Erdem Helvacioglu is one of the most renowned music composers of his generation in Turkey. His compositions have been referred to as “emotionally evocative soundscapes with remarkable beauty”, as “luscious and unique” and as being “completely arresting and disarmingly beautiful”.

He has received commissions from the music ensemble Bang on a Can-All Stars, TBA 21 The Morning Line, Borusan Center for Culture & Arts, Arter "Space for Art", The Association for the Art of the Harp, Novelum Contemporary Music Festival, International Istanbul Biennial (IKSV) and by MUCEM, Marseille.

His sound installations have been presented at museums and galleries such as the 10th International Istanbul Biennial, Los Angeles Track 16, Indonesia Soemardja and London Menier Gallery. His film music has been heard at the film festivals in Cannes, Sarajevo, Locarno, Seoul, Sao Paulo, Sydney and at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Erdem Helvacioglu has collaborated with artists such as Mick Karn, Jacob Young, Elliott Sharp, Kevin Moore, Luo Chao-yun, Robert Scott Thompson, Stuart Gerber, Craig Green, Bill Walker, Nathan Larson, Nina Persson, Todd Reynolds, Kinan Azmeh, Jeffrey Roden, Ros Bandt, Stefan Ostersjo, Per Boysen, Sirin Pancaroglu and Saadet Turkoz.

The Hollywood Reporter praised Erdem Helvacioglu's score for Melisa Önel's film Seaburners which had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival 2014 as “outstanding soundwork“.

His most recent film scores include the music for the Turkish-German-Serbian coprodution Snow and the Bear (directed by Selcen Ergun), which had its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival and received multiple awards at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival in October 2022.