The Turkish filmmaker/musician, Ece Era (pronounced “edge-uh air-uh”), has announced her first full-length album, Bedside Tunes. The new album will be released October 25 via the Brooklyn-based indie label, 2MR. She’s also going ot be releasing her self-directed music video and single, “Inner Feeling,” tomorrow. It delves into the complexities of modern love and desire that’s been shaped by both social media and dating culture.
Stream “Inner Feeling” here.
Presave Bedside Tunes here.
Across her vibrant and mournful electronic LP, Ece challenges cultural ideologies, identity structures, and her difficult past with tracks crafted during introspective moments before sleep or upon waking. She’s now based in Brussels where she writes and produces all of her music using just a laptop, plug-ins, and a MIDI keyboard. She’s a truly multi-faceted talent and artist to watch. Beyond the conditioning of her childhood and the culture of her home nation: Turkey.
Her latest single, “Inner Feeling,” delves into the complexities of modern love and the desire to be shaped by both social media and dating culture. The music video for the song was self-directed by Ece herself is set in a nocturnal forest as 2D animations by Stan Lievens of “perfect” men and women flickering between the trees. These images symbolize the power that taunts Ece as she searches for something true and authentic. Despite all of her efforts to destroy these illusions, they stand strong like ancient trees.
Ece Era on “Inner Feeling”:
“While experimenting with the Korg M1 plug-in, I discovered the perfect piano sound, reminiscent of early trance music, and that’s how ‘Inner Feeling’ was born. The song features simple, repetitive lyrics like ‘Inner feeling guides you to real love.’ It reflects on how love and sex are often linked to power. We rarely pursue our true desires because we’ve lost touch with what they rally are. Social media constantly shows us images of curated perfection. I wanted to explore this idea of desiring people based on thoughts rather than genuine connections following their ‘inner feeling.’ Even if these desires don’t fulfill any real needs, they may provide short-term satisfaction, but often leave us feeling empty in the long run. To create the song’s mood, I combined different sounds, including recordings of seagulls from Istanbul. It took time to get everything right, but each detail was important to capture the feeling I wanted the song to express.”
Ece has transformed her vocals wrapped in warm layers of electronica that oscillate between melancholy and optimism. The alteration signifies her attempt to reinvent herself. Throughout the duration of the album, Ece’s songs are rich with emotion as they blend hazy moments with vibrant beats. Bedside Tunes offers an unpretentious, unfiltered glimpse into Ece Era’s psyche.
Bedside Tunes Tracklist:
- Crave
- Sunny
- Let Go
- Childhood Echoes
- Another One
- Inner Feeling
- You Know What Goes Down
- Flow
- Silvaplana
Photo courtesy of Ece Era
