Stockholm Cyclo blends cinematic afro house, anatolian vocals and cool jazz on new album NorthEastWestSouth - Behind the project is producer and architect Alexander Ståhle, together with Swedish-Kurdish singer Berrin Şahin, flute player Turgay Özdemir, jazz saxophonist Per “Texas” Johansson, and djembe player Jack Sylla from Guinea. The production ranges from pop-infused amapiano to evocative deep house. The lyrics are based on hundred-year-old Anatolian and Mesopotamian poems depicting love, sorrow, and cultural encounters. Together, the album’s song titles form a poetic paraphrase of “What the World Needs Now Is Love,” a theme that runs throughout the entire project. NorthEastWestSouth is a postmodern musical experiment in which Nordic meets Oriental, and the ancient meets the contemporary. The message is that music can unite in a troubled time.

Stockholm Cyclo is producer Alexander Ståhle, who has been active in electronic music since the early 2000s. He has released deep house, nu jazz, and broken beat on labels such as Raw Fusion, Irma Records, and Soundscape, and has released five albums and eight EPs. His music has taken him to stages in places including Tokyo and Milan, and he has collaborated with artists such as Malin Dahlström (Niki & The Dove) and saxophonist Lisen Rylander.

Berrin Şahin is a Swedish-Kurdish singer active in folk and world music, with roots in both Anatolian and Nordic traditions. She has worked at the intersection of traditional music and improvisation, and is known for her expressive voice and for bringing together different musical cultures. During her career, she has collaborated with, among others, Ale Möller, and participated in ensembles and projects where music from the Middle East and the Nordic countries meet.

Per “Texas” Johansson is a Swedish multi-instrumentalist and composer, known for his expressive saxophone playing in jazz, improvised music, and Nordic folk music. He has collaborated with artists and groups such as Ale Möller, Fire! Orchestra, Oddjob, Blacknuss, and Rebecka Törnqvist.

Turgay Özdemir is a flautist active in folk and world music, with roots in the Anatolian musical tradition and a strong presence on both the Turkish and Nordic scenes.

Jack Sylla is a djembe player, dancer, and educator from Guinea, known as “Le génie de Guinée” for his virtuoso playing. He has worked with both traditional and modern West African music and is a soloist in the Guinean ensemble Les Étoile de Boulbinet.