Music

Interview

Interview: Get to know Gazel ahead of her UK show

She'll be playing London's Borderline later this month.

Find tickets here

London based experimental musician Gazel is preparing to bring her blend of styles to the city’s Borderline on the 21 February 2018, offering fans the chance to hear live material from her debut full-length Gazel’s Book of Souls. Releasing her Bone Key EP in 2016, the composer, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist draws from her Turkish roots, blending ethereal soundscapes with middle-eastern influences.

Her production team have worked alongside the likes of Massive Attack and Kate Bush, influences from both of which draw into her sound. It’s soaring and grandiose at times, and yet pulls back into beautiful intimacy, delivering a truly mesmerising listen.

As Gazel prepares to play her first headline show of 2018, and builds up to the release of Book Of Souls, we caught up with the talented musician to find out more about things to come.

Gazel - Underwater (Live at the Premises)

How would you put the Gazel sound into words?

My sound can be described as a blend of pop, electronic and middle-eastern folk music. The words I hear most often in relation to my sound is that it’s cinematic, atmospheric and moving.

What does your new album, Gazel’s Book of Souls represent?

Gazel’s Book of Souls is a collection of songs that tell the story of a curious nomad girl abandoned in the desert, and the strange encounters she has with a cast of surreal characters as she embarks on a journey in search of her soul.

How easy was the record to pull together?

It’s been an interesting and involved process. I wrote the songs in my studio, and co-produced it with my partner Roy Pfeffer. I’ve really enjoyed working with some brilliant musicians and studios, the team includes Shuta Shinoda (Ghostpoet, Spritualised), and Haydn Bendall (Kate Bush, Massive Attack, David Gilmour).

You’re playing your first show of the year at London’s Borderline. How are you feeling about it?

I can’t wait! I’ve been working on these tunes for a year, and I’m really looking forward to sharing them for the first time.

What can fans expect from a Gazel live performance?

A dark blend of acoustic and electronic, original otherworldly music and sounds from the middle-east. Expect to be transported!

What does the rest of 2018 have in store for you?

I have some fantastic shows lined up, and I’m hoping to tour internationally. As well as this I’m developing a musical, an extension of Gazel’s Book of Souls.


Gazel will be headlining London’s Borderline on the 21 February 2018, with tickets available now through our friends at TicketWeb.