Fokatelep

Fókatelep formed in 2007 in jam sessions of the members of Korai Öröm, a psychedelic world-beat band known far beyond the borders of Hungary. After Annamária Oláh had joined the group, the instrumental music gradually changed to the present song-like form. In its first year, the improvisational, ambient project became a strong folk-rock group. The band rapidly found its audience and plays in more and more prestigious venues. Among these were the successful concerts at major Hungarian towns and festivals and on the final day of the Hundertwasser exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest. In October 2009 the band completed a successful tour in Scandinavia and Germany. Besides the concerts, members gave workshops in Danish schools.
Their first record introduces us to the world of primarily Hungarian but also Bulgarian, French or Indian folk style songs with energetic rock flavour. The meeting of the experienced musicians with the young, but extraordinarily talented singer and songwriter caused a strong album with its own signature. Currently, they have released a maxi with five new songs with massive sound, varying from folk-rock to gypsy tango. As a winner of Festival of Music 2010 (Zene Ünnepe), Fókatelep have been invited to Brussels for their next European tour.
Fókatelep do not commit themselves to either of the wide range of styles (folk songs, chanson, metal, electronic) they are inspired by. Their characteristic „fóka sound” is a mixture of all the above. Yallah Yallah is Indian-inspired „raga-rock” with Bulgarian folk instruments, Fly away is folk-like song arranged as heavy „piano metal”. With their adaptation of Gloomy Sunday they created a Hungarian trip-hop from the classical Rezső Seress song known throughout the world. Apart from Annamari’s lofty voice, the ethno feeling is fortified by Nikola Parov’s (www.nikola.hu ) guest appearance on the album. Parov, who recorded albums among others with Márta Sebestyén, is known worldwide, and contributed in several songs on traditional Balkan instruments.

Media
Fókatelep’s music is like spacecake. This object camouflaged as a cake contains a drug that modifies your consciousness stronger than raisins soaked in rum, thus prompting the nonsmoking Amsterdam turists who all carry their uniform Van Gogh poster to lose their way to the station and find themselves balancing on railings of channel bridges in the red-light district.

Korai Öröm members surrounded Annamari in a protecting ring as she was singing enchanted and dancing with silky movement. Like an apricot floating in honey palinka...

Intoxicated by my Coke, Annamária Oláh’s extatic dance and sweet singing made me see whirling dervishes. The buoyant guitar, the drums, percussion and the special effects keyboard conjured nomad Arab horsemen gallopping in the moonlight among the Városliget trees.

The lines of Seress Rezső’s once banned „Gloomy Sunday” were once left by the broken hearted as a last message.

The bitter, melancholy tunes are sung with an energy that stems from the force of pain, gripping the agitated audience.

The love ballad „Kerek a szőlő levele” made me really admire the harmony of modern musical instruments and folk tunes. As if the ancient music had reincarnated into the modern age: the depth of songs was seized by and reflected in the rock guitar. „Let there be light, sound, drums, 'n guitar, ah. Let there be rock!”

I bought the CD and ran to the car to listen to it. The songs were playing in my ears the following day: the spring babbling in the Pilis woods and the birdsong accompanied them. A listened to the CD at home again: I blocked out the sunlight and put up the volume of the Model One.. ”Szerelem, szerelem, átkozott gyötrelem!” (Love, love, accursed agony!)
Zenemagazin.hu (translation)
Dannish:
http://www.kulturhus.kk.dk/vkhus/arrangementer/fokatelep-trusted-enemy
German:
http://www.musikansich.de/ausgaben/0709/reviews/fokatelep.html

Web
www.soundcloud.com/fokatelep
www.myspace.com/fokatelep
www.fokatelep.hu
www.Youtube.com/fokatelep
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fokatelep/