Taraf

A band creating its own "taraf" (direction) in Tatar indie and electronic music. 

 

↓ more about the band 

Bulat Shaymi and Niyaz Möbaräkcan launched the project "Taraf" in 2018 in the Republic of Tatarstan. Their first indie EP "Unsigez" (Tatar for "eighteen"), was written in their home village in Tatarstan and recorded in Kazan. The album was released in 2020 by Tatarstan's leading indie label, Yummy Music. In December 2023, they released the single "Y," and in July 2024, an electronic EP titled "ikenche" (Tatar for "second/different") was released. Unlike their first album, "ikenche" was created online and showcases the band's new sound. 

 

Taraf stands out with its unique identity: Bulat and Niyaz create indie and electronic music in the Tatar language, a rarity in today's music industry. They also incorporate recordings from their everyday lives, adding a genuine and lively feel to their compositions. Their lyrics feature not only Tatar but also German and English. The second album's tracks reflect personal themes without ignoring the broader context: love, longing, historical events, and reflections on the current circumstances that resonate with any young person's soul.