Biography

Düs Sokagi Sakinleri were an acoustic band formed in 1993 in Turkey by founding members Murat Yilmazyildirim (born May 9, 1964) and Murat Çelik (born March 4, 1965). Existing only through the '90s, the duo mostly appealed to a teenage audience. Their romantic music -- which was never designed for live performances -- decorated magical, mature, childish, dark, and sorrowful tunes with mainly symbolic lyrics. First named Düs Sokagi (Dream Street) by Yilmazyildirim and later changed to Düs Sokagi Sakinleri (which roughly translates as "the Dwellers of the Dream Street"), the band obviously composed many songs around the theme of dreams. Their debut album, Düs Sokagi, was released in 1993. Combining poetic lyrics with soft guitar tones, the dark sound of the debut album was instantly distinguishable among numerous other recordings of its era. Many catchy choruses and unexpectedly bright moments made it not only an important outing for the time, but also a standout for the band's own career. "Sevdan Bir Ates," "Hoscakal," "Al Beni Yar," "Düs Sokagi Sakinleri," and "Seni Tanimayan Yok Bu Sehirde" are still favorites among heartbroken music fans. It would be four years before the duo's second album, Yasadikca, was released. Yasadikca revealed a slight change in the group's chemistry, as the songs were darker, more difficult to approach for listeners, and lacking noticeable high points. Although it was obvious that the two songwriters were trying to improve their sound with more varied elements, using different instruments, string arrangements, and dreamlike vocal styles, the album was mostly unnoticed by the mainstream audience. Before the next installment in Düs Sokagi Sakinleri's history, the two heads of the band released their own solo albums, and were already showing signs of different musical ideas. Çelik was more interested in playing his guitar, while Yilmazyildirim wrote more of his dreamlike lyrics. Not as successful on their own as they had been as a band, the two released Üc (Three) in 1999. Kicking off with a renewed version of a former hit ("Sevdan Bir Ates"), the album nevertheless didn't produce a new hit, although the eight-minute-long album closer, "Veremem Sana Acimi," was a nice farewell to their fans. Üc turned out to be the end of Düs Sokagi Sakinleri. After announcing their split in 1999, Yilmazyildirim and Çelik continued their solo careers, touring and releasing albums and still playing Düs Sokagi Sakinleri songs during their live performances. Gaining recognition as a writer, Çelik authored a novel and collection of poems, both of which have been published. A Düs Sokagi Sakinleri best-of compilation entitled En Guzel Dusler was released in 2008. ~ Vefik Karaege, Rovi