Welcome
to iKi Muzik
iKi Muzik is an independent record label dedicated to highlighting contemporary music from Turkey. We are a home for artists who push boundaries and explore new sounds, bringing fresh voices and innovative music to the forefront.
Spotify Playlist
Cymin Samawatie's new album 'Temas'
Out on June 13, 2025
Every sound begins in silence. Two voices – two instruments – the mystery of their presence with each other unfolds long before any tone is heard. Tracing Cymin Samawatie’s musical journey in Istanbul in 2018, this album dwells in the potential of that quiet moment of first encounter, in which every sound that follows is already contained yet which still emerges in radical openness. Its evolution of ten real-time duets cherishes the intimacy of micro-encounters, of unrehearsed listening and responding beyond familiar terrains of traditions, styles, and languages. Plunging into the unknown, these miniatures instantly expand into fresh sonic worlds of free improvisation and poetry in Turkish and Farsi – worlds that resist definition but project all the more clearly the sheer beauty of life. In them, everything begins with listening to the quiet presence between two musicians.
Cymin Samawatie - Voice & Piano
Neva Özgen - Kemençe
Angelika Niescier - Saxophone
Arslan Hazreti - Kamancheh
Erdem Şimşek - Bağlama
Duygu Demir - Cello
Cem Önertürk - Flute
Başak Yavuz - Voice
Serkan Şener - Kaval
Şevket Akıncı - Electric guitar
Poems by Nâzım Hikmet, Omar Khayyam, Cymin Samawatie, Cymin Samawatie & Şevket Akıncı, and Yunus Emre
Produced by Cymin Samawatie & Şevket Akıncı
Recorded at Yıldız Technical University Studio December 2018
Recording engineer Arda Eden
Recording assistant Halil İmik
Mixed and Mastered by Barkın Engin at Bahçeşehir University
Track 10 Mixed by Arda Eden
Special Thanks to Kulturakademie Tarabya, Goethe Institut Istanbul, Kaveh Baghcheban, Ramin Sadighi, Selen Gülün, Dilek Mayatürk, Philip Geisler, Michaela Binder.
"A Shelter for Chaotic Times by Selen Gülün: Years"
Out on December 2, 2024
Selen Gülün's tenth album, Years, marks a return to the song form she has long yearned for—one in which she breathes effortlessly. Recorded live on September 2-3 at Halil İbrahim Işık’s studio, Keyboard Istanbul, Years features Alper Yılmaz on electric bass and Derin Bayhan on drums. The album presents both vocal and instrumental songs arranged in a trio format, characterized by sophisticated yet easily accessible melodic phrases and uncomplicated harmonies.
With Years, Gülün offers a simpler, more heartfelt touch—an intimate journey for those seeking a warm and sincere refuge from the chaotic issues of our time. Throughout the album, Gülün remains unafraid to create a direct connection to life itself, as she has in her earlier vocal albums, while exploring open, hopeful, and colorful soundscapes.
The album features three vocal and three instrumental tracks, with two songs enriched by the captivating interpretations of Ülkü Aybala Sunat and Deniz Taşar. In this boutique release, Derin Bayhan also took on the mixing process, while mastering was handled by Erim Arkman. The single covers come to life through illustrations by Sakura, a former student of Gülün’s from her time in Tokyo, perfectly capturing the spirit of each piece. The album cover photograph is by Zeynep Özkanca.
New single by Selen Gülün Trio
Out on November 6, 2024
Selen Gülün's latest single, set for release on November 6, explores the delicate balance between limitation and potential. This instrumental jazz tune, with its charmingly simple harmony, medium tempo, and modal structure, evokes a sense of optimism and curiosity, suggesting that new possibilities can emerge where we least expect them. Without words, its melody speaks to the playful and hopeful energy just beyond what we perceive as "impossible." "Impossible" is the first release from Gülün’s upcoming trio album, Years, set to debut in December by iKi Muzik. Imposible is composed by Selen Gülün like all the other tunes in the album.
A new song by Selen Gülün Trio
Out on October 18, 2024
Selen Gülün, piano
Alper Yılmaz, electric bass
Derin Bayhan, drums & mix
Music and lyrics by Selen Gülün
Recorded (live) by Halil İbrahim Işık at Keyboard Istanbul,
2-3 September 2024
Mastering, Erim Arkman
Art work, Sakura
Selen Gülün Trio features the talented Turkish vocalist
Ülkü Aybala Sunat on this song.
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New pocket seminar by Tolga Tüzün
In this music culture seminar, prepared and presented by academician and musician Tolga Tüzün, we will explore the political and social impacts of unusual sounds in music together. By questioning the boundaries between music and sound, we will examine the cultural meanings of extraordinary sounds each week through different themes and music examples.
From pop music to urban sounds and even the evolving soundscape through technology, we will learn how unusual sounds have become tools for rebellion, expression, and power. Considering that even silence can be part of music, we will view the sounds we encounter daily from a completely new perspective.
