I stumbled upon Greek music band Daemonia Nymphe while searching for Dead Can Dance news. You can say that they are sister sounds and their cousin The Mystery Of The Bulgarian Voices are also making global waves with their new recording. So I got curious and listened to their two songs. It is great to have a reference point beforehand because it is easy to digest the music and appreciate the depth of their craftsmanship.
Daemonia Nymphe are comprise of Spyros Giasafakis and Evi Stergiou established around 1994. As you recall this was the start of many interesting music and various genres that were deemed ‘underground’ were at the time, regaining recognition. What drew me to the band is my fascination with ancient Greek music, which I also explored in the 90s. Stumbling upon them has a sort of nostalgic appeal.
Further research into their style tell me that their lyrics are drawn from Orphic and Homeric hymns and Sappho’s poems for Zeus and Hekate. In the music market they are categorized under neoclassical or neofolk for lack of better label. We have to remember that labels are important in the business or marketing sense-but never in the creative realm. The vocals are provided by Dessislava Stefanova leader of the London Bulgarian Choir (she sung in Hollywood films such as Troy, 10,000 BC and The Brothers Grimm).
West Germany has created a musical artist who deserves an important space in contemporary music. Patrick Braun (who goes with the moniker AKWUAR) has released a 7-track EP early this year. A music video for the single Millions of Same Faces is also out and you can check it out via YouTube.
The EP is a self-produced consisting of seven songs. According to Braun, the music video has been produced by friends in Lisbon. The full EP is available in vinyl and digital formats. Now what I like about this music is its quality of being simple and neat yet still manages to be rugged in a classic rock sense. It’s like listening to a Jazz album but only louder.
Braun has a good voice and I am curious what he will do with this instrument in years to come. I am also hooked to the guitar style especially in songs like Millions of Same Faces, Familie De Voyageurs and Superstar. Synths and drums shine in tracks like Do You Deserve my Mind and Garden.
Every song conjures colorful images. His music is predominantly visual even if you are not paying attention to the lyrics. I like this music and I am sure you will too!
If you are a listener hungry for new tunes then I think you better check this out. 66 independent artists recorded and contributed songs to help Ecuador after a catastrophic earthquake that took many victims.
Art is all about humanity. When I was in college we had a subject devoted to Humanities and it covered paintings, music and sculpture among many things. The subject taught me a lot about the beauty of the human soul and how artists in general are easy to react when catastrophe strikes. We are not invincible. You and I could be obliterated from this world when catastrophe strikes. That is why the musicians contributed their best works hoping you will buy the album to aid the victims of the catastrophe.
It took me days to absorb everything in the album because it has different genres and styles that will really appeal to many people. These songs are well-crafted and I think you will not regret getting the album ! Musical surprises await you.
Here’s the press release for the compilation:
Rock Back For Ecuador
Patetico Recordings
05 July 2015
Global Indie Artists Come Together for Ecuador Disaster Relief Series
Rock Back for Ecuador is a compilation released by U.S. indie label Patetico Recordings. The label has partnered with 66 independent artists and several small indie labels around the globe to make this happen. They have all come together in order to raise funds for victims of the recent catastrophic earthquakes in Ecuador. All money raised will go directly to the relief efforts. The compilation is available exclusively through bandcamp at https://pateticorecordings.bandcamp.com/album/rock-back-for-ecuador
The concept of the Rock Back compilation series was born in 2011 when disaster hit Japan and Tom Lugo, owner of Patetico Recordings, acted on his empathy for charitable causes and non-profit organizations by reaching out to the community of artists in his network. They collectively put together a compilation and the profits were donated to relief efforts. The response was overwhelming, with over 100 artists from across the globe joining in the efforts. What was to be a single CD compilation grew into the 8-disc compilation Rock Back for Japan. The compilation series hit the top 10 Indie Rock releases on Amazon.com’s chart for several weeks, with certain volumes holding the number 1 spot.
Rock Back For Nepal is a three volume compilation, was released by U.S. indie record label Patetico Recordings in 2015, featuring 60 indie artists from around the world that came together to contribute their music in an effort to raise funds for victims of the earthquake disaster in Nepal.
Global artist come together for one great cause… to help those who are in need.
ALL MONEY WILL BE DONATED TO THE ECUADOR RELIEF EFFORTS!
A magnitude-7.8 earthquake occurred in Ecuador Saturday April 16, 2016, it’s considered the worst disaster the country has faced in decades.
Once in a while an artist with a unique voice arrives in the scene. Suddenly, music is exciting once again! Where have all these great artists gone? I used to asked this question to my self as the 90s came to a close. They no longer make music like Cocteau Twins, or The Sundays. It’s all about ” the louder the better.”
Then enters Carisa Bianca Mellado. She possesses an ethereal voice and her melodies proved to be utterly beautiful. Her single is Human Things. This is taken from her album Kore. The single has an accompanying music video which is freaking awesome! If you’re a child of the 80s then you will be hooked to her style as she provides a sonic world that is expensive and artfully textured!
Here’s an excerpt from her press release:
Carisa Bianca Mellado’s latest record, Kore, follows the story of a Sirian Dolphin Princess who goes through the underworld journey of being born on Earth as a human girl. The album title, which means ‘girl’ or ‘maiden’ is also another name for the Greek Goddess Persephone and the album explores themes of birth, sex, death, desire, intoxication, the shadow self, love, rebirth and surrender through the mythic stories of Persephone, Inanna, Psyche and the cosmic creation myth of Eros.
Set to music that marries diverse influences, such as Cocteau Twins and Cyndi Lauper, Kore is at once catchy and challenging, presenting an atmosphere unique to the record yet instantly definable: a dreamy shoegaze pink goth pop space opera that seamlessly transcends into sultry swaying death jazz.
Carisa Bianca Mellado is an experimental singer, performer and composer of her own brand of shoegaze, post-punk, dream pop, black opera music. The descendent of legendary opera singers Antonio Tambourini, Giulia Tambourini, she began singing at the age of 3.
Originally from Melbourne, Australia, now based in Los Angeles, California, Carisa Bianca Mellado began performing at a very early age and began composing songs at the age of 12. She got her start singing and playing bass in a variety of punk and post-punk projects, most notably The Time of the Assassins who released the sprawling darkness of the Steve Albini-recorded Awake in Slumberland prior to disbanding in 2008.
Upon relocating to Los Angeles, Carisa collaborated with a wide range of musicians including members of The Centimeters, The Deadfly Ensemble, and Loto Ball, as well as focusing on recording and releasing her albums
and performing with her band, Seth Styles on guitar and Elle Haert on synth and backing vocals.
It is a manic Monday but in case you want to stop for a while and drink the atmosphere from a song that promises to get you ‘creatively drunk’ then check this track out. It is called Drinking Whiskey from Don Beekeeper. Don has been heavily concentrating on his poetry page as well as photography. He is also helping raise a baby so this year is a wonderful one for him. Don Beekeeper lives in Toronto and he has released a couple of EPs and albums.
In Drinking Whiskey, his voice sounds gentle. There is also this punctuated chord effect that serves as a drum on top of the tambourine. I like that because it sounds haunting.
Don Beekeeper never disappoints and listeners will always be surprised.I wish there is a vehicle for his music to reach the wider mainstream so that many will learn to appreciate his many gifts as an artist.
I look forward to more recordings from this fantastic Canadian singer/songwriter. And please help spread the word. Have a great Monday!
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