Mikhail - Xenofonia [CD]

Mikhail - Xenofonia

Czas na grecko - londyńską Bjork, ale w męskim wydaniu!

Mikhail Karikis to Grek z pochodzenia i londyńczyk z wyboru. Studiował architekturę na UCL (London'd Global University), sztuki wizualne i muzykę w Slade School. Jest więc nie tylko muzykiem - śpiewa, komponuje, ale tworzy swój własny mikrokosmos, gdy w swych projektach wykorzystuje też video, sztukę performansu, fotografię i malarstwo. Jest na tyle zdolnym i charakterystycznym artystą, że skojarzenia z Bjork nie powinny mu zaszkodzić. Gorąco polecamy tę piękną płytę.

The sound universe of Xenofonia has operatic dimensions and continues Mikhail's exploration of the musical fault-line between middle-eastern and western sound.

Commenting on his intentions behind the album, Mikhail explains that "until a century ago, all Greek music was folk music with irregular scales and no polyphony. Greece's lengthy enslavement meant that Western musical and cultural developments of the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras left the country virtually untouched. I wanted Xenofonia to be about finding a contemporary Greek voice which wakes up to the 'alien' sounds of European instruments; a voice which is at times angry, and split between the West and the East, the past and the present". Citing Rembetika, Xenakis and J. P. Rameau's dramatic works as inspirations, on this album Mikhail's vocals are coloured by his Anatolian heritage and meet electronica, avant-garde and baroque music.

Xenofonia combines choir, harpsichord, percussion, glitch and environmental recordings. Migrating bird-calls and human voices play a central role heard a cappella or accompanied. Singing often ventures beyond the limits of language. The formidable choral force of ex-miners Snowdown Colliery Male Voice Choir, the intimate voice of Matthias Grübel from German duo Phononoir, British vocal trio Juice Vocal Ensemble, and background vocals by Elaine Mitchener and Jade Pybus are heard in Mikhail's compositions alongside his wide vocal range of operatic falsetto, bass-baritone, raw shrieks and growls.

Following the first world-wide release of his music on a remix album by Björk in 2005, Greek-born and London-based Mikhail Karikis has been drawing an independent path as a performer, musician and a politically engaged visual artist. Coined by critics a 'sonic alchemist' (Le Monde), Mikhail released his debut album Orphica (2007), followed by his interdisciplinary Qwartz-award nominated Morphica (2009); he has exhibited at the 54th Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art and the Barbican, performed at Royal Opera House Covent Garden and Tate, collaborated with international visual artists and dance companies, and remixed for various labels including G. Prokofiev's Nonclassical. Working across different art forms, Mikhail searches for new modes of expression and his third album Xenofonia is no exception.

Tracklista:

01 Ghosts
02 Cerberus
03 Friend
04 Deserter (zeimbekiko)
05 Future
06 Soul
07 Sounds from beneath
08 Streptocock
09 Lullographer
10 Orpheas
11 Technoprayer
12 Fos