This seminar, which does not require any prior musical knowledge, is open to anyone interested in understanding how unconventional sounds impact our lives. We will listen to examples from different cultures, engage in discussions, and explore the political and social messages behind these sounds. Join us to experience sounds in a new way, and together, let's push the boundaries!
*The seminar will be held online in Turkish on Mondays, from 21.00 to 22.30, on the following dates: October 21, 28 and November 4, 11.
Klick HERE for participating!
Barış Dağhan
continuité
Out on April 2, 2024
Flute : Göksu Hazal Subaşı
Bass Clarinet : Yiğit Yüksel
Bassoon : Ada Banu Kara
Trombone : Altay Acar
Violin I : Buse Kademli
Violin II : Aylin İdil İrey
Viola : Barış Dere
Cello : Gül Sıvacı
All composed by Barış Dağhan
Recording Engineer : Sinan Sakızlı
Mixing, Mastering : Can Kuman
Recorded at Hayyam Studios, Istanbul.
Nobody Presents
Out on February 14, 2024
Ali Onur Olgun - saxophones, piano on ‘buggy choke’
Kerem Can Dündar - electric guitar
Mehmet Ali Şimayli - drums, percussion
Ege Şahin - electronics and field recording on ‘eye stone’
Recorded at Hayyam Studios by Ceylan Akçar, July 2023
Mixed and mastered by Can Kuman
Cover art and design by Ozan Aktuna
Gathered together for sharing the unease and making up proverbs which would go well together in the summer of twenty-twenty-three Istanbul. Aiming to spread it in the spectrum of flammable entertai*ment by making sounds and faces that make us feel like rockstars and functioning human beings for a second. These textures that might philosophically contradict with any kind of musical ideology or trigger some kind of tension in the body can also please some ordinary people such as Ali Onur Olgun on reeds, Kerem Can Dündar on electric guitar and pedals, and Mehmet Ali Şimayli on drums and objects; who take chances on shouting it out loud which makes what they say riskier in the eyes of old preachers.
2024 : New pocket seminar by
Selen Gülün
What Is This Thing Called Jazz?
Pianist, composer, educator Selen Gülün explains the history of jazz from the perspective of an active musician in the field, from the beginning to the present, in a four-week seminar designed as an entertaining, immersive and instructive journey.
The seminar will take place online from Zoom between at 9 PM local time in Turkey on Tuesdays, 9-16-23-30 January. Sessions will be recorded and the recordings can be watched by the participants for a week.
Please write to selengulun@ikimuzik.com for participating or more information.
*The seminar will be held in Turkish.
For watching excerpts from 2023's seminar on YouTube click on the poster!
New Single from Marcello Allulli & Selen Gulun
Una Serata Sbagliata
Una Serata Sbagliata is a composition of Italian composer and saxophonist Marcello Allulli. Longtime friendship of Allulli and Turkish composer, pianist and singer Selen Gülün led the musicians come together and record this lyrical ballad tune in a studio at Rome, 2017 at the end of their concert tour. Emphasize this multicultural collaboration Selen Gülün wrote an additional Turkish lyrics for the end of this beautiful song and sang during the recording.
Credits:
Releases September 22, 2023
Marcello Allulli, tenor sax
Selen Gülün, vocal, piano
Recorded Live at the studio Rome, Giuseppe Nuccia (Nuccia)
Turkish vocals recorded by Halil İbrahim Işık, Keyboard Istanbul
Mixed by Halil İbrahim Işık
Mastered by Erim Arkman
Cover photo by Zeynep Özkanca
GÜLÜN / ALLULLI / DE RAYMONDI
KAPI
Longtime friendship of Marcello Allulli, Emanuele de Raymondi, and Selen Gülün led the three musicians to come together and create this multicultural project.
As it took a few years to complete the album, the music in KAPI is the result of many layers of time, travels, places, and experiences. Through real teamwork, each of the compositions found their deeper soul. They recorded the album live in Istanbul in February 2015 at the Bilgi University Music studios.
KAPI, which means “door” in Turkish, was published by the Italian label EvArt – Arte ed Eventi in November 2016. Throughout the years, Trio opened the “door” for future interdisciplinary collaborations, shared the stage in Rome, Istanbul and Japan with many great musicians, and visual artists.
The digital version of the album is re-released by iKi Muzik on August 30, 2023
Listen at Spotify by clicking on the image
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New pocket seminar series
by Selen Gülün
The Golden Years Of Jazz: 50s
The 10-year period that started after the release of Miles Davis's 'Birth Of The Cool' album forms the modern language of jazz. Within 10 years, the most important movements of jazz music such as hard bop, free jazz, and modal jazz were originated by legendary musicians such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, and the most important albums of history were released one after another. As writer Steinberger puts it, “Jazz, as a serious and enduring form of art, is essentially a phenomenon of the American 50’s: to understand jazz is to understand the 50’s, and to understand the 50’s is to understand jazz.”
