Artist

Hüma Utku

Hailing from Istanbul, the 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 advanced electronic music. With an overall disregard for genres she fuses field recordings, acoustic instruments, and atmospheric ambience; into harmonious noise and harsh ritualistic rhythms as means to utilize sound and music as tools for storytelling. Combining her practice of music with her studies in psychology; Utku's works draw inspiration from the human condition, mysticism and dualities

In August 2018 Şeb-i Yelda (EP/12'') was released by Karlrecords, which presented Utku (as 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 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 experiments in electronic music.

Her sophomore album , The Psychologist is released on Editions Mego in May 2022. This album has been cited as Utku's most ambitious, authentic and complex work yet in which her background as a graduate of Psychology and her current practice as a conceptual music composer are intertwined.

Since 2016, Utku presented her work and performed across Europe and the Middle east; including performances in Atonal Berlin, CTM Festival, HKW, and Radialsystem in Berlin; Salon IKSV in Istanbul, Donaufestival and Musikprotokoll in Austria, Forte Prenestino in Rome, Sonic Acts and Today's Art in Netherlands, Lunchmeat Festival in Czech, Insomnia Festival in Norway and many others.

Her work has received notable press from platforms such as The Wire, Noisey, RollingStone, Redbull Music, Groove Mag, Gonzo Circus, BantMag, Scene Noise among others, as well as getting broadcasted by seminal radio station and platforms such as BBC Radio 3, ORF, TRT, NTS radio, RAI 3, Resonance FM, YLE and Sveriges Radio.

In 2021, Utku was selected as a SHAPE (Sound, Heterogeneous Art and Performance in Europe) artist.