric saz, traditional percussion and hypnotic grooves providing common ground for an evening shaped by the continuing evolution of psychedelic music.
To stay up to date make sure to follow Babylon. Tickets are available via Biletix.
Merkez, Silahşör Caddesi & Birahane Sokak Tarihi Bomonti Bira Fabrikası No:1, 34384 Şişli
