music of Cyprus
| Music of Greece: Topics | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|||||||||
| History (Timeline and Samples) | |||||||||
| Genres: | Classical music -Folk - Hip hop - Jazz - Rock | ||||||||
| Regional styles | |||||||||
| Aegean Islands - Arcadia - Argos - Athens - Crete - Cyclades - Dodecanese Islands - Epirus - Ionian Islands - Lesbos - Macedonia - Peloponnesos - Thessaloniki - Thessaly - Thrace - Cyprus | |||||||||
The music of Cyprus includes a variety of classical, folk and popular genres. Recent trends have seen the rise of Ayia Napa, a resort, as a home for club music, similar in its evolution to that of the island Ibiza.
Medieval music
Cyprus changed hands numerous times prior to the medieval era, and was an important outpost of Christianity and European civilization during the Crusades. The tumultuous history of Cyprus introduced a variety of styles, including France, Turkey, and Greece. The island's peak as a cultural capital of Europe occurred from 1359 to 1432. During that peak, Pierre I de Lusignan made a three year tour of Europe, bringing with him an entourage of musicians that so impressed Charles V in Rheims that he donated 80 francs in gold to them. On his return to Cyprus, Pierre I brought with him the French Ars Nova and, later, the Ars Subtilior. French musicians became well established in Cyprus, and the city of Nicosia became a capital of the Ars Subtilior style. Janus I de Lusignan saw Cypriot music evolve into its own variety of music. His daughter, Anna, brought a manuscript after her marriage to Louis, Count of Geneva, which contained 159 folios with over two hundred polyphonic compositions, both sacred and secular. The manuscript is now contained within the National Library of Turin.
Classical music
Notable composers include:
- Yannis Kyriakides 1969 Cyprus-The Netherlands
- Solon Michaelides, 1905-1979 Cyprus-Greece
- Michalis Chrysanthou
- Nicolas Economou
- Sotiris Karageorgis
- Evagoras Karageorgis
Traditional music
Folk music on Cyprus is similar to the folk music of Greece and music of Turkey, and includes dances like the sousta, syrtos, zeimbekikos, tatsia, and the kartsilamas suites. Note that unlike Turkey and Greece, there are suites of four kartsilamas dances, different for men and women, some of them at tempo different than 9/8. Traditional music is modal based on the makams. Both Turkish and Greek Cypriots use the violin as the main solo instrument, accompanied by laouto (form of lute) for Greek Cypriots and ud for Turkish Cypriots. Accordion, percussion and penny whistle (pithiavli) are also used. A less known artist of traditional music is Yiannis Delfinogamis (surname meaning "Dolphin Lover"), a champion in the tshiatista competition. He is unknown to the greater public but was very well known by a small circle of people who have seen him perform on occasions free of charge or free donation. His most famous songs are Ntou re ntou ael pantou and Oi pateres sas itan ael.
Famous composers
- Michalis Terlikkas
Rock and metal music
Metal music
First era
Basically, the history of Cyprus rock and metal music begins some years after the war of 1974, during the early 1980s. This period is known as the First Rock-Metal Era of Cyprus. One of the pioneers of the rock-metal scene in Cyprus is the band known as Armageddon in the mid 1980s with their traditional heavy-metal sound. The most long-running band until today, they have managed to be synonymous to the Cyprus metal scene throughout the years, with quality releases and a few visits abroad. Nowadays, they have moved more into the progressive side of metal. Another band that worths to be mentioned is Godblood. In the early 1990s, it first started the local Black Metal scene, acting firstly as a school-band, and later on continuing as the main band of the record label 'Trone Productions'. They have disbanded and only some can recall some shows they had in Cyprus with bands from the Greek scene like 'Rotting Christ' and an international festival in Israel in the late 1990s. Power metal was among the most popular genres on the island at that time with bands such as 'Diphtheria' and 'Arryan Path' leading the genre. There are also a couple of active thrash metal bands giving great live shows such as Regicide (supporting 'Epidemic') and Scotoma[1]. Eventually, the 1990s were a very active period for the scene in general. Some other bands worth mentioning are 'To Marazi Tis Fotoullas', 'Triple Jam', 'Tade', 'Aposynthesis', etc. Rock-metal bands of the 1990s entailed 'Reckless', 'Alarm Rock Club', 'Underground Rock club', 'Mythos', 'Cocoa', 'Savino', 'Kingstom', 'Woodstock', 'Streets-Underground', 'No Name', etc.
