ένα αριστούργημα. το ντεμπούτο άλμπουμ του μιχαήλ καρίκη [κυκλοφορεί σε αγγλία και αμερική σε λίγες μέρες] ξεκινάει με τη συμμετοχή του στο προπέρσινο δίσκο της bjork [untitled in cof minor, η δικιά του απόδοση στο αγνώριστο army of me]-στη συλλογή για τη unicef, και εξελίσσεται σε ένα από τα σημαντικότερα έργα που έχει δημιουργήσει έλληνας μουσικός τα τελευταία χρόνια. το orphica φλερτάρει με την παράδοση και το μπαρόκ, τη μουσική του χατζιδάκι και τους αρχαίους ύμνους με έναν τρόπο που δεν γίνεται καθόλου "παρελθόν", ένα άλμπουμ 'δύσκολο', αλλά απ' αυτά που αισθάνεσαι την ανάγκη να επιστρέψεις ξανά και ξανά για να το αποκρυπτογραφήσεις, να εντοπίσεις τους φυσικούς ήχους που χρησιμοποιεί σαν υπόβαθρο στα κομμάτια του [ήχοι από έντομα στην κέρκυρα, φτερουγίσματα νυχτερίδων σε μια σπηλιά του ολύμπου, σπασίματα πιάτων], έργο τέχνης. θυμίζει σε επίπεδο τις δουλειές της bjork...
"orphica takes the listener on a thrilling sonic adventure. twelve songs map a journey through epic encounters, intimate confessions and emotional confrontations in an exuberant melding of pop, electronica, greek folk and avant-garde music.
drawing inspiration from the mythical singer orpheus whose music had miraculous powers, orphica's sonic universe is high-tech and baroque, raw and delicate at once. its combinations of sounds are unique. beats made from thrashing knives, smashing΄plates and electronics slice through the sounds of harps and harpsichords, while choirs chant alongside distorted static, creaking insects and flying bats. in the midst of this, mikhail's voice reaches out for its limits with the determination of a futurist.
orphica presents the results of a bold musical experiment by an artist whose vision aims to channel the raw energy and lyricism of folk song while pursuing musical innovation".
πριν από δύο χρόνια είχα την τύχη να μιλήσω μαζί του για το tranzistor, μόλις είχε κυκλοφορήσει το άλμπουμ της bjork με το κομμάτι του, εδώ είναι μερικά αποσπάσματα:
"Back in January Bjork had the idea to create a charity album to support the Tsunami victims. She also had the generous idea to use this as an opportunity to promote young musicians. So, she initiated a competition. One Little Indian (her music label) advertised the competition in many music websites. I literally saw it the day before the deadline and submitted a song. All entries had to be in some way related to her 1995 single “Army of Me”. I had no time to create a new song from scratch, so I worked on some new vocals for an existing composition of mine. Bjork is an open-minded artist and although my song was very different from her original single, she selected it along with 19 other songs from hundreds and hundreds of entries. I felt very happy that an international artist I really respect appreciates my music. She released it in an album called “Army of Me” which came out on 2nd May.
I grew up in a very ‘musical’ environment – right in the middle of the noisy, buzzing port town of Thessaloniki. There were many immigrants from all over the Balkans who brought their beautiful costumes and music with them. I was very privileged to see and hear them perform in the streets during ‘panigyria’. Then, I moved to another great city: London. Cities are amongst the most interesting sonic environments. They have their own rhythms, acoustics and characteristic sounds.
I think that being born in Greece is like waking up suddenly with an ancient sculpted head on our laps made of the finest marble; it is a beautiful, precious head made with devotion and artistry, which contains all the wisdom of our ancestors. But it’s also unbearably heavy and we don’t know where to put it. We don’t know how to answer to this ‘head’ when it asks us: ‘What are you doing now with the knowledge we gave to you?’ What I mean to say is that I am very interested in musical innovation but also recognise that there is a great cultural past which I cannot ignore. All the musicians I respect have created works of incredible ingenuity, beauty and invention by engaging with contemporary concerns as well as with tradition.
I find inspiration in everything, from insect copulation rituals to galaxies. I’ve recently been interested in interference caused by mobile telephones. When you listen to electromagnetic crackles on your own speakers, you know that somewhere, someone is reaching someone else on the phone, but all you hear is strange groovy beats. Their telephone interaction creates music, it is a kind of electroacoustic performance which happens spontaneously and unpredictably".
dance
mhulot@dyodeka.gr
