Istanbul born and raised, Berlin based electronic music composer and sound artist Hüma Utku explores the possibilities of how sound textures and rhythm can be used to evoke a sense of ancient within electronic music. With an overall disregard for musical genre divisions she fuses field recordings, acoustic instruments, atmospheric ambience; into harmonious noise and harsh ritualistic rhythms as means to utilise sound and music as tools for storytelling. Combining her practice of music with her studies in psychology; Utku’s works draw inspiration from human condition, Jungian psychology, mysticism and folklore.
In August 2018 ŞEB-İ YELDA EP (DL/12”) was released by Karlrecords, which presented Utku (under the artist moniker ”R.A.N.”) with an evolved sound and strong theme to a wide audience. Following the international success of her EP, she released her debut full-length album under her own name GNOSIS (DL/LP) in July 2019 via the same label. This release gained Utku recognition for her unique approach of creating sonic story plots by merging concepts with various experiments in electronic music.
Following this, her reworks and singles have been featured in other new releases including her 2019 rework of Vanessa Wagner’s ”Struggle for Pleasure” (originally by Wim Mertens) in company of selected artists like Wolfgang Voigt (aka GAS), Suzanne Ciani & Vladislav Delay, was released by the Paris based InFine music.
Utku received notable press from platforms such as The Wire, Noisey, RollingStone, Redbull Music, Groove Mag, Gonzo Circus and Scene Noise among others, as well as getting broadcasted by seminal radio station and platforms such as BBC Radio 3, NTS Radio, RAI 3, Resonance FM, YLE and Sveriges Radio.
Download press photo here. (Credit: Gözde Güngör)
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