Second era
During the late 1990s, many metal nights were organised at places like 'Mandato' and 'Meteoro' as the last glow of the glorious 'First Rock-Metal Era of Cyprus', where between 1998 and 2000, the local rock-metal scene was almost dead. During those dead years, the only active person fighting for metal was a man named Paris 'the Manowar' (Prodigal Earth/Arryan Path) organizing the legendary Metal Nights At Meteoro. He also organised some metal nights at 'Agora', 'Aroma', 'Blue Velvet' and 'Transit', trying to keep the metal flame alive. In 2001, a man called 'Anexitilon' started organising rock-metal nights, and then gigs and festivals making the scene so active than never before. By 2007, he organized up a little over 70 events dealing with almost all active bands (around 67) and artists. From school-bands to high-level professionals, he tried to resurrect the rock-metal scene. By this time, the 'Second Rock-Metal Era of Cyprus' began.[2]
Another characteristic of the era is the organisation of the 'Underground Rockin' Markets', a series of experimental lifestyle street events. And this as a part of the cooperation of 'Anexitilon' and 'Throne' in order to recycle (from hand to hand) mainly second hand and collectible CDs, LPs, clothing, books and accessories. Another aim was to help bands and artists present and sell their own music works. Now in the 21st century, we can discuss the scene with credibility since most of the bands have an available medium of information in the internet which allowed the scene to communicate better. In a previous entry in Wikipedia about this subject one said that only a handful of bands basically compose the scene. They also stated a number of "popular rock bands" which nevertheless, seem to play only covers.
Active bands with releases all appeared in magazines and webzines around the globe are:
- Aryan Path,
- Arisah
- Arkhon
- Atrocious
- Armageddon
- Blynd
- Bludgeond
- Crestfallen
- Dictator
- Dream Funeral
- Dystopia
- Necrosadist
- Scotoma
- Winter's Verge
- Diptheria
More bands with material ready to be recorded and active live status are: Prodigal Earth, Fassaria, Bloodharvest, Inferno, Lacrima, Oblivion, Rust, Soul Steal, Sulphur, Terminal Disease.[3] In June of 2006, Rocka Rolla Cafe opened in the heart of Nicosia where metalheads from all the country gather to listen to their favorite music. Also worth mentioning, are the two distribution and music labels owned by scene members that exist on the island (Throne Records and Sérpéné Héli Music Collective). Even though the island of Cyprus may pose almost no significance at all for international bands, acts like the Scorpions, Sepultura, Deep Purple, Nightingale, Rage, Omen and Rotting Christ have visited the island for a numerous of live appearances.
Rock music
Some popular rock bands in Cyprus are Johnny & the Liars (Punk/Alternative), Maenads, Forty Plus, Triple Jam, Amnesia (Greek)and Krokes (Greek). And Cyprus' Metal Scene is basically consisted of: Armageddon, Arryan Path, Scotoma, Prodigal Earth, Blynd, Winters Verge, Rust, Fassaria, Dementor , Ethereal And Many other small bands
Reggae
Haji Mike is the leading reggae artist in Cyprus. Beginning his recording career in London in 1990, he was featured on Andy Kershaw and John Peel and appeared at Womad and Womex. In 1992-1993, his music took off in Cyprus and he repatriated and worked on Radio and TV doing music shows. He has released three solo LPs and formed Olive Tree Music in 2004 with Turkish Cypriot poet Zeki Ali. The pair teamed up with several local musicians and worked with US producer Stand Out Selector forming a group together called Poetz4Peace. Poetz played the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in USA and various events in Cyprus. Haji Mike also worked with Hmiskoubria, Izit, Simon Booth, Sugar and Harri Kakouli. More recently the first reggae sound system was set up by Roots Crew, who have established an authentic heavyweight reggae sound system. The Roots Crew play at their own events and in venues that support reggae music. Haji Mike appears with them live when available.
