St. Atom HRT605 - Smiling Autumn Leaves

Smiling Autumn Leaves: Unobtrusive Ambient that flirts with nature sounds and images, revoking familiar, tender (and sometimes repressed) feelings, and often points -and refers to- nostalgic visions.

A quite interesting, home-made production by St. Atom HRT605.

Smiling Autumn Leaves
For more information:
http://statomhrt605.bandcamp.com
http://www.myspace.com/ellanios68

Contemporary "Independent" greek scene: some samples....

The boy - Πυροβολισμός στο Πρόσωπο (Please Make me Dance)




The boy - Τσεκούρι (Κουστουμάκι)




Le Page - Bubble Bubble (Teddy Girls)




The Callas - Lipstick

Sounds In Restless Motion: The music of ANO KATO Records

Florina Brass Band

Lefteris Agouridakis (Diotima)

F. Floridis, M. Siganidis, K. Vomvolos (Wutu Wupatu)

Ano Kato Records was formed in 1984 in Thessaloniki. It is one of the oldest independent greek labels, definitely the most historical one in Northern Greece.

Due to the fact that Ano Kato has always supported in their first steps, artists derived from different music cultures, its repertoire displays great variety of sounds and idiosyncratic styles.

By starting of sublabel ρει records in early 90s, Ano Kato entered deeper the exploration of jazz, traditional, contemporary music and the space between, creating in parallel, innovative ideas, rediscoveries, international collaborations, experimental projects... the ground, briefly, on which the most interesting Ano Kato works finally were born.

Focused mostly on the ρει spirit, here it is our introduction to Ano Kato music:

ACID FREE purple ("Acid Free")
WUTU WUPATU doxombus ("Wutu Wupatu")
KOSTAS VOMVOLOS Romeo ("Girls' Bedroom")
P. KOWALD, FL. FLORIDIS, G. SOMMER aphorism 13 ("Aphorisms")
S. PAPADIMITRIOU & G. SYLLAIOU street theme ("The Song Of Lulu")
DIOTIMA eros ("Diotima")
OKAY TEMIZ MAGNETIC BAND kim o tomi ("In Finland 1995")
KOSTAS VOMVOLOS a strain of grass in her wedding dress ("Girls' Bedroom")
A PRIORI at a rubber sea ("A Priori")
GIANNIS MOURTZOPOULOS byzantine shuffle ("Dramamusic")
TRIO PRAXIS byzance ("Palmus")
MODE PLAGAL by the first light ("Mode Plagal")
FLORINA BRASS BAND minderia ("Florina Brass Band")
FLORIDIS, PETROVIC, NIKOLIC oh my life ("Syrtis Major")
WUTU WUPATU Chalkidiki ("Wutu Wupatu")

Ano Kato Music

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

Σ ι ω π ή - S i l e n c e

Η ηθοποιός και σκηνοθέτιδα Ρούλα Πατεράκη προτείνει εδώ, σε θαυμάσια δική της μετάφραση, μια εμπνευσμένη και άκρως υποβλητική ανάγνωση του ονομαστού αφηγήματος του 'Εδγαρ Άλλαν Πόε, "Σιωπή" ("Siope - A Fable"). Σε κίνηση παράλληλη πλάι της, οι Φλώρος Φλωρίδης και Γιάννης Μουρτζόπουλος αντιδρούν απέναντι στην ποιητική πρόζα του Πόε εξίσου ατμοσφαιρικά, με ήχους αφαιρετικούς και φαντασία ελεύθερη που φτάνει ως τον αυτοσχεδιασμό, χώρο άλλωστε μες τον οποίο με αρκετή δεξιοσύνη συνήθως δρουν.
Ανεπτυγμένη σε δύο εκδοχές (Σιωπή Ι & Σιωπή ΙΙ), η 28λεπτη αυτή μουσικοθεατρική σπουδή ηχογραφήθηκε γύρω στο 1990, ενώ δισκογραφικά εμφανίζεται στο άλμπουμ του Φλωρίδη "Το Βέλος Του Χρόνου" (Αno Kato Rec, 1995), αποτελώντας κεντρική και καθοριστική συνιστώσα του.
Πρόκειται για ένα από τα πιο αξιόλογα δείγματα σύγχρονης ελληνικής πρωτοποριακής δημιουργίας για την ουσιαστικότερη κατανόηση του οποίου παραθέτουμε επίσης και το πρωτότυπο κείμενο.