In this 4-week pocket seminar organized by Selen Gülün on behalf of iKi Muzik, we will get to know the currents, musicians and important albums of the period, and embark on an entertaining and instructive journey that is told in depth from the perspective of a jazz musician.
We will meet with Zoom between 20-27.06, 4-11.07, Tuesday, 21.00-22.30. Sessions will be recorded and the recordings can be watched by the participants for 48 hours.
*The seminar will be held in Turkish.
Anyone who wants to know jazz music can join.
Klick HERE for participating!
Traces of Women in Music
In this inspiring seminar designed by Selen Gülün, we will explore the leading role of women in the world of music, celebrate their creativity, courage and their impact on the universal language of music.
For 4 weeks, we will trace the unique musical journeys of female musicians in music history, while also discussing the impact of music on gender and discussing the challenges women face in the music industry. In the last seminar, we will listen to the impressive stories and experiences of our guest artists.
Let's explore together the impressive works and performances of influential female artists from jazz to classical music, popular music to world music.
The seminar will take place online from Zoom between at 9 PM local time in Turkey on Tuesdays, 16-23-30 May, 6 June. Sessions will be recorded and the recordings can be watched by the participants for 48 hours.
*The seminar will be held in Turkish.
Klick HERE for participating!
What Is This Thing Called Jazz?
Pianist, composer, educator Selen Gülün explains the history of jazz from the perspective of an active musician in the field, from the beginning to the present, in a four-week seminar designed as an entertaining, immersive and instructive journey.
The seminar will take place online from Zoom between at 9 PM local time in Turkey on Tuesdays, 4-11-18-25 April. Sessions will be recorded and the recordings can be watched by the participants for 48 hours.
*The seminar will be held in Turkish.
Serhan Erkol's new single Mediterrano
Out on December 16, 2022.
The first album of Selen Gülün's azure jazz orchestra
Blue Band meets the audience
OUT
November 18, 2022
click on the image to listen the whole album at bandcamp
Blue Band is an orchestra formed by Selen Gülün with the combination of 3 wind, 3 brass instruments and a standart piano trio as rhythm section. In Blue Band performances, you can come across traces of contemporary music, a standard jazz orchestra style with swings, sections with collective improvisations, sweet melodies, strong harmonies. Selen Gulun composes in care for each performer to reveal their characters in music. The use of instruments in different combinations, such as sextet, septet, octet and nonet in compositions, ensures that the performance takes place in a colorful atmosphere from beginning to end.
Composer and pianist Selen Gülün is an artist who has stood out from other contemporary musicians with her innovative and leading identity in all her music works and has made a place for herself in Turkish music history. Her works were performed in various parts of the world. With the awards she received, she lived and worked in Rome, New York, Boston, London and Tokyo, took the stage with great artists at important stages and festivals. Her music and life was covered and followed by the world's leading media mediums such as Downbeat, New York Times, Herald Tribune, and BBC Radio 3. Her trio album “Answers” peaked at number 6 on the Japanese Jazz charts, and her song album "Baska” peaked at number 4.
At Blue Band concerts, Gülün performs works that go beyond the Classical Jazz Orchestra format, composed by considering the harmony of written and improvised music. Selen Gülün conducts this magnificent orchestra, each of which consists of most valuable musicians of Turkish Jazz scene, and takes the stage together. Until now, Blue Band has given concerts at Borusan Music House, Bova and Zorlu PSM Touche in Istanbul.
Musicians:
Barış Doğukan Yazıcı, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Halil İbrahim Işık, Trumpet
Bulut Gülen, Trombone
Serhan Erkol, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax
Engin Recepoğulları, Tenor Sax
Barış Ertürk, Bariton Sax, Bass Clarinet
Selen Gülün, Piano
Ozan Musluoğlu, Contrabass
(*Alper Yılmaz, Electric Bass, #3)
Berke Özgümüş, Drums
Recorded live by Sinan Sakızlı and Ceylan Akçar at Hayyam Studios on May 14-15, 2022.
Mixed by Emre Malikler
Mastering by Jordi Vidal Franch
Album Art work, Özgür Rakıcıyan
Cover designed by Berk Çakmakçı.
Tolga Tüzün's new album Phoenix is out on Friday, Aug 13, 2021
Click on the image to listen the full album on Spotify.
Selen Gülün - TRE is out!
Contemporary Ensemble music recorded live at Berlin, 2011.
Click
to order on bandcamp in best audio quality.
Deniz Güngören 5tet's single
Kimseye Etmem Şikayet
Selen Gülün's single Daha Yavaş was released on December 18, 2020!
There are two tracks in this single. Daha Yavaş is a free improvisational solo piano piece, and Slower is an electro-acoustic re-work by Emre Malikler.
Deniz Güngören 5'tet single
Zülüf out on November 27, 2020!
