Turkish Psyche Trip

Posted on Dec 23, 2008 by FabE |

It’s not every day that you get good news from your boss. So when mine told me that I had to go to Istanbul for an extended week-end, I immediately checked if I would have some free-time to go crate digging as my plan was to bring back some Turkish Psychedelic records from the 70’s.

If you have the opportunity to go to Istanbul and you’re a record addict then take a map of the city: from Taksim, take Istikal street - which at first sight is not the place where you would especially want to spend your time except if you’re a shopping freak - you will arrive in the heart a small fish market (Balik Pazari) and find on your left the Aslihan Pasaji which will probably quickly become your favorite spot in town.

After passing by some second-hand bookshops, you will arrive in front of THE Istanbul record shop. The place is quite easy to find once you’re in the alley (Pasaji) since there is a Laid Back sticker on the top right corner of its pink door.

But be aware that if you’re a fan of Turkish music from the 70’s, you might spend a long time in this shop as it is full of some of the country’s best psychedelic records. Bengi - the shop owner - is always willing to share her knowledge about records and, beside advices on the local music, it’s likely that you will be offered a cup of tea while listening to the shop’s treasures!

So don’t hesitate, once your ticket to Istanbul is booked, plan one afternoon to discover Turkish music. The shop is opened everyday between 1 and 8pm!

Contact:
“Kurgu” music shop.
Mesrutiyet Cad. Aslihan Pasaji 18/34 Beyoglu-Istanbul.
andibend{at}hotmail.com

I’ll play a set of Turkish Psychedelic music from the 70′s in the Laid Back show on the 28th of January.


Published by FabE - FabE aka Fabian Verhoeven is a Brussels based dj and record collector. Selecting Latin music for LDBK radio and member of the Laid Back vzw/asbl, he also makes sure to write a travel report for us every time he is abroad.
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23 Responses to “Turkish Psyche Trip”

  1. Blast kid, on December 23rd, 2008 at 9:11 pm Said:

    Dude…

    Looking forward to the radio show!

  2. powahed, on December 30th, 2008 at 3:33 pm Said:

    yep inderdaad die show willek ook wel checken…
    diggin’ in the Turkisch crates, taske thee derbij, … ow jawel!

    HIPHOP!

  3. Laid Back » Laid Back Show - 14/01/2009, on January 15th, 2009 at 10:02 am Said:

    [...] shows: 21/01 - FabE & rHil - Turkish Digging // 28/01: Amede & the Soundsmith Pictures by Kmeron. Related Posts: White Christmas on FM [...]

  4. Laid Back » Laid Back Show - 21/01/2009, on January 22nd, 2009 at 2:10 am Said:

    [...] FabE’s lastest trip to Istanbul, we thought it was time for a Turkish mix in the Laid Back show. Rock/Psych Rock/Folk/Funk from the [...]

  5. mark mcintyre, on March 21st, 2009 at 7:21 pm Said:

    i’m going to istanbul next month and will be sure to head to this shop.

    what are the prices like??

  6. Fab-E, on March 23rd, 2009 at 10:00 pm Said:

    the prices are really good, depending also if there is a cover (more expensive) or not and of the quality of the sound. but you will definitely make good deals!!!

  7. Laid Back » Madrid digging trip, on April 11th, 2009 at 12:54 pm Said:

    [...] digging in Milan, Torino, Budapest, Krakow and Istanbul in 2008, I decided to continue my quest for records on a more regular basis in 2009. This year, my [...]

  8. Yegor, on April 18th, 2010 at 1:14 pm Said:

    Hello, I’m going to Istanbul tomorrow and find out your blog with the description of this marvellous music shop. I’m addicted to old and weird records, so I definitely would like to visit this shop. Could you provide me the name and more detailed description of how to get there?

    Thanks beforehand,
    Yegor.

  9. Fab-e, on April 18th, 2010 at 2:10 pm Said:

    Hi Yegor!
    From the Taksim place (very famous in Istanbul), take the Istiklal caddesi (big commercial street). At the middle of this street, go to the small fish market on your right (Balik Pazari). And there, there will be the Aslihan Pasaji on your left: the record store is inside this hall. I don’t know the shops’ name but you couldn’t miss its pink door!
    Enjoy your trip and the Turkish records!
    Fab-E

  10. Nikos, on June 23rd, 2010 at 8:28 pm Said:

    I’m so glad I found this page.I’m heading at Istanbul in early July.And it happens to be I’m a vinyl junkie and also turkish music junkie.Especially old stuf from the 60′s ,70′s etc.
    Thank you for the information.
    Any other record shop in Istiklal area worth visiting?
    Thank you!