SIOPE [SILENCE] - A Fable (1837)

by Edgar Allan Poe


Ευδουσιν δ'ορεων κορυφαι τε και φαραγγες
Πρωνες τε και χαραδραι. ΑΛΚΜΑΝ, [7ος αιωνας π.Χ.]

The mountain pinnacles slumber; valleys, crags, caves are silent. ALCMAN

"LISTEN to me," said the Demon as he placed his hand upon my head. "The region of which I speak is a dreary region in Libya, by the borders of the river Zaire. And there is no quiet there, nor silence.

"The waters of the river have a saffron and sickly hue; and they flow not onwards to the sea, but palpitate forever and forever beneath the red eye of the sun with a tumultuous and convulsive motion. For many miles on either side of the river's oozy bed is a pale desert of gigantic water-lilies. They sigh one unto the other in that solitude, and stretch towards the heaven their long and ghastly necks, and nod to and fro their everlasting heads. And there is an indistinct murmur which cometh out from among them like the rushing of subterrene water. And they sigh one unto the other.

"But there is a boundary to their realm -- the boundary of the dark, horrible, lofty forest. There, like the waves about the Hebrides, the low underwood is agitated continually. But there is no wind throughout the heaven. And the tall primeval trees rock eternally hither and thither with a crashing and mighty sound. And from their high summits, one by one, drop everlasting dews. And at the roots strange poisonous flowers lie writhing in perturbed slumber. And overhead, with a rustling and loud noise, the gray clouds rush westwardly forever, until they roll, a cataract, over the fiery wall of the horizon. But there is no wind throughout the heaven. And by the shores of the river Zaire there is neither quiet nor silence.

"It was night, and the rain fell; and falling, it was rain, but, having fallen, it was blood. And I stood in the morass among the tall and the rain fell upon my head -- and the lilies sighed one unto the other in the solemnity of their desolation.

"And, all at once, the moon arose through the thin ghastly mist, and was crimson in color. And mine eyes fell upon a huge gray rock which stood by the shore of the river, and was lighted by the light of the moon. And the rock was gray, and ghastly, and tall, -- and the rock was gray. Upon its front were characters engraven in the stone; and I walked through the morass of water-lilies, until I came close unto the shore, that I might read the characters upon the stone. But I could not decypher them. And I was going back into the morass, when the moon shone with a fuller red, and I turned and looked again upon the rock, and upon the characters; -- and the characters were DESOLATION.

"And I looked upwards, and there stood a man upon the summit of the rock; and I hid myself among the water-lilies that I might discover the actions of the man. And the man was tall and stately in form, and was wrapped up from his shoulders to his feet in the toga of old Rome. And the outlines of his figure were indistinct -- but his features were the features of a deity; for the mantle of the night, and of the mist, and of the moon, and of the dew, had left uncovered the features of his face. And his brow was lofty with thought, and his eye wild with care; and, in the few furrows upon his cheek I read the fables of sorrow, and weariness, and disgust with mankind, and a longing after solitude.

"And the man sat upon the rock, and leaned his head upon his hand, and looked out upon the desolation. He looked down into the low unquiet shrubbery, and up into the tall primeval trees, and up higher at the rustling heaven, and into the crimson moon. And I lay close within shelter of the lilies, and observed the actions of the man. And the man trembled in the solitude; -- but the night waned, and he sat upon the rock.

"And the man turned his attention from the heaven, and looked out upon the dreary river Zaire, and upon the yellow ghastly waters, and upon the pale legions of the water-lilies. And the man listened to the sighs of the water-lilies, and to the murmur that came up from among them. And I lay close within my covert and observed the actions of the man. And the man trembled in the solitude; -- but the night waned and he sat upon the rock.

