A diverse channel of cultures, Danûk seeks to make music that transcends borders. Founded in Istanbul in 2015 amid a period of commotion, the band remixes Kurdish folk songs creating mementos of a complex geographic and audible past.

Having left the war in Syria, the group, graduates of Syria’s best fine arts and music programs, became street performers in Istanbul using their talents as a means of survival. Here, they were discovered and hired by a social enterprise to help compose film and radio scores. Danûk’s success was followed shortly by the opening of their own recording studio, festival performances in Turkey, and most recently, support from the British Arts Council. In 2020, Danûk received the British Arts Council’s Develop Your Creative Practice Award, ultimately leading to the creation of the band’s debut album.

The album, Morîk, is a monument to a deep and shared history that revitalizes Kurdish archival music. Four songs adapted from wax cylinder recordings and four traditional Kurdish folklore and wedding songs transmit an aural experience of inflexible symbolism. Morîk yields new anthems of unity and hope for contemporary audiences.

The group is made up of Ferhad Feyssal, Tarik Aslan, Hozan Peyal, Yazan Ibrahim, Ronas Sheilhmous, and Michael League. Morîk was produced at Michael League’s Barcelona Studio 20.