Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Ductape
Ductape is a Turkish Post-Punk duo formed by Çağla Güleray (vocals, synthesizer) and Furkan Güleray (guitar, bass, drum programming). Emerging in 2019, the band blends melancholic melodies with energetic beats and Turkish/English lyrics full of pathos creating a unique sound influenced by 80’s Post-Punk and Darkwave.
Renowned for their emotionally charged and energetic performances with distinctive vocal performances by Çağla and unique guitar sound of Furkan, Ductape quickly took their place among the genre’s most compelling contemporary acts. Since their debut, they have released three albums and two EPs, steadily building a passionate international following.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
Çağla: Listening to my favorite radio shows everyday after school until i go to bed.
Furkan: When I was in middle school, I was first introduced to the music my older sisters were listening to, and later I realized I needed to find my own path.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
Furkan: I was in high school, and honestly I didn’t have much going on in my social life other than listening to music. I initially wanted to play drums, but since having a drum kit at home was quite difficult, I turned to bass guitar, and now I play electric guitar.
Çağla: I was convinced by Furkan to start making music, and that’s how Ductape was formed.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Çağla and I have been together for a long time and we do almost everything together. We also share a lot of common ground when it comes to music, and at some point I started wondering what it would be like if we made music together. Years later, I managed to convince her, and that’s how Ductape came to be.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
Of course, it’s difficult to place yourself in a box or compare yourself to something specific, and who you’re explaining it to also changes how you approach it. But in a general sense, we could say Depeche Mode, The Cure but with a more altered, personal twist. Joy Division and Siouxsie and the Banshees as well, but more danceable.
Like an ‘80s darkness, but in a more contemporary version.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
Especially since I first heard post-punk and new wave guitar sounds, the idea that the guitar could be played in that way completely blew my mind. As an example, I could mention DNA and Sonic Youth.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
We like to record as much as possible using the instruments we have in hand. Alongside bass, electric, and acoustic guitars, we actively use 4–5 synthesizers in our recordings. For album production, we use Studio One as our DAW for both recording and mixing. For some of our pad sounds we like using the MPC Live. For the upcoming album Faded Flowers we used Fender Jaguar and Framus Guitars, Sire Marcus Miller Bass Guitar, Washburn Acoustic Guitar, Korg Monologue, Poly D synthesizers.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Lately, we’ve especially been enjoying the French post-punk band Je T’Aime.
Eddie Dark (GR), Aux Animaux (SWE), Strange Futures (UK), Isla Ola (DE), and Potochkine (FR) are some of the bands we’ve been listening to, watching, and enjoying recently.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
Our personal experiences are really inseparable from what we do. The environments we’ve lived in, the emotional states we’ve gone through, and even the tension of everyday life all naturally shape the music. We don’t approach songwriting as something separate from life, it’s more like a reflection of it.
Living in a place like Turkey, for example, brings a certain intensity and urgency that often finds its way into the sound. At the same time, being part of different scenes, touring, and experiencing different cultures has expanded how we think about atmosphere, emotion, and structure in music.
We also influence each other a lot as individuals. Since we create everything together, our personal histories and perspectives constantly overlap in the process. That mix of shared life and individual experience is what ultimately defines our artistic vision, it’s not something constructed on purpose, it just evolves naturally from who we are and what we go through.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
We’ve never really had a concern about delivering an explicit message, but it makes us happy to see that the attitude within our songs is understood. Even though we make dark music, we’re also trying to hold on to life while expressing what’s inside us outwardly, and it means a lot to see that people experience this together with us.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Realizing that there is no progress without working and putting in effort, I think. I used to have a very punk mindset about this, but over time I learned that basic elements like knowing notes and understanding your equipment are actually very valuable.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
M’era Luna is probably one of the biggest ones, but performing at Glastonbury and being part of it would also be unforgettable.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
We have collaborated with very special people so far. There is a name that we can not say at the moment that Çağla was dreaming about and it will most likely come true in the near future.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
All platforms can be reached here via our official website.
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
We will be releasing our fourth album, Faded Flowers, very soon. With this album, we of course want to travel to countries we haven’t been to before and reach more people with our music.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
Live shows are always something else! Very alive and emotional. If you have the chance, come join us in our shows, we are always around to have a chat before and after the sets.
If you want here you can add a representative Youtube video to insert below the interview 🙂
Ductape – Fine (Official Video)
Thank you for the lovely chat!