"Then I went down into the recesses of the morass, and waded afar in among the wilderness of the lilies, and called unto the hippopotami which dwelt among the fens in the recesses of the morass. And the hippopotami heard my call, and came, with the behemoth, unto the foot of the rock, and roared loudly and fearfully beneath the moon. And I lay close within my covert and observed the actions of the man. And the man trembled in the solitude; -- but the night waned and he sat upon the rock.

"Then I cursed the elements with the curse of tumult; and a frightful tempest gathered in the heaven where, before, there had been no wind. And the heaven became livid with the violence of the tempest -- and the rain beat upon the head of the man -- and the floods of the river came down -- and the river was tormented into foam -- and the water-lilies shrieked within their beds -- and the forest crumbled before the wind -- and the thunder rolled -- and the lightning fell -- and the rock rocked to its foundation. And I lay close within my covert and observed the actions of the man. And the man trembled in the solitude; -- but the night waned and he sat upon the rock.

"Then I grew angry and cursed, with the curse of silence, the river, and the lilies, and the wind, and the forest, and the heaven, and the thunder, and the sighs of the water-lilies. And they became accursed, and were still. And the moon ceased to totter up its pathway to heaven -- and the thunder died away -- and the lightning did not flash -- and the clouds hung motionless -- and the waters sunk to their level and remained -- and the trees ceased to rock -- and the water-lilies sighed no more -- and the murmur was heard no longer from among them, nor any shadow of sound throughout the vast illimitable desert. And I looked upon the characters of the rock, and they were changed; -- and the characters were SILENCE.

"And mine eyes fell upon the countenance of the man, and his countenance was wan with terror. And, hurriedly, he raised his head from his hand, and stood forth upon the rock and listened. But there was no voice throughout the vast illimitable desert, and the characters upon the rock were SILENCE. And the man shuddered, and turned his face away, and fled afar off, in haste, so that I beheld him no more."

Now there are fine tales in the volumes of the Magi -- in the iron-bound, melancholy volumes of the Magi. Therein, I say, are glorious histories of the Heaven, and of the Earth, and of the mighty sea -- and of the Genii that over-ruled the sea, and the earth, and the lofty heaven. There was much lore too in the sayings which were said by the Sybils; and holy, holy things were heard of old by the dim leaves that trembled around Dodona -- but, as Allah liveth, that fable which the Demon told me as he sat by my side in the shadow of the tomb, I hold to be the most wonderful of all! And as the Demon made an end of his story, he fell back within the cavity of the tomb and laughed. And I could not laugh with the Demon, and he cursed me because I could not laugh. And the lynx which dwelleth forever in the tomb, came out therefrom, and lay down at the feet of the Demon, and looked at him steadily in the face.

Silence I (taken from "The Arrow Of Time", Ano Kato Rec, 1995)
A study on E.A.Poe's short story "Silence -A Fable"

ROULA PATERAKI - translation, recitation
FLOROS FLORIDIS - clarinets
GIANNIS MOURTZOPOULOS - electronics

SILENCE I & II  (updated March 2013)

"Arrow Of Time"  (updated febr. 2014)

NIKOS MAMANGAKIS "Excursion" & "Intermission" (GRE, 1999)

This sixth part of MAMANGAKIS Music For Films, comprises the revised by the composer, complete version of music from "EXCURSION" [ΕΚΔΡΟΜΗ, 1966] and the original soundtrack of "INTERMISSION"[ΠΑΡΕΝΘΕΣΗ, 1968]. It released in 1999 from Mercury Records (Universal) with MAMANGAKIS himself in production supervising.

Composer Nikos Mamangakis

Both movies, made by great greek auteur TAKIS KANELLOPOULOS, are placed - along with his internationally acclaimed film "SKY" [ΟΥΡΑΝΟΣ, 1962] - among the best poetic/romantic creations of greek cinema.

Director Takis Kanellopulos (1933 - 1990)

EXCURSION + INTERMISSION

STELLA GADEDI "Gardens Of The Night"

Στέλλα Γαδέδη "Οι κήποι της νύχτας"

"Tα ποιήματα είναι αυτόνομα έργα και έχουν γραφτεί για να υπάρχουν χωρίς μουσική. Προσθέτοντας μουσική ο συνθέτης τα -οικειοποιείται-, τα φωτίζει με το δικό του τρόπο και φτιάχνει ένα νέο διαφορετικό έργο".

