Ural Turan @ Echoes: What lies beyond the enjoyment of music?

by Maya Kil

What lies beyond the enjoyment of music? When it is no longer something external but something one cannot help but create — the vital energy that keeps one afloat? Ural Turan shares what it is like to live for the sake of keeping the sound alive.

During the Echoes pop-up at Galleria Objets, Ural and Güya performed a one-time-only set inspired by the designs presented at the event. The performance was neither recorded nor repeated, its uniqueness giving it a rare and fleeting quality — a kind of memento mori, reminding that nothing lasts forever and that every moment must be seized and experienced fully. At the beginning of the set, the sound evolved from simplicity into rich, layered textures, gradually reaching deeper into the subconscious and touching the strings of the soul. The atmosphere became meditative, enveloping everyone present and leading to an effect that neither musician had anticipated.

In this article, Ural reflects on his life’s journey through music, speaks about the experience of performing for an audience, and revisits his Echoes performance — a moment that continues to resonate beyond the night itself.

It is not as if he started making music at some point — he always has, for as long as he can remember. Taking a guitar into his tiny hands at the age of five, Ural has never let go. It was a struggle from the very beginning, as no teacher believed in the abilities or determination of a student that young. Fortunately, Ural proved them wrong. As he grew older, people advised him to keep music as a side passion and find a “safe” job that would pay the bills. While that might have been the obvious choice for many, Ural’s instinct told him to remain true to his own path. He could not imagine doing anything else — even before he started playing the guitar.

While some seek external inspiration to guide them, Ural cannot recall a specific moment when the gift descended. Music lived within him and simply found its way out through the strings. To this day, it is the same inner pull that drives him to create, although the sound has certainly evolved. “I remember listening to Dire Straits and Rod Stewart records with my dad when I was a child,” he recalls. “It was such an emotional experience for me, even then, just listening to their music.” From that time onwards, Ural has always approached music through emotion. That feeling and sensitivity remains at the core of what he does, regardless of how his style changes.

Now, when he looks back at his early recordings, Ural hears the courage, excitement, and curiosity of his younger self. The memories instantly transport him to a boy experimenting freely and believing in his sound. From where he stands today, he can still sense that same pulse running through his work.

“Back then, I was not afraid of making mistakes — and that freedom is something I try to hold on to.”

For Ural, composing always begins with a feeling. Sometimes he hears a melody in his head, records it immediately on his phone, and later builds around it in the studio. At other times, a rhythm forms in his body, and the only way to release it is to play it on the drums. Regardless of the source, the process is instinctive — emotions turn into sound almost without thought. When music comes that naturally, it is difficult to put into words — almost like trying to define oneself. But Ural is not concerned with definitions. “People simply feel whatever they feel,” he says. The music he plays is for himself first, and whatever resonates, resonates.

For that reason, Ural has never followed trends or attempted to fit his creations within a particular genre, staying true to an organic sound. Every project he releases is something he genuinely stands behind. One of the few words that could describe it is “soulful.”

When performing for the public, Ural enters an altered state of perception — resembling a lava lamp newly plugged into electricity. Everything within him begins to shift, melt, and find its own rhythm. As eyes turn towards him and ears tune in, the outside world fades, and he locks into that inner current. It is a focused kind of surrender — he is fully present, yet also letting go. The sound guides him, the energy between musicians becomes its own language, and all that remains is to follow where it wishes to go.

Playing for people is entirely different from making music alone. It is emotionally stimulating, bringing an adrenaline rush followed by a sense of calm. Yet the sensation comes from excitement rather than nerves. After all, he plays to create music first, and only secondly for others to listen to it, as he believes that is the only way to remain real and authentic. The energy of the audience plays as vital a role in this process as the sound itself, and when both merge, it becomes an exchange — the most valuable outcome of a performance. It can be felt when people begin to close their eyes and move with the rhythm. “You can sense when the room is moving with you. It is a special kind of chemistry.”

Before a performance begins, Ural follows his own small rituals. He spends time generating energy with friends until about fifteen minutes before the show starts; the remaining moments belong entirely to himself — centring, breathing, and finding the zone. An important part of his preparation is setting up his own gear, which gives him peace of mind, knowing exactly how everything is connected and ensuring he is ready should anything go wrong. Sometimes, a single set can completely change how Ural perceives his own music. During a performance, he can feel how people respond to particular sounds or sections, which at times reveals new sides of his work that he had not noticed in the studio.

Playing at the opening of Echoes at Galleria Objets, Ural was given complete freedom of expression. There were no particular energies or concepts agreed upon with head curator, Feyza Berca. While preparing his material, Ural conducted his own research into the style of the designers featured at the pop-up, which guided him towards the right sound for the evening. When the performance began, he entered his own zone. With his in-ears on, the opening of the set was intense, leaving little room for visual or sonic connection with the audience.

“I was simply giving everything to the music. But whenever I glanced up and saw people dancing and enjoying it, that energy came right back to me.”

The atmosphere of the night surprised the musician. Ural had expected to play in the background of the event, with people walking around, chatting, and observing the designs. Instead, the crowd became deeply engaged with the performance. As the lights dimmed and the audience moved closer, the focus in the room shifted. That unplanned connection made the entire experience even more powerful.

Later, reflecting on the evening, Ural credited part of its success to being surrounded by like-minded creatives from different disciplines, all contributing to the charged atmosphere of the event.

“In traditional gigs, the line between performer and audience feels bigger — like transmitter and receiver. But at Echoes, that line blurred. There were so many creative energies in the space that it felt like a live collaboration, even though the fashion pieces were already complete.”

After the show, Ural received numerous messages and comments from both friends and strangers. Many asked about future performances and where they could hear the set. That response meant a great deal to him and made the night feel even more special. Among the highlights of the evening was performing alongside Güneş (Güya). Friends for many years, the two musicians had collaborated on smaller projects before, but Echoes marked the first time they performed something created together from scratch. The feeling of unity and joy summed up the spirit of the night for Ural.

For Ural, that evening at Echoes was more than a performance — it was a moment of shared creation that captured everything he stands for as an artist: honesty, presence, and connection through sound. Every note he played was both a release and a return, shaped by the energy flowing between himself and those who listened. What remains after each performance is not the echo of a song, but the memory of connection — a reminder that music lives through the energy it creates.