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Balothizer - Cretan Smash

  • by PH705831
  • 15 Oct, 2020

The power trio return with a sophomore album, out on November 13 2020

Balothizer are a power trio who describe their renditions of Greek island Crete’s traditional music as “post-Cretan”. Their following however has come up with a tagline that defines their concoction of thrash metal with acid-blotted Cretan folk… Cretan Music From Hell! A tagline that became the title of their debut album. With their fusion of Cretan music and poetry traditions with heavy bass lines and thunderous drumming, Balothizer are releasing their sophomore album, Cretan Smash. This is a whole new level of unabashed Cretan spirit: grittier arrangements of the Crete’s fiery traditional music performed with a raw, jackhammering intensity - all mixed by Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier. The result is something that sounds like a coupling of Psarantonis and a 1980s punk gathering in a grimy basement full of moshing weirdos.
 
Balothizer’s beginnings lie in London just as the metropolitan city was experiencing a “world music” and jazz renaissance with immigrant musicians embracing their own traditions from beyond the western European world. Simultaneously, the Greek rock scene was turning into a phenomenon across the European and especially Balkan stoner and metal underground - it’s no surprise that Balothizer’s Greek-language, folk-meets-metal came about.

Their first single 'Ponente & Levante' is out now. 

PRE-ORDER DIGITAL AND WHITE VINYL EDITION OF CRETAN SMASH
by Louvana Records 29 June 2022
Make your plans for Fengaros Festival's Tenth Anniversary
by Louvana Records 29 May 2022
28 - 30 July 2022
by Louvana Records 1 May 2022
Fengaros Music Village's series of music and theatre workshops will take place on 21 - 26 July 2022 in Kato Dyrs, Larnaca, Cyprus. Open to music enthusiasts and skilled professionals alike, participants will spend 30 hours at their workshop of choice, taught by artists experienced in the industry and experts in their field. Each evening free concerts and jam sessions are available to the public. Participants have met collaborators at the workshops and have since released music or performed in Cyprus and abroad after meeting at Fengaros Music Village.
by Louvana Records 9 March 2022

Once in a lifetime, you’ll experience a pandemic. Once in a blue moon, you’ll have a chance to escape to a secluded island. Once on a red Thursday, as the local saying in Cyprus goes, you’ll be in a situation with a group of complete strangers, fully immersed in the sparks of creation flying forth. On A Red Thursday (9 March) is the product of just such a gathering of musicians from a multitude of backgrounds, journeys, skills and preferences. Their first single, ‘ Until We Meet Again’ , performed by Eurotoire team members Panayi and Jolien marks the beginning of sharing their experiences of stepping outside their comfort zones with the world. Following this first offering is alternative RnB number ‘ So Lonely ’ (3 February) performed by Maris Pihlap. ‘ Figures ’ (25 February) is the final single before the album’s release and sees Raveloe and Tamara van Esch punk out in a commentary on obstacles womxn face.


DOUBLE LP,  DIGITAL ALBUM - found.ee/OnARedThursday


In a songwriting programme piloted by Cypriot label, Louvana Records called Eurotoire, songwriters, producers, and session musicians from ten countries were invited to gather in Cyprus to test their limits, trust strangers, and allow their artistry to merge. Their initial week-long meeting began on a Thursday in June at Studio eleven63 in the island’s capital of Nicosia and blossomed into fifteen demos. After another two writing and recording sessions in July and September, the tracks bloomed into the Eurotoire team members’ fully-fledged album. Now they’re using On A Red Thursday to spread the word about the power of surrendering to creative instinct and collaborating with the unknown. On 13 February, the Louvana Records YouTube channel premiered a short documentary created by all eighteen artists with a single camera shared between them. Clips shot by the artists were edited together by videographer Antonis Pouliasis to depict their journey from complete strangers to collaborators as they untie forces to create an album together.

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