From Istanbul, the pioneers of neo-Turkish psychedelia, Islandman, kick off their Japan tour with a long-awaited new album.
ISLANDMAN
Born from the imagination of Tolga Böyük, Islandman gradually transformed into a trio—completed by the psychedelic guitar work of Erdem Başer and the meditative percussion of Eralp Güven. As a sonic collective with no fixed borders, their live performances unfold at the intersection of the acoustic and the electronic: part ceremony, part dancefloor, often reflective, always immersive.
Their debut Rest in Space (2017) introduced a dreamy, Balearic-tinged soundworld—gentle yet conceptually rich. This was followed by Kaybola (2020), which marked a shift toward a more conscious fusion of Anatolian and Western sensibilities, mapping a musical migration through vocals, bağlama textures, and synthesized layers. Taking it further, Godless Ceremony (2021) revealed a more introspective and organic sonic architecture. Finally, with Popsicle Obstacle (2023), Islandman transitioned from the dream-state of the archaic to the digital utopia—layering sounds that bridge time, technology, and memory.
To be released in the autumn of 2025, their fifth studio album Island5 is Islandman’s most detailed and refined narrative to date. Channeling the multi-layered spirit of Istanbul, the album reflects the group’s inner evolution in both aesthetics and process. This new sound realm—described as Neo-Turkish Psychedelia—preserves the group’s established musical codes: Ambient textures, modal scales, and ceremonial percussion, while embracing a richer sonic architecture shaped by analog synths.
