For devoted electronic music fans everywhere, nothing compares to the thrill of stepping into a big room event to embark on an experience guided by an artist with a matchless international reputation for putting on a truly next-level live show. Until, that is, you’ve settled into the rhythm of the story being told, felt the energy pulse through your body, and are poised to achieve that celestial moment of instant spiritual enlightenment – a moment those of the Zen Buddhist tradition might refer to as ‘satori’ or the experience of ‘seeing into one’s true nature’. Such was the energy murmuring between the immortal columns of the Binbirdirek Sarnıcı on the night of Saturday, June 29th as a sold-out crowd of upwards of 2000 people drifted into the 1700-year-old cistern that served as the site of the latest installment of the Get Closer series by Istanbul’s own Generic Music in partnership with Mentha, About Nights, Mitte, and other contributors.
It was the second event in the series to be hosted in the sarnıç, hence the title – Get Closer to Cistern Memories. The first, held back in early April, featured back-to-back performances of Monolink, an exceptionally dynamic singer-songwriter electronic music producer known for his extraordinary multi-instrumental live shows and whose obvious affection for Turkey has earned him a loyal following here, as well as legend of dark ambient techno, Armen Miran, and our own Ali Kuru closing out the event with his singular brand of ethno-house vibes. The cistern itself, the 2nd-largest in the city, is a wonder to behold and whispers of a centuries-old history dating back to the 5th century. Since its rediscovery in the 17th century and gradual conversion into a museum, the space has served as a venue for a variety of events, including weddings, orchestra concerts, and, naturally, electronic music experiences – although not lately. In fact, in the deepest underbelly of the scene in Istanbul, the place is oft-spoken of as a fabled mausoleum of underground dance parties, having hosted some of the most infamous names of the genre in its heyday over a decade ago, including Deep Dish, Dubfire, Sasha, John Digweed, and, according to legend, DJ Tiësto.
Entering the scene was like passing into a forbidden labyrinth, one which had been patiently holding a secret just waiting to be told. The décor, with giant jellyfish of delicate mesh and glittering tinsel tentacles suspended dreamily from the towering ceiling above, nautical elements secured around the cistern’s formidable columns, and strategically-placed touches of illumination, channeled the surreal energy of the place and set the tone for the event. Settling in beneath the twin seahorse figures framing the stage, Monolink even commented to the crowd that it was one of the most beautifully-decorated venues he’d seen. As the night got underway, everything from the immaculate curation of the program to the awe-inspiring production of the show, to the energy of the crowd as they flowed with the performers of the night, evidenced the painstaking efforts of an organizing team driven by a passion for music, who puts people and experience at the center of their events. It was an event of epic proportions which would become a fondly-regarded and oft-discussed memory among those who were part of it and a seemingly elusive fantasy lusted after by those who missed it.
It came as quite the delightful surprise, then, when Generic Music announced an upcoming reboot of the event to take place right as summer is starting to come into full-swing. As with the first edition, every infinitesimal detail of the event resonated with the passion, people-centeredness, and eye for design that characterize Generic Music’s organizational approach as well as the venues, artists, and other industry professionals they partner with. Founded in 2013, the agency has become known for curating some of the hottest concert events across the indie and electronic music scenes in Istanbul, skillfully managing some of the most-revered musicians in the industry while growing followings in Turkey for rising artists and providing a platform for emerging talent. The lineup for this rendition featured the electro-acoustic sounds of Istanbul’s own live trio Islandman among several as-yet lesser-known but excellent DJs worthy of a proper showcase including Omerar Nanda, whose deep melodies and incorporation of world instruments proved beautifully congruent with the styles of the headlining performances and exquisitely effective in heating up the dance floor in preparation for Satori, a performer so dynamic, so overwhelmingly authentic, and so masterful in his craft as to earn him an undisputed reputation as a legend in performing live shows.
Taking in a Satori show is an experience nothing short of transcendent – not only because every element of his show is live, or because he’s playing a variety of instruments on stage in real time, or because so much of the sound he incorporates into his performances is his own, but because of who he is and what he’s aiming to achieve with his music – to blur cultural boundaries and create a divine sense of connection with his crowd. Arguably one of the most fascinating aspects of Satori’s signature take on world music is his unique approach to tempo. Coming up on the Amsterdam circuit meant Satori had to work hard to hone his style to effectively maintain a more downtempo sound while performing in a realm where there’s a general tendency is to associate the dance floor with higher BPMs. He found the hack in African music which, he points out, is saturated with energy even while maintaining a lower BPM. By layering sounds atop the rhythmic structure found in this style, achieved by strategically combining the third and fourth beats, Satori has become a master at harnessing what he calls ‘the dynamic illusion of tempo’, resulting in an intoxicating blend of energy-rich sound perfect in cultivating the conditions for he and his crowd to achieve the ‘satori moments’ from which his name derives. With his rise to international prominence, Satori has also attracted a loyal following in Turkey, especially in Istanbul, where his most recent performance showcasing his Maktub album concept at the Bosphorus-side, factory-turned-venue Beykoz Kundura was so profoundly mind-blowing, it would be a night to remember for months to come among those there to experience it.
Needless to say, in the wake of that event last December as well as the extraordinarily well-executed first sarnıç party, Get Closer to Cistern Memories quickly became one of the most anticipated music experiences of the season among followers of the Istanbul electronic music scene, and delivered on that expectation beyond imagination. Although styled after the initial cistern event, this rendition of Get Closer succeeded brilliantly in realizing a distinct aesthetic all its own, echoing of the ‘Arabian Nights’ theme at the center of Satori’s show in Beykoz and accentuating the movement and sense of revival in the musical narrative of his exceptional performance. Shadowy palms and splashy ferns projected on the columns delicately framed the historical imagery evoked by the space giving way to visuals of dancing geometric shapes, colorful birds in flight, even lions – all seemingly inspired by the fauna motif evident in Satori’s track of the same name and suggestive of an awakening of life growing up around the primordial stone pillars. It was the story only a true master could tell, and one which, like the ones that had come before in the sarnıç, would exist only in those sublime moments. That is the magic of the Satori live experience, and what more appropriate setting than in the mysterious depths of the cistern.
As the event took its final form, it became apparent that the ‘cistern memories’ in the event title, when understood in the collective consciousness of the underground scene in Istanbul, alludes to a much broader historical context surrounding the space – one where the music and quality of participant experience come first. The skillful curation and execution of the Get Closer events in the sarnıç are not only a testament to the exceptional competency of the organizing partners, but may even mark the start of a new era in the appropriation of the venue for future electronic music experiences. The outstanding success of the events has already attracted the attention of other organizers craving a go, and rumor has it similarly-styled events in the cistern are on the horizon. It will be interesting to see how this apparent revival of the sarnıç proceeds. In the meantime, in order not to miss whatever is next-in-store in the Get Closer series (set for September 14th) and other similarly high-caliber events being dreamed up, best to keep a close eye on Generic Music, Mentha, and other organizers who likewise consistently demonstrate a commitment to the true spirit of the events.
Images courtesy of the organizer. Keep up with future events via our what’s on section.
