Koncert UZ Dj-eve Koncert

Mert Topuz (Turkey)
Interviewed DJ & Vibe Istanbul Advisor
Mert has started his DJ carrier in the mid-nineties in the San Francisco, where he started to play hip hop in black clubs. With stops in Brazil and South America, Mert not only learnt from different and unique music cultures, but he also started to collect a wider range of music, from Brazil to Detroit, Jazz, Afro, Disco, Funk. For eight years then, Mert has lived and DJed in Germany’s south, Munich. Since 2006 Mert is based in Istanbul and has worked as booking manager as well as event manager for different spots in Istanbul (Kiki Club, Babylon Alacati, etc.). With his unique music knowledge, Mert is requested as booker, networker and as music consultant for films and series including Vibe Istanbul documentary. Mert has regularly DJ shows at Arkaoda, Bina, Soho House as well shows in Germay, in Berlin and Munich.

Shadi Karam (Syria)
Raised on a diverse musical diet since childhood, Shadi has been immersed in the world of sound from a tender age. At just 5 years old, he began learning piano, later picking up the Oud and Guitar. With an insatiable appetite for music across all genres, he listened voraciously around the clock. It was the raw, uncompromising sound of techno that truly captured Shadi’s imagination, however. His uncle’s prized vinyl collection from the 90s and early 2000s, brought back from overseas trips, opened his ears to the hypnotic pulse of the underground. The gritty textures and driving rhythms resonated deeply.
Today, as a promoter and DJ, Shadi is a standard bearer for the city’s non-commercial dance music scene. He has supported countless pioneers and purveyors of authentic techno, championing an ethos of creative freedom. With each thumping kick drum and searing synthesizer line, he aims to keep the spirit of the underground alive and thriving. Whether behind the decks or behind the scenes, Shadi’s mission remains the same – to share his unbridled passion for the most visceral, uncut forms of dance music. For him, “techno is more than just a sound, it’s a way of life”.

Maziyar Khavajiyan (Iran)
Musician, Vibe Istanbul Music Composer
Maziyar aka AmooMazz, is a versatile artist engaged in various creative pursuits including music production, composition, sound design, bass performance and songwriting. Originating from the Middle East, he followed his musical career while studying at the University Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and participated in notable events like the KL International Jazz Festival during his time in Asia. His reputation has been cultivated through extensive collaborations with a diverse array of independent artists in his native Iran, spanning genres such as Folk, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Fusion, and Electronic music.
Maziyar's prowess as a composer shines through in his contributions to a range of visual mediums, including sound installations, gaming, animation, advertising, and documentaries. Motivated by a deep-seated curiosity about Turkish history and contemporary Istanbul, as well as a fascination with the societal, cultural, and historical dimensions of electronic music and its modern-day impact, Maziyar immersed himself in the final stages of the "Vibe Istanbul Documentary" project. This experience sparked his venture into film composition. Rather than simply enhancing the narrative, Maziyar's compositions strive to encapsulate the essence of past eras and mainstream music styles that have influenced contemporary music and the vibrant atmosphere of Istanbul.