Review: Ouzo Bazooka - Kapaim (Batov Records)

Bazook your ouzo shots, this is Ouzo Barooka!

Only having just recovered from the synth wizardry of Romano's debut LP ‘Güle Güle’ (see review HERE), it's time to go even more Batove (Ed. is that possible?)

From the opening of 'Asia', this mostly instrumental album is drenched in Middle Eastern surf rock psychedelia, Turkish-funk space-rock with Egyptian nods to Mulatu Astatke/Sun Ra, The Venures, Stones Throw  and dare I say, Steve Hillage; with funk?

This is a project led by Uri Brauner Kinrot, a multi-instrumentalist who has a long track record of promoting groups and collectives in this area of the Mediterrean; the title track and 'Layla' even makes you think that the fuzzed out guitar could be hip.

'Seeds', that features Kinrot on vocals, encapsulates all that's here and it's catchy even with a brief slip into some "na, na, na nah" vocals at the end and who's been checking out Hawkwinds' 'Space Ritual'? - synth wobble on 'Sufa' plus 'Maagalim' has a great bass solo.

Batov's recent release, Şatellites' 'Aylar' (see review HERE) has been getting much attention on 'the socials' as the kids would tell you but this could easily match it with a funk to disco to beats in the Balkans (Ed. remember Balkan Beat Box? Uri!) and the Middle East.

We're told that this is Ouzo Bazooka's fifth album and it's for "fans of Glass Beams, Derya Yildirim, LA LOM and Oh No (younger brother of Madlib)" but we think there appeal with stretch a long way further with this new album, 'Kapaim'.

PS. You'll have to be very quick to get your hands on the vinyl.

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Artist: Ouzo Bazooka 

Title: Kapaim

Release date: 6th June, 2025

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR

Format: Limited LP / Digital / Bandcamp