Neyse

Neyse is a Turkish alternative rock band formed in 2000 in Yeşilköy, Istanbul, by childhood friends [a=Selim Kırılmaz] (vocals, rhythm guitar), [a=Deniz Ünlü] (drums), and Aykut Akdağ (lead guitar). The group spent the early part of the decade rehearsing regularly in their garage-studio and building their craft by performing covers of Western rock acts at bars and venues across Beyoğlu, as well as at various university festivals. From 2009 onwards, the band began actively presenting their own original material, notably releasing their first promotional single and music video, "Yapma Meydan," which was recorded at Noiseist Studios. Their breakthrough came in 2011 when they won the "Be The Band" music competition, organized jointly by Noiseist Studios, Radyo Eksen, and Doğuş Yayın Grubu, with prominent figures like Şebnem Ferah serving on the jury panel. The prize was free studio time at Babajim Studios, and just four months after the competition, Neyse released their self-titled debut album on Noiseist Studios. The nine-track record featured [a=Melih Balta] on guitar and backing vocals alongside core members Kırılmaz — who performed the bass parts himself — and Ünlü. Produced by [a=Reuben de Lautour], the album established their sound: distortion-heavy guitar riffs, powerful vocals, and lyrically defiant songwriting drawing heavily on literature, philosophy, and poetry. As stated in their interviews, their lyrics are deeply influenced by Turkish poets such as Nazım Hikmet, Orhan Veli Kanık, and Can Yücel, while their physical releases also prominently feature quotes from figures like Özdemir Asaf, Yıldırım Türker, and Walter Benjamin. In the years following the debut, the band — now operating as a duo after the departures of Akdağ and Balta — continued to perform live and released acoustic rearrangements of their material for platforms such as JoyTürk Akustik and Sofar sessions. Six years after the first album, Neyse signed with Noiseist Studios and released their second studio album, Haykırmadan Anlatamam, on March 24, 2017. The album's title was drawn from the final line of Turgut Uyar's poem "Kavşakta." All songs were written and composed by Selim Kırılmaz, with arrangements by Kırılmaz and Ünlü, and production handled by the band alongside [a=Umut Gökçen] at Babajim Studios. The ten-track record featured two notable guest appearances: vocalist [a=Deniz Tekin] on "Muteriz" and oudist Ara Dinkjian on "Kar," with additional contributions from Istanbul Strings and a number of prominent session musicians. Following the release of Haykırmadan Anlatamam, the band gradually withdrew from public activity. As of the mid-2020s, Neyse has not officially announced a disbandment but remains inactive, with no new releases, concerts, or public communications. Current members: [a=Selim Kırılmaz] – vocals, bass, rhythm guitar (2000–present) [a=Deniz Ünlü] – drums, percussion (2000–present) Former members: Aykut Akdağ – lead guitar (2000–2010) [a=Melih Balta] – guitar, backing vocals (2010–2014)