Φλαουτίστρια και συνθέτρια με κλασσική μουσική παιδεία η Στέλλα Γαδέδη στον τρίτο προσωπικό δίσκο της (ΣΕΙΡΙΟΣ, 1996) μελοποιεί με "Χατζηδακική" ευαισθησία (όντας μόνιμη συνεργάτης του Μ.Χ) δεκατρία έργα κορυφαίων νεοελλήνων ποιητών.

1 ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΙ ΤΟ ΦΘΙΝΟΠΩΡΟ (SONG IN AUTUMN)
Ποίηση Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης
2 ΛΥΠΗΣΟΥ... (HAVE PITY...)
Ποίηση Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης
3 ΕΝΑ ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΙ ΤΗΣ ΑΥΓΗΣ (SONG AT DOWN)
Ποίηση Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης
4 ΕΝΑ ΞΕΡΟ ΚΙΤΡΥΝΟ ΧΡΩΜΑ (A DRY, YELLOW COLOUR)
Ποίηση Γιώργος Χρονάς
5 ΤΟ ΧΑΜΟΓΕΛΟ (A SMILE)
Ποίηση Λάμπρος Πορφύρας
6 ΑΠΟΔΕΙΠΝΟ (EVENING SERVICE)
Ποίηση Γιώργος Χρονάς
7 ΜΕΛΑΓΧΟΛΙΑ (MELANCHOLY)
Ποίηση Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης
8 ΜΟΝΗ (ALONE)
Ποίηση Γιώργος Σεφέρης
9 ΓΡΑΜΜΑ (LETTER)
Ποίηση Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης
10 Τ' ΑΗΔΟΝΙ (THE NIGHTINGALE)
Ποίηση Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης
11 ΠΗΝΕΛΟΠΗ ΔΕΛΤΑ (PENELOPE DELTA)
Ποίηση Αφροδίτη Ραϊλα
12 ΒΑΛΣ (WALTZ)[instr]
13 ΤΑ ΛΥΠΗΜΕΝΑ ΔΕΙΛΙΝΑ (SAD EVENINGS)
14 ΣΑΒΒΑΤΟ ΒΡΑΔΥ (SATURDAY NIGHT)
Ποίηση Κώστας Καρυωτάκης
15 ΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΙ ΤΟ ΦΘΙΝΟΠΩΡΟ (SONG IN AUTUMN)[instr]

Λυπήσου...

Λυπήσου εκείνους που πονούν, βουβά κι ανώφελα για κάτι, και παίρνουν για να λησμονούν,
της ζωής κάποιο άθλιο μονοπάτι

Λυπήσου αυτούς που εχουν χαθεί, μες στην θλιμμένη ύπαρξή μας, κι έγιναν αίνιγμα βαθύ,
μια και δεν είναι μεταξύ μας....

Κι αυτόν, κι αυτόν που αναπολεί τα περασμένα του λυπήσου: μα όμως, ακόμα πιο πολύ,
τις ώρες της βαθιάς σιωπής σου,

λυπήσου αυτούς, που μια φορά, με φτερά ζούσαν, και τα χάνουν, και δεν τους μένει άλλη χαρά, παρά η χαρά πως θα πεθάνουν...



STELLA GADEDI - Have Pity... (poetry: Napoleon Lapathiotis)

Άνθρωπος ανήσυχος, ο Ναπολέων Λαπαθιώτης ( 1888-1944) κατά πολλούς προσπάθησε να ενσαρκώσει το Ουαϊλδικό πρότυπο. Το έργο του αποτελείται από μια έκδοση εν ζωή πενήντα περίπου ποιημάτων του καθώς και απο διασκορπισμένο υλικό σε εφημερίδες και περιοδικά.

In her third album, flutist and composer Stella Gadedi sets thirteen greek poems to music using conventional instruments and synthesizers. Orchestration is by Minas Alexiades. Gadedi's interpratations are influenced by composer Manos Hatzidakis.

Napoleon Lapathiotis (1888-1944) was one of the characteristic greek poets of the first quarter of the 20th century. His life was an extension of the decadent spirit of his poetry. He killed himself in 1944.

