Fókatelep formed in 2007, comprising various members of Hungary’s two most prolific psychedelic bands, Korai Öröm and Colorstar, and the extremely talented vocalist and songwriter Annamária Oláh.
Their first album (self-titled, NarRator Records 2009) introduces us to the world of primarily Hungarian but also Bulgarian, French and Indian folk style songs with an energetic rock flavour.
The track 'Leave' was chosen for a CD compilation introducing the best of Hungarian world music in Europe’s most acknowledged world music magazine, the Songlines' March 2010 issue, with other renowned acts.
Fokadelic, the new album out in April 2011, brings them ever closer to realising their very own sound – world beat founded in rock, fusing the tradition of Hungarian „csujogató” singing style with Bulgarian folk, gypsy tango with chansons, Latin with Afro rhythms. This creative spirit reflects in the lyrics, oscillating between Hungarian, Spanish and Bulgarian.
The full album is available to stream at www.soundcloud.com/fokatelep/sets/fokadelic
After touring in Germany, Denmark and Sweden in 2009 (giving workshops in schools in Hillerod, Denmark in their free time), Fókatelep found themselves in Germany again in May 2010 to perform alongside Besh O Drom at a series of events promoting Hungarian talent. Later that year, they travelled to the Italian showcase festival Meeting Degli Indipendenti to perform for a professional audience.
This May, Fókatelep were promoting their new album Fokadelic in Belgium and in Luxembourg.
Band members
Annamária Oláh vocals
Emil Biljarszki keyboard
Viktor Csányi drums
János Jócsik percussion
Ferenc Somogyi bass
Péter Szalay guitar
Media
„Intoxicated by my Coke, Annamária Oláh’s ecstatic dance and sweet singing made me see whirling dervishes. The buoyant guitar, the drums, percussion and the special effects keyboard conjured nomad Arab horsemen galloping in the moonlight among the Városliget trees.”
„Fókatelep’s music is like space cake. This object camouflaged as a cake contains a drug that modifies your consciousness stronger than raisins soaked in rum, thus prompting the nonsmoking Amsterdam tourists who all carry their uniform Van Gogh poster to lose their way to the station and find themselves balancing on railings of channel bridges in the red-light district.”
„The band members surrounded Annamari in a protecting ring as she was singing enchanted and dancing with silky movement. Like an apricot floating in honey pálinka…”
„The lines of Seress Rezső’s „Gloomy Sunday” (banned many years ago) were once left by the broken hearted as a last message.
The bitter, melancholy tunes are sung with an energy that stems from the force of pain, gripping the agitated audience.”
„The love ballad „Kerek a szőlő levele” made me really admire the harmony of modern musical instruments and folk tunes. As if the ancient music had reincarnated into the modern age: the depth of songs was seized by and reflected in the rock guitar. „Let there be light, sound, drums, 'n guitar, ah. Let there be rock!”