Khontkar - PLA4: THE VISION

ANTEN FREESTYLE (PLA4 INTRO) sets the stage for a trajectory that leads to strategic alliances, but it is in vocal solitude that Khontkar first makes his mark before embarking on a race against time where quantity causes his vision to shatter.

Anten Freestyle: the manifesto of an ambitious vision

The experience begins with ANTEN FREESTYLE (PLA4 INTRO), the opening track that serves as a veritable manifesto for the project. This introductory track, numbered track 1, immediately lays the foundation for the universe that Khontkar will develop over the course of such an ambitious album. It is not a mere announcement, but an immediate establishment of the context in which the confrontations to come will unfold. This dense opening serves as a filter for the thirty-five tracks that follow, transforming the listening experience into a total immersion in the world of RedKeys Music. The intro functions as a crossed threshold, marking the transition between the period preceding this album and the phase of expansion that characterizes PLA4: THE VISION.

SUÇ feat. Kimera: the solo strength before the onslaught of collaborations

Before the collaborative machine fully kicks into gear, it is crucial to highlight SUÇ's central role in this artistic equation. On this specific track, the collaboration with Kimera adds depth to a proposition that could have remained purely introspective without this confirmed alliance. Kimera's presence is not merely incidental; it brings an additional texture to a composition that serves as a pillar for the project. This key track, listed at position 11 on the tracklist, demonstrates how Khontkar manages to balance his solo moments with strategic interventions. The documented single confirms the importance of this track in the artist's journey, serving as a reference for understanding the evolution towards subsequent projects like PEMBE (2023).

SUÇ and the quartet's confirmed alliances

The heart of the project beats to the rhythm of a gallery of collaborations where each guest brings their own unique flavor without ever overshadowing the central voice. On KUZGUN, the artist pairs up with KÖK$VL to create a dynamic that goes beyond the simple addition of talents. Further on, ROCKNROLLA welcomes VEYasin, introducing a rhythmic variation that contrasts with the darker passages of the record. İZMİR CONFIDENTIAL, for its part, sees Bixi Blake add his distinctive touch to a track that clearly evokes a specific geography through its very name. Each feature is handled with the necessary rigor so that it fits perfectly into Khontkar's overall vision.

Bilmece and the others: where collaborative density redefines the scale of the project

The machine runs at full speed as soon as one reaches Bilmece, where GRKM steps in to animate a track that requires this type of direct involvement. This collaboration is not isolated; it is part of a series of 18 tracks featuring confirmed collaborators, occupying the 18 dedicated slots among the 35 tracks on the album. Other names like Ceg, Metth, GOKO!, Da Poet, Kamufle, Keskin, Kozmos, Ege Çubukçu, Young Bego, and Corr come to support this collective structure. Notably, Ceg's presence on CAVLIYO is a reminder of an earlier collaboration where Khontkar was invited by Ceg on "Hennessy" (DMT (2020)). This reciprocity enriches the context of the studio album that follows RedKeyImmortalGang (2020). The collaborative density does not stop there: ONA HARCA sees Metth and GOKO! sharing a sonic space, while KALK brings together Da Poet and Kamufle for a joint intervention. Each addition is calculated to maximize the energy of the project without overwhelming it, creating a vocal mosaic that recalls the richness of the previous album 100 (2018) while preparing the ground for future works like PEMBE B SIDE (2024).

Bilmece and the redefined collaborative density

The richness of PLA4: THE VISION goes beyond the mere accumulation of talents to form part of a precise discographic continuity, in which Khontkar maintains multiple links with his siblings in RedKeyGang. This interconnectedness with the RedKeyGang entourage is confirmed by documented previous appearances, such as the tracks Hennessy (DMT (2020)) where Khontkar was invited by Ceg, as well as their joint participation in the EPs RedKeyGang la Familia 2 (2020) and TURKGLISH (2019). The following studio album, PEMBE (2023), shows that this period of intense collaboration served as a springboard for a distinct artistic evolution. The very structure of the opus reveals a desire for hybridity of formats and an almost obsessive approach to documenting the journey, illustrated by the inclusion of three skits dedicated to Aykut Elmas. This porosity of formats is accompanied by a sustained pace where the quantity of tracks does not dilute the quality, but rather allows for the exploration of varied sonic territories, from pure freestyle to tracks with evocative titles like ANTEN FREESTYLE II. The ultimate experience offered by RedKeys Music on this hybrid album, oscillating between a studio album and a massive compilation, redefines the scale of a project that serves as a vital bridge between the maturity achieved in 2020 and the next era inaugurated by PEMBE. PLA4: THE VISION stands out from a monolithic production thanks to its hybrid architecture, which deliberately integrates documentary and personal elements within the tracklist itself. The album devotes a significant portion of its duration to raw vocal interventions in the form of skits dedicated to Aykut Elmas, scattered at positions 20, 22 and 26, which act as narrative markers or interludes between the major tracks. These moments of immersion, such as NE ARA INTERLUDE, interrupt the flow of the studio tracks to create a fragmented narrative where the music directly accompanies the artist's voice outside the musical context. This desire to explore varied sonic territories goes beyond the mere sum of collaborations to transform the record into a veritable sonic logbook, constantly oscillating between pure freestyle, tracks with geographical evocations like IZMİR CONFIDENTIAL, and introspective compositions. The density of featured artists thus confirms an expansion strategy where each guest, whether it be past collaborations with Ceg or newcomers, contributes to building an autonomous and structured RedKeys Music ecosystem. The album fits into a specific trajectory within Khontkar’s discography, serving as a crucial pivot between the maturity achieved on 100 (2018) and future explorations like PEMBE (2023). The presence of figures like Young Bego on BEEFSTAR or Asil Slang on VOLTA attests to an openness towards a broader family beyond the immediate circle of RedKeyGang, enriching the initial proposition put forward on ANTEN FREESTYLE (PLA4 INTRO). This narrative structure, punctuated by reciprocity with artists like Ceg and the density of the contributions from KÖK$VL and Bixi Blake, demonstrates a coherence that transcends the numerical tally of the 35 tracks to offer a vision where each track, whether sung or spoken, contributes to the construction of a complete and documented artistic universe. The album concludes with DAHA YOK, the final track of the opus that seals an experience where quantity only reinforces the initial vision. This closing title, placed at position 35, offers a satisfying stopping point after such a journey rich in variations. The narrative architecture built between interludes like NE ARA INTERLUDE and the pivotal titles ensures a coherence that transcends the mere numerical tally of the thirty-five titles. RedKeys Music production ensures continuity throughout the journey, from the opening by ANTEN FREESTYLE (PLA4 INTRO) to this circular conclusion. This is much more than an album of feature collaborations; it is a vision where each collaboration, whether it be KÖK$VL on SOPAMI EM 2 or VEYasin on ROCKNROLLA, contributes to an indivisible whole.

Technical details

- Release date : October 15, 2021 - Label : RedKeys Music - Tracks : 35 - Opening / closing : ANTEN FREESTYLE (PLA4 INTRO) / DAHA YOK - Guests : KÖK$VL, VEYasin, Bixi Blake, GRKM, Kimera, Ceg, Metth, GOKO!, Da Poet, Kamufle, Keskin, Kozmos … - Previous album : RedKeyImmortalGang (2020)