GARDENS OF THE NIGHT
(15 tracks, approx time 44min)

EN PLO: "En Plo" (GRE, 1989)

Can ghosts be alive?

En Plo was a group for which ghostly behavior was a (in my opinion partly inevitable, due mainly to their attitude, but also due to the epoch’s general mood) choice. In spite the good criticisms by the media, and in spite their work’s acceptance by the public, they didn’t bothered publishing more, or investing to live performances; instead, it is as if their general attitude was driven by (and targeting to) self-destruction.

They appeared in the late 80’s greek rock scene without wanting to achieve what they could (or better deserved) to have accomplice. Just one LP published in a 1000 copies ( plus one 7’’ single published with fanzine “Στις Σκιές του Β' 23” [In The Shadows of B’ 23] ) and some songs contained in Ntino’s Sadikis (En Plo vocals) personal LP “Μολυβένιες Ιστορίες” [Leaden Stories] were enough to make this group a point of reference for the greek rock scene.

Rock sounds combined with native folk music, at a time that these music was, in the perception of many (in this country and for reasons that it is not in my intention to explain now - an interesting matter that may be an other post - ), almost repulsive, is at least a daring action. All though En Plo didn’t ever achieve to have the effect that other groups in greek rock scene managed to have, they at least achieved to combine things that by many are perceived (at their time, but mostly now) as precious; urban myths in a freshly developed urban environment, the presence of electric sounds along with the echoes of old-fashioned folk tradition, poetical experiments and connection with the subculture and, finally, and above all, the ability to balance between these things in a harmoniums way.

Life in the spectrum of meta-punk, heavy influences of traditional folk music (rebetika), the use of native (greek) lyrics and a mood harmonizing with the general pessimist (or better claustrophobic) attitude of the 80’s are the elements that characterize their music; maybe typical up to a point yet (in their way) originally prototype, and, to many of us, almost magical.

Returning to my initial question, I would dare to respond in this way: sometimes ghosts, even rotting in their forgotten tombs, can definitely be alive.

Founding members of En Plo were Dinos Sadikis [vocals] and
Dimos Zamanos [guitars, vocals].

(Dimos has left this world deliberately some years ago).

Addiitonaly the group was joined by;

Kostas Kalogirou [drums]
Christos Politis [drums] (1985 - 1987)
Dimitris Kafousias [bass] (1985 - 1987)
Stratos Alimonos [keys] (1987)

Here are the photos from the LP:

Sail with En Plo (65,8 MB)

Additionally, extras contained in a 12' inch published by the group (three songs):


Get it here (18,2 Mb)

Listen also to "En Plo" in these instances:

4.21 in an FM Records compilation "Act Up - ... Εν Τούτω Νίκα"

And my favorite:

An adaptation of a greek folk song:

Antilaloun dyo fylakes

About En Plo check out also our previous post: En Plo Fragmenta III

DIOTIMA (ΔΙΟΤΙΜΑ) " S / T " (GRE, 1996)

This self titled debut album, released from Salonika`s ANO KATO records, in 1996. DIOTIMA was a greek acoustic, instrumental trio who played wooden winds and various percussions. Their sound was based on traditional greek folk & art folk, recalling a long past rooted at the ancient times. One can also detects influences from contemporary era, european composers, jazz modes, oriental, minimal, ambient forms. From moonlit Mediterranean coasts to the far east tranquility...the earth traveller chooses a slower pace, discreet, meditative, esoteric, ceremonial. Between self concentration and initiation into the importance of some details, the music...flows.

Costas Hanis: marimba, vibraphone, drums, xylophone, clay pots, toubeleki, bendir,tiny percussions, voice

Lefteris Agouridakis: santuri, vibraphone with bow, bendir, african drum, toubeleki

Costas Papapostolou: nei, flute, shepherd`s flute, pan pipes

LISTEN HERE (75mb)

THIS FLUID flud (GREECE, hitch-hyke rec,1997)

Tags like electronic, art, experimental, cinematic, avant, ambient pop, can not explain much in THIS FLUID occasion. FLUD`s texture is full of so many layers, ideas and visions of present(1997), future and past that it would take pages to speak for it properly. Its methods, technology and inclinations of blending and mixing various elements in a pop art level belong to the end of 20th century (present). Its main inspiration origins from dark/art side of 80`s and bands like Tuxedomoon, for example (past) . The result is a post everything ambience that seems to portray spaces and situations from a more and more complicated civilization, or to narrate scenarios happening near the vanishing edgeline between reality and illusion (future). 

