Istanbul synth-wave vanguards Jakuzi turned heads in 2017 with the release of their debut album 'Fantezi Müzik’ which showcased their modern Turkish underground music to the world. This record saw the duo go against what you would stereotypically expect from a male-fronted band out of Istanbul – Turkish music is not necessarily known for being a genre where men are introspective - but Jakuzi’s gothic sensibility addressed the personal psychological issues they were facing.

When they originally released their debut on cassette in 2016, no one expected it to leave their circle, especially not the band themselves, but the record was re-released with new tracks in early 2017 via City Slang Records and immediately gained more attention than anyone anticipated. All of this seemed to happen over night, with praise from international outlets like The Quietus & The Guardian and the band also got to play sold-out shows with their musical idol John Maus. 

Despite all the positivity that came with this, it came not without issues. The reality for a band in Turkey is challenging, both from an economical and personal perspective. Singing in Turkish for Jakuzi vocalist Kutay Soyocak is important to express himself, but it also means that the opportunities are limited. There are no playlists in for Turkish DIY dream pop dark wave bands, their songs will not be played on the traditional radio shows and there’s no mass market for attending punk shows. Jakuzi will always end up as the outcasts in the corner, even if your plays stack up to over two million. Paving your own path is hard, and not always rewarding. 

But Jakuzi were not willing to give up. Arriving two years after their debut, “Hata Payı” (literally translated as ‘’a part of the mistake”) delves deeper and explores further all the feelings that were touched upon in their debut - what it’s like to be a young adult growing up in Istanbul, having success and then having to live up to expectations, being an artist in a country that doesn’t necessarily support your work, managing personal relationships and also addressing mental health. ‘Hata Payı’ brings a more refined, darker sound to the surface, exploring the human condition.

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Produced by Taner Yücel and recorded in Istanbul, ‘Hata Payı’ is about acceptance, both of every community, every gender, every race, ever sexuality and also about acceptance of yourself and dealing with the demons that come with being alive in the modern day.