Short bio:

Born and raised in Turkey, Elif Yalvaç creates music using an array of instruments including guitar, synthesizers, and Game Boy. Her works embrace opposites: microsound glitches and slow builds; celestial beauty and abrasive energy. Her music has received international acclaim including reviews in the Guardian and the Wire Magazine, alongside international invitations especially to Iceland and Norway. She holds an MA degree in Sonic Arts from Istanbul Technical University and delivers workshops on her thesis project: how to create music with chip music instruments. Alongside her solo projects, she collaborates with others extensively, including her experimental rock project Diaries of Destruction and her most recent solo album Green Drift with Expert Sleepers. Endorsed by Arts Council England, Elif is based in the UK with a Global Talent Visa. She currently performs regularly and works on her music releases and teaches electronic and produced music at GSMD, while delivering workshops on her music research around the UK.

Long bio:
Born and raised in Turkey, Elif (née Hazal Elif Yalvaç) grew up surrounded by a wide range of music. At an early age, she was fascinated as much by sound as by music, and she picked up the guitar.

Following her BA degree in Translation and Interpreting from Istanbul University, Elif earned her masters in Sonic Arts from Istanbul Technical University (MIAM). She has presented compositions and performed in Turkey and across Europe, most notably at Secret Garden Party (UK) in 2016, as well as throughout Nordic countries, particularly in Iceland. Her debut EP CloudScapes was self-released in July 2016, and her debut LP, L’appel du Vide, was released by UK label Curated Doom in November 2018. Her album Mountains Become Stepping Stones was released by the USA-based label NNA Tapes on December 4, 2020. The album received international acclaim, including reviews on the Guardian, The Wire, and Electronic Sound Magazine UK. Her latest album Green Drift was released on September 23, 2022 with Expert Sleepers, a modular synth company and label.

Alongside her solo projects, she has collaborated with others particularly including Darkroom, and Moving Furniture Records. She leads her experimental rock project Diaries of Destruction with Michael Bearpark and Arber, guesting Bryan Beller.

Elif’s compositions embrace opposites: microsound glitches and slow builds; celestial beauty and abrasive energy. Her songs are created using a vast array of instruments, including guitar, synthesizers, and Game Boy, as well as her own software sound design tools and field recordings. Inspired by computer game audio, Elif extensively studied chip music as part of her master’s thesis, entitled “Creating Music ‘Inside The Box’: Do Chiptune’s Limitations Have Aesthetic and Creative Value?”.

Endorsed by Arts Council England, Elif Yalvaç is based in the UK with a Global Talent Visa. She currently performs regularly and works on her music releases and teaches electronic and produced music at GSMD, while delivering workshops on her music research around the UK.