Erdinc Akbulut returns with new EP, ‘Hena’

Erdinc Akbulut has returned with a new music project, a four-track EP entitled "Hena" after a two-year hiatus.

Released by the Germany-based music label Schallmauer Records, founded by Eddy Tango, the EP features the original mix as well as three remixes by Eddy Tango, Sundrej Zohar and Alex Swank.

Erdinc Akbulut began his career in 2001-2002 at Club Uniq in Istanbul, performing as both a resident and guest DJ at top clubs in the city until 2009. During this period, he was part of the Radio FG DJ roster from 2003 to 2009. He also studied Sound Engineering at the Galatasaray ITM Music Academy and graduated with two specialisations from the City and Guilds of London Institute. In 2009, he joined Red Bull Turkey as an event coordinator and performed at various events nationwide. In 2015, he left Red Bull to return to club performances and was featured on the "Summer Work Hits 2017" album with his track "Be Free".

In the same year, he became the music director and DJ at Karma Restaurant & Night Club in Antalya/Side. In 2019, he released "Nightfall" with Ail Arsan on Deep Strips, followed by his second single "So Good" on MissDeepShine in 2021. Another notable project was his solo track "I'm In Love", which was included in Steyoyoke's "Ethereal Techno #012" compilation in 2022.

During the 2020 and 2021 summer seasons, he was the resident DJ at Hillside Fethiye and Uniq Life Style Hotel, continuing into the winter season at Ginza and Xroom. By the summer of 2022, he resumed his role as music director and resident DJ at Karma Restaurant & Night Club.

Currently, Akbulut continues his career in Tanzania, performing at various events and parties in Zanzibar throughout 2023 and currently residing in Dar es Salaam, where he continues to perform.

Speaking to Mixmag MENA about his new project, Akbulut said, "'Hena' is actually made up of the initials of my family (my wife, daughter and myself). The process began with this concept. I sketched the general outline in a week, but deciding between three different melodies was challenging. Ultimately, my daughter made the final decision, and we proceeded with her chosen melody. We are all very happy with the result. The mix and mastering were done by Dogus Cihan, just like my previous track. My record label loved it, and we decided to release it with three different remixes."

"I have been living in Africa for the last two years, and the integration of music into the culture here is profound and inspiring. It will definitely influence my future projects. I am considering a project that reflects Tanzanian culture, possibly a collaboration with a local artist."

Erdinc Akbulut's new project "Hena" presents an impressive synthesis of melodic techno and progressive styles, both in its original mix and the remixes.

Listen below.