  11. Fab-e, on June 24th, 2010 at 12:43 pm Said:

    Hi Nikos!
    I’m happy that the article is useful for you. Actually I didn’t find any other really interesting record shop in the city even if I’m sure there should be some.
    But there is another one just in front the one mentioned, in the same gallery. Also in the Aslihan Pasaji, you can have a look downstairs: there’s another record shop but with mainly very old records. Maybe you could find something there???
    Hope you will like your trip!!

  12. Nikos, on June 25th, 2010 at 3:47 pm Said:

    I surely will like my trip!(It will be my second time in Istanbul.In 2008 I was there again,and from that period I start listening to turkish music :D )
    Have been doing some googling and found some record shops I guess it is worth visiting.DeForm Muzik,Mephisto,Mimplak,Lale Plak.

    Also I’m dying to buy all the Kazim Koyuncu’s cd’s.Don’t know if you know him,if not defenitely worth a chek.
    Some information about the price of the vinyls if you can sir.It will be very much appreciated.
    I read above that the prices are very good.How good? For example ,here in Athens, I can buy second hand records from 1 euro up to 20 a piece. Off course 20 euros is a little bit much,so I generally prefer purchasing vinyls that are up to 10 euros a piece if of course they are worth it.I don’t buy vinyls just to buy them and having a large collection.
    Thank you for your time!!

  13. Fab-e, on July 14th, 2010 at 2:07 pm Said:

    Hi Nikos,
    Sorry for not having replied earlier to your last message… I hope you had a great time in Istanbul and that you found what you were looking for, notably Kazim Koyucu - that I just discovered on youtube and who’s indeed really good! For the price, as I said above, it’s really up to the quality of the record.
    Let me know if you found other good record stores there!

  14. Even, on November 22nd, 2010 at 1:13 pm Said:

    Thanks for this post! I am going to Istanbul this December, and I will definitely drop by this store. :)

  15. Nikos, on December 13th, 2010 at 11:17 pm Said:

    Hi Fab-e!
    I indeed had a great time !
    Unfortunately I didn’t find any record shops (vinyl shop that is) cause our program was too tight and I always found closed the record shop you described above.That sucked big time!
    I only bought many cd’s ,mainly from Mephisto Kitabevi on Istiklal.
    32 of them that is! Also managed to find most of Kazim’s cd’s (glad you liked him).
    I’m planing though to head back ti Istanbul in april,doing nothing but drinking tea nd shoping and digging through vinyls!!!!
    Hope to talk tou you soon.

  16. Galette records shop, on January 11th, 2011 at 3:04 pm Said:

    Hello Friends

    Thanks a lot for your post. It’s gonna help a lot.
    I am supposed to move to Istanbul next week and not only for tourism. I am the owner of a record shop based in Marseille. The shop os called “GALETTE” and you can find a variety of heavy rare records and also a lot of classics. Oriented in Soul, Funk, Latin, Afro, Oriental, Psychedelic, …, well rare grooves in general but without boundaries. Rare Grooves from everywhere. A shop connected to the rest of the world.
    I can’t resist to dig everywhere when i am travelling. I hope to find good things for my customers and for me too. I may bring few French rare things for exchanging with the shops and crate Diggers from there.

  17. Julien, on January 12th, 2011 at 11:03 am Said:

    Hope you’ll find some gems in Istanbul.
    Feel free to share you tips as i’ll be going there in June.

    Cheers,

    J.

  18. Costas, on January 15th, 2011 at 1:18 pm Said:

    Also feel free to tip us on how to live and work in Istanbul!! (without knowing any turkish :( )

  19. Bengi, on July 7th, 2011 at 4:52 pm Said:

    Hello friends,

    The name of the music shop that is mentioned above is “Kurgu”. I’m its owner and my name is Bengi.
    Here is my shop’s open address for those who are interested to come and have a look at it and check it out.

    Mesrutiyet Cad. Aslihan Pasaji 18/34 Beyoglu-Istanbul.

  20. Julius, on July 8th, 2011 at 9:11 am Said:

    Thank you for the contact details Bengi and congratulations for your great shop.

  21. jean de greef, on May 7th, 2012 at 9:23 am Said:

    Sorry but I don’t find your shop.
    Where is it
    I stay for a few days in Istanbul
    Regards

  22. Julius, on May 7th, 2012 at 3:17 pm Said:

    Jean,

    here is the exact address: Mesrutiyet Cad. Aslihan Pasaji 18/34 Beyoglu-Istanbul

  23. goli, on May 16th, 2012 at 6:49 am Said:

    I will be in Istanbul soon, and as a vinyl junkie I can’t wait to stop by this shop. Do you know if they have any interest in trading for records from the States? Just wondering.

    Thanks for this article, it’s a great help!

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