National Geographic Music (National Geographic)

Mercan Dede's fifth studio album "Su" (meaning 'Water') marks the transition to a new era for an artist who has successfully completed his apprenticeship. "Su" invites us on a mesmerizing journey through Eastern sounds, where rhythms from Iran, India, Mediterranean and the Balkans flow together over a platform of contemporary electronic music. Like his previous albums, 'Su' takes its spiritual cue from words of Mevlana, the 13th century Sufi poet and mystic - 'Let yesterday's phrases stay in the past, today we need new words and expressions.'

The album comes out as a soundtrack of Istanbul, a city surrounded by water, the aqua-city, sang by many extraordinary local and international musicians. With her sensuous voice, Susheela Raman hypnotically points us out eternity. Dhafer Youssef's voice, as powerful as an instrument, runs like water and turns into a cascade as if the whole existence of humanity was rediscovered in mourning. Ceza, the young Turkish urban poet and rapper, delivers strong and sincere words. The interpretation of renowned Turkish folk vocalist Sabahat Akkiraz brings almost a sobering eyewitness account of the agony of Iraqis at war.

Mercan Dede collaborates with masters at their instruments Sheema Mukherjee of Transglobal Underground on sitar, Hugh Marsh on violin, Göksel Baktagir on kanun as well as with promising future great musicians.

— CalabashMusic.com