THIS FLUID: Spyros Faros and Makis Faros (samples, programming, electronics, synths, keyboards, voices, singing, bass, guitars, etc) and also Anna Maratou (cello, vocals, etc).
Additional musicians played: ud, mandolin, djembe, bendir, shakers, ceramic percussion and vocals. 

FLUD

TOM KAZAS "Saint Or Fool" (AUS, Hitch-Hyke,1997)

TOM KAZAS, the Greek-Australian singer/guitarist of THE MOFFS, recorded and produced this album in Sydney with the help of Andrew Byrnes (drums,percussion), Ralph Marshall (bass on one song) and Mark Wilkinson (additional guitars). SAINT OR FOOL released from greek hitch-hyke records label at 1997 and it is one of the most beautiful late psych gems of the once amazing and powerful australian undergroung rock scene that had already started fading early 90`s and disappeared almost completely till the end of the decade. Anyway...this album gives you the chance to dive once more into the idiosycratic australian landscape. The starting basis is the magic spirit of 60`s, but Tom as a genuine psych-farmer carries also seeds, from both 70`s prog pop crops, and 80`s indie grounds. He transplants them into his own eastern-western soil. Saint or fool, the perfumed gardens he cultivates have an unforgetable fascination.

Saint Or Fool [reuped]

ΕΝ ΠΛΩ (EN PLO) fragmenta III, (1991)

Για τους εν πλω ένα απο τα πιο ιδιαίτερα ελληνικά undergroung rock σχήματα όλων των εποχών ...δεν χρειάζεται να πουμε εμείς πολλά.... Οι μη γνωρίζοντες, και οι λησμονούντες, ας ανατρέξουν στους σύνδεσμους που παραθέτουμε πιο κατω για ενδελεχέστερη ενημέρωση. Μετα απο ενα και μοναδικό, ομώνυμο LP (1989), χωρις προηγούμενο και επόμενο στην ντόπια σκηνη, και πριν ενδημήσουν στις κρύπτες του χρόνου, οι εν πλω κυκλοφόρησαν μέσω του fanzine "ΣΤΙΣ ΣΚΙΕΣ ΤΟΥ Β23" ενα 7ιντσο single που έμελε να αναχθεί σ`ενα απο τα πιο πολυπόθητα συλλεκτικά αντικείμενα των κατοπινών ετών. Οι εν πλω συνοψίζουν το ηλεκτρικό παρελθον, και την θρεμένη απ`το σπατάλημα νιότης  μυθολογία του άστεως, κάνοντας όμως και ένα αναπάντεχο βήμα πιο πέρα, όπου σμίγουν με την ποίηση, τη λαική κουλτούρα, το περιθώριο άλλων εποχών, τη φολκ παράδοση... Αυτό που κατά τη γνώμη μου δίνει στον ήχο τους ξεχωριστή ομορφιά και βαρύτητα καλλιτεχνική, είναι το ότι η συμπερίληψη των παραπάνω σε μια φόρμα ενιαίας εκφραστικότητας, δεν εμποδίζει τα στοιχεία που τη συνιστούν να διατηρούν εντός του συνόλου μια αυτόνομη εκπόρευση γοητευτική.

Το εξωφυλλο του τευχους του fanzine (φαν-ζειν) ΣΤΙΣ ΣΚΙΕΣ ΤΟΥ Β23 

http://www.ypokoultoura.gr/music/en_plw/in_rock-en_plw.html

http://www.ypokoultoura.gr/music/en_plw/en_plw.html

Very rare single, one of the most desirable seven inches of the greek underground. Released exclusively thru greek fanzine (see image above ).Riped from vinyl.

fragmenta... here (21mb)