Eje Eje - Primordial Soup [Batov Records]

Format: LP in printed sleeve.
CAT: BTR127

For fans of: Sven Wunder, The Gaslamp Killer, Şatellites, Altin Gün...

Eje Eje, the orbiting side project of Şatellites founder and multi-instrumentalist Itamar Kluger, presents Primordial Soup, his second album on Batov Records, stirring an even broader, genre-defying pot of influences from East to West.

Kluger first achieved international recognition with Şatellites, sextet evangelists of Turkish psychedelic rock whose enviable back catalog has earned them worldwide support, from KEXP in Seattle to BBC Radio 6 Music and FIP in France.

Kluger launched his solo project, Eje Eje, with the LP Five Seasons in 2023, playing most instruments himself and honing his production technique. His blend of traditional Mediterranean and Middle Eastern music with psychedelia, funk, dub, and beat production earned him strong backing from BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Radio 2, and Songlines.

Like its predecessor, Primordial Soup was largely recorded by Kluger himself, combining meticulous studio work, reminiscent of DJ Shadow or early Four Tet, with raw and expressive performances—mostly himself on strings, bass, percussion, and keys, including a newly acquired microtonal keyboard perfect for exploring Eastern musical scales, plus musician friends such as drummer Raz Man, known for Sababa 5, Şatellites, and Project Gemini.

Taking its name from the scientific theory on the origin of life, Primordial Soup is both an exercise in sonic experimentation and a metaphor for existence itself. For Kluger, the title represents both a philosophical question and a creative mission. “Primordial Soup is a scientific theory of how life began—dense mixes of organic matter that, with the sun's energy, formed self-replicating systems,” Kluger explains. “Sometimes I still feel we are a kind of walking soup contained by a skin balloon.”

The album reflects this idea in its fusion of disparate elements: a bubbling mix of Turkish percussion, psychedelic guitars, dub textures, synthesizers, drum machines, and Middle Eastern musical scales, forming a coherent yet unpredictable whole. “This album is also a thick mixture of many things, a primitive fusion of sounds that exist together only in my imagination, with the potential to come alive.” Kluger began working on Primordial Soup in October 2023, though many ideas had been brewing before. The process was marked by both creative compulsion and emotional necessity: “It was a very tough time. Making this album was something I had to do to stay sane. I hope it came out as powerful as my heart was beating at the time.”

The opening track, Oyun Çorbası, is a playful fusion of Turkish folk and indie rock textures. Its title is a pun on Oyun Havaları (traditional dance music) and çorba (soup), reflecting the track’s mix of influences. A tight, swampy groove from drummer Raz Man drives the rhythm, while a phaser-effected bağlama riff leads the piece, accompanied by swirling keyboards that lead into a hazy, cymbal-driven bridge. It takes the spirit of Ottoman-era dance music and twists it into something uniquely modern, like The Stone Roses meets Turkish folk.

The Bride is a collaboration between Eje Eje and emerging flutist, percussionist, and multi-instrumentalist Elad Kimhi. Inspired by Lebanese weddings, the track combines tradition with dancefloor energy. Known for his work with the Firqat El Nur Orchestra, Sharif, and other projects, Kimhi brings a deep understanding of Mediterranean music, from Andalusian to Moroccan and Turkish. Middle Eastern synthesizers cut through a funk groove, something like Omar Souleyman doing boogie. More luminous than much of the album, more pop but with a psychedelic twist, The Bride was created with one thing in mind: parties. Similarly, the fast-paced Puzmak has a highly celebratory spirit and is destined to wreak havoc on dancefloors and celebrations. Middle Eastern brass leads the track, supported by heavy percussion, a solid bassline, and subtle drum machine programming.

Horrorizon is heavy in almost every sense: dark, cinematic, and immersive. Relentless, slow drums, a hypnotic bassline, and harsh bouzouki textures build a menacing atmosphere that evokes an ominous future. Picture it as early DJ Shadow with a pile of Turkish psychedelia vinyl. Kluger conceives it as a kind of “traveling song” for “an old cart rattling down a muddy road into an unknown night,” recalling “that gut alert that something isn’t going well with humanity’s direction.”

From shadowy cinematic journeys to celebratory wedding anthems, Primordial Soup explores what it means to be alive, connected, and creative in turbulent times, and solidifies Eje Eje as one of the most exciting voices in the fusion of Middle Eastern traditions with contemporary beat culture. Whether on the dancefloor or in headphones, it’s music that moves you.