Istanbul born and raised, Berlin based sound artist and musician Hüma Utku explores the possibilities of how sound textures and rhythm can be used to evoke a sense of ancient within abstract electronics. She fuses the elements of industrial, ambient and techno through an experimental contemporary approach, with field recordings and traditional instruments as she utilises sound and music as tools for storytelling. Combining her practice of music since early ages with her studies in psychology; Utku's works draw inspiration from human condition, Jungian psychology and mysticism.

Following her release ''Her Trembling Ceased'' via Partapart Records under the moniker R.A.N. in 2015, Utku started touring Europe and the Middle East. 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 wider international audience. Following the success of her EP, Utku 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 story plots by merging themes with electronics and traditional folkloric sounds with a general disregard for genres.

Later in 2019, her rework of Vanessa Wagner's ''Struggle for Pleasure'' (originally by Wim Mertens) in company of selected artists including Wolfgang Voigt (aka GAS), Suzanne Ciani & Vladislav Delay, was released by the Paris based InFine music.

Her work has 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 (Italian National Broadcasting), Resonance FM, YLE (Finnish National Broadcasting).

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Residencies and Scholarships

May 2020
Guest Composer at EMS Stockholm
Scholarship by Goethe Institute Sweden

2020
Artist in Residence, Tehran/IR
Scholarship by
Musicboard Berlin & Goethe Institute Tehran

October 2019
Artist in Residence, Mardin/TR
DAIRE Residency Program
K2 Contemporary Art Center
Scholarship by European Union & Republic of Turkey

June 2019
Amplify Berlin Artist in Residence, Berlin/DE

November-December 2017
Submarine Studio Artist in Residence, Cairo/EG

Notable Performances

2019
14.07 - ''Gnosis'' LP Release Event, Berlin/DE
26.06 - Acud Macht Neu, Berlin/DE
03.05 - Donaufestival 2019, Krems/AU
13.04 - Radialsystem, Berlin/DE
14.03 - Griessmühle, Berlin/DE

2018
01.11 - DICE Festival, Berlin/DE
11.09 - ''Şeb-i Yelda''EP Release Event, Berlin/DE
09.03 - Salon IKSV, Istanbul/TR

2017
16.12 - Yukunkun Club, Beirut/LB
07.12 - El Warsha, Cairo/EG
05.10 - Reclaim The Beats, Berlin/DE
24.06 - Forte Prenestino, Rome/IT
22.06 - Suicide Circus, Berlin/DE
28.03 - Ausland, Berlin/DE

2016
25.06- Kantine Am Berghain, Berlin/DE

H Ü M A U T K U

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