Also, a duo named Intibah is experimenting with the psychedelic side of reggae by using unusual instruments such as theremins, dijiritu, birimau, Greek lyre, mcing and also the classic guitar, bass and percussion. The Intibah duo has released a single album by their own expenses giving to people for free.
Hardcore/Screamo
Recently in Cyprus there has been an outbreak of emo and hardcore music. This scene has begun to grow and a few bands have formed to try and generate more buzz, the most successful being Low On Saturn and Scarletsnowprelude who are expected to release their EP during the next few months.
Hip-Hop
The first attempt at
One of the members of 'Locked Indoors', Yiannis Wu, released two solo albums as Mastermind, Τελευταίες Μέρες (or "Last Days") in 1997 and Απαγορευμένες Γνώσεις (or "Forbidden Knowledge") in 1999. Both of them were released by All Records. He also released an independent LP, Αόρατος Πόλεμος (Invisible War) in 2004. On these albums, Wu raps in standard Greek not in the Cypriot dialect. Invisible War marked a big change in Wu's work content-wise with heavy apocalyptic messages about religion, the world and doomsday. By the beginning of the new millennium, many new DJs and producers appeared and tried to make hip-hop well known in Cyprus. Among them were DJ Magos (HCH), DJ Fingaz, DJ Ponokefalos, DJ Net and DJ PhatCat. The most well respected Cypriot hip-hop producers are: Geo Beats (D.R.I.G.), X-Method, Sniper (So Solid Crew), Magos (HCH), Ponokefalos, Ice (FTW) and Mazout (IUT/AII).
Lyrical Eye is one of the few fully Cypriot MCs that actually raps fluently in the English language. The artist began performing live before the year 2000 with Big group at the time Universal Soldiers at venues such as Sabia and Spartacus club. The rapper has performed in over 50 different venues across Cyprus and has taken his live performances around Europe. He has performed live at the biggest hip-hop festival in Europe called the HipHop Kemp during the summer of 2006 in the Czech Republic.
Lyrical Eye has also managed to reach the finals in one of the biggest songwriting competitions worldwide (ISC). The artist is currently working with big labels and completing the long anticipated solo album which will be released in June 2007 which features some of the best producers in Europe such as Anno Domini, OP, TK, Kane and many other big names
HCH (Hardcore Heads) were a crew of breakers, writers and MCs. Some of the members formed a hip-hop group, also called HCH, in 2001, and they circulated their first EP (Totally DiY) in 2003. The lyrics alternate between Standard Greek and the Cypriot dialect, and are critical of capitalism, the military and the music industry (hence their name HardCoreHeads). The MCs are Charos, ON, k Gamma, Pico, Zak and Magos. Magos is also the DJ/producer. Unfortunately, HCH did not continue as they were respected far and wide as the first underground hip-hop group to do things for themselves and by themselves.
Ponokefalos (Headache), another member of Vaomeni Esso, took up the microphone again in 2002. He also produces beats, and DJs in Nicosia and Limassol. Recently he has released songs on the internet with Kinisiotherapeftis (Kinesiotherapist) in the Cypriot dialect. He also made a mix-CD as a DJ which was sold at events where he played. Among the oldest crews in Nicosia are IUT (Invisible Underground Threat) (nowadays known as AII), [www.myspace.com/cyftw FTW] (Fuck the World) and CyMafia who have existed since 2000. They have released many songs on the internet, also circulated hand-to-hand by underground tapes and CDs. All the three bands/crews together with Lyrical Eye performed live for their first time at Exis Club in Larnaca in 2001 which was the first well-organised live event that had occurred in Cyprus (by that time) by Cypriot MCs.
