Syndrofos

Karadeniz folk is the regional folk music of Turkey’s eastern Black Sea (Karadeniz) coast, associated with Laz, Hemshin, Pontic Greek (Romeika-speaking), and Turkish communities. It is typified by the piercing, agile sound of the kemençe (Pontic lyra) and the droning tulum (Black Sea bagpipe), propulsive asymmetric dance meters (especially the horon in 7/16), and call-and-response vocals. Melodies often draw on Anatolian/Turkic and wider maqam-based modal practices, while lyrics evoke seafaring, mountain life, migration, tea and hazelnut harvests, and fervent love. In modern practice, traditional ensembles are frequently joined by guitar, bass, and drum set, producing a lively folk-rock crossover that retains the region’s characteristic rhythmic lift and ornamented melodic style.