The term ‘taking you on a journey’ may often be overused and under-played when referring to DJ sets, however Elif is an exception to that rule. She may be small in stature but her sound is anything but that. A sorcerer behind the decks with an abundance of internationally celebrated releases on the likes of Stil vor Talent, Anjunadeep, Kindisch and Gardens of Babylon over the past few years, the Turkish, Barcelona-based, artist has managed to carve out her own unique sonic path since emerging onto the scene in 2019, and is rapidly making a name for herself as one of the most exciting, in-demand artists in electronic music today.

 

Born in the vibrant, cultural hub of Istanbul, Elif was on the fringes of music from an early age. Living as a digital nomad around the world, she became a successful music, travel & festival blogger with a real desire to add something more meaningful to the industry she was surrounded by; a desire which soon led her to transition from writer to the talented performing artist we see today. After returning to Istanbul before the start of the pandemic and a gentle nudge from several credible labels, Elif seized the opportunity to fully focus on the production side of her profile.

 

With an innate knack for conjuring raw, emotive floor-fillers, Elif’s productions leave enough space for the listener to explore between the key elements. Intricate arpeggiators and synths are woven into soundscapes and vocals, whilst firmly grounded by thumping kicks and driving bass lines. Her emotion and intention is perfectly translated in each track, pulling you between hypnotic drum patterns and dynamic percussion that combine to create tracks that are both thought-provoking and timeless.

 

Albert Einstein famously said “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity” and that's exactly what Elif saw once the pandemic had hit. She began live streaming her sets from her home and it wasn’t long before she was invited to host a weekly show for Blond:ish and her ‘Abracadabra’ brand, quickly gaining the attention of Damian Lazarus and many others.

 

As soon as international travel was possible and with parts of the world opening back up again, Elif travelled through South Africa, the US and Mexico whilst still fulfilling 30 of her ‘Moon Shuttle’ livestreams. Since then, she has continued to play on some the world’s biggest stages; from her native Turkey’s Echoes from Agartha in Cappadocia, monastic ruins in Stuttgart, Berlin’s Kater Blau, Sisyphos and Ritter Butzke, Garbicz and Monastery festivals, Amsterdam, Goa and New York for ‘The Gardens of Babylon’, Nick Warren’s ‘Soundgarden’, Audiofly’s ‘Flying Circus’, and both Lazarus’ ‘Get Lost’ party in Miami and his ‘Wild is Love’ at the #1 voted club in the world ‘Hi - Ibiza’

 

Elif’s consummate calmness in the booth is a stark contrast to the whipped up frenzy created on the other side, with her perfectly balanced sets delivering each and every time. Tough edits that nod to the familiar soon take you deep into the unknown as she creates a unique, almost one-to-one connection with her audience; as much of a storyteller as an artist and one that you can’t help but be drawn into.

 

Non-stop global bookings and a consistently busy release schedule with some unique collaborations are testament to Elif’s insurmountable work ethic. Perpetually pushing the envelop across all aspects of her career, she also continues to use her platform to raise awareness of important environmental issues, including being a supporter of organizations such as the ‘Bye Bye Plastic’ foundation – a movement to make the electronic music industry more sustainable. Her talents are clear for all to see and hear and her rapid rise to a position where she now sits amongst dance music’s elite is so rightly deserved. One of the industry's most exciting and capable artists, this is only just the start for Elif.