MB59 (Musdy and Bulmy) are two Turkish Cypriot youths who wrote the first song in the Turkish Cypriot dialect, Genclik Ateshi (Youth Fire) which was released by Olive Tree Music on 'The Cyprus Thing Vol 1' compilation. MB59, Sofoz, and Haji Mike also made the first song in Greek, Turkish and English, called 'WorldWIde Ting'. SOFOZ MC is a new breed of MC in Cyprus with heavy philosophies and at times a fast lyrical flow. From Larnaca, Sofoz has not released solo work but has been featured on numerous projects via Olive Tree Music, a non-profit music label formed by Haji Mike and Zeki Ali. He represented Cypriot hip hop in Europe and he had various collaborations with other European and not only rappers. His first album is expected this coming year (2007) and he is open for new collaborations and invitations for concerts. You can find his songs at [].
POTS (Part of the Soul), made up of Fuck-it (also known as Funkit) and Archangelos are a new underground hip hop groups that have released songs on the internet and organised their own gigs. POTS are ruff in style in their own unique way and take their hip-hop seriously. Funkit also has one of the gruffest voices to ever grace the microphone from Cyprus. MC X-Force is a young Turkish Cypriot MC who began more as a junglist and drum and bass MC. Featured alongside Sofoz, Funkit, Bulmy, St3phani3, maxiMOOM, Haji Mike and Zeki Ali on the SOS produced tune 'Music Is Joy'. X-Force has now turned more to hip hop beats. DNA (Δημιουργοί Νέας Αντίληψης or "Creators of New Perception") is a group that released a CD in 2006 through their own discography label, AK SOUNDplan, although they have had songs on the internet for a few years. Two of the MCs of the group, Megahz and Decayer, are in charge of hiphop.com.cy. They have played live in many shows and also at Hip Hop Kemp (Czech Republic) in both 2005 and 2006 (together with Cypriot MC Lyrical Eye, who raps in English). Sniper is the most successful artist in the hip-hop genre to date started out at a very young age as a DJ in Ayia Napa. Sniper soon found himself in the chart topping SoSolidCrew. As an MC and Producer Sniper has achieved more than most musicians from Cyprus over the last 20 years. Currently based Greece, running a studio and label with links to Jay-Z in the USA. Sniper is building a legacy in Cyprus and putting the island on the map of music world wide.
D.R.I.G is an upcoming crew that consists of local and foreign rappers and producers that have been formed in 2002 in a music hot spot Ayia Napa (Cyprus). They specialized in the hip-hop genre and are currently recording an album of both english and greek tracks. The album is called 'KALI FASI'. The album provides a smash single 'OLOI PAME' which is also recorded as a music video clip. Till now the crew's tracks can be heard on the 'Rise of Cyprus Hip Hop' mixtape, but this is temporerally, soon their album is going to be in release all over Cyprus and Greece. The main members of the crew are Drew, R.A.C., Icy Ice and Geo Beats. Added to that are also ScaR, M.S.E., Jacek, 12inch, Dj MG and many more. The D.R.I.G have worked and collaborated with alot of hip-hop artists like, Tang Ram, So Solid crew, Thitis, Zetel, Neutrino (So Solid Crew), Lyrical Eye, Wu, Mario Mental, Sniper, Des and many others. D.R.I.G have been heard through radio stations and night clubs (Black and White, Ice Ku...) in Cyprus. They are now based in Greece and are collaborating with local artists eg 'Sniper'. The D.R.I.G are coming through with a lot of material and bring a new sensation to rise the scene of hip-hop in Cyprus, Greece and brake internationally. They are forming a movement on different cultutres and styles. Keep your eyes and ears open for the new sensation D.R.I.G. (Ta Paidia Tis Geitonias).
Drum and bass
Probably the newest genre of music to enter the Cyprus music scene. Founded in 2006, frustrated by the lack of variety currently on the island, Newformz (UK), Phat Phinxxx (CY) and Seven7 (AU), joined together in order to provide locals with an alternative form of music previously unheard of in Cyprus. Currently all 3 DJ's are based in Limassol and are running a regular night. Future plans include performing in other towns.
External links
| Music of Southeastern Europe |
|---|
|
Albania - Bosnia and
Herzegovina - Bulgaria - Croatia -
Cyprus - Greece |
| Middle Eastern music |
|---|
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
