Space Odyssey
last updated:
september 30, 2001
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Space Odyssey |
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2000 saw the release of the debut self-titled album from electronic artists Savvas Ysatis and former Magic De Spell frontman Elias Aslanoglou, otherwise known as Allou.
We recently caught up with Elias to find out more about the project.
Allou/Conception
I had been listening to
Savvas’ records for sometime. A while back now, Savvas came to
Athens. We met.
We hung out at first, as friends.
We talked. During our numerous discussions, the masterplan for Allou
was conceived.
Our aim was to release a Greek-produced electronic record for the world... for the entire planet, as is the norm in Japan, England...
Allou/V2 Records
Our album has been released
through V2 Records, which is a brand new record company here in
Greece. The label approached us with a view to increasing their
profile with our record.
Globally, V2 have artists who produce music ‘similar’ to ours such as Alex Gopher and Underworld, so they’re used to handling electronic artists.
Allou/Savvas
As a solo artist, Savvas has
released 18 instrumental albums through different labels including
Tresor, Caipirinha as well as Instinct, and made numerous appearances
on various compilations. That said Allou, is the first record
he’s produced with vocals. In fact, he loves how the Greek
language and vocals sound on this recording because of the different
soundscape and atmosphere.
For every track, Savvas prepared the base; some 50-70 percent of the track. I drew inspiration for both the vocals and lyrics after listening to each individual track. So we produced a record with his ‘style’ of music and my vocal/lyrical ‘style’.
Savvas has played Allou, to many people in the States including several American electronic producers, who are all in agreement that the record is ‘unique’.
Allou/Elias
Savvas is someone with a very
definite sense of what he’s out to accomplish and what the sound
of a record should be. He’s a real inspiration. It was great for
me to have to adapt to Savvas’ mentality at the beginning of the project.
I left Magic De Spell three years ago; rock is now in my past. Even though the rules of electronic music are very different from those adhered to by the rock establishment, I didn’t find the transition from rock to electronic at all difficult. Electronic is the new rock for me; the new underground.
There’s something very compellingly new about the project, especially from a singer’s point of view. The album’s sound can be described as deep tech-house with elements of ambient and dub. You can groove to it. You can do anything you want to it...
Allou/Time
The recording of Allou, took two
years. We chose to take things slowly. We had time to discuss things
mid-recording. At anytime. During any day of recording.
Allou/Second Album
We’re taking things as they
come, for the moment. We’re concentrating all our efforts on
this release.
Allou/Live
We’ll be taking Allou, on
the road during the next couple of months. Expect to see us mixing
tracks. Nothing will run with convention, that’s for sure.
Allou/Press Reception
Everyone presumed I’d come
back as a solo rock artist: as the next Vasilis Papaconstantinou. No
one was expecting me to re-emerge with a project such as Allou. Many
people were shocked, but pleasantly surprised.
Allou/Electronic Scene
There are many electronic
producers, but not many electronic groups per se. We hope that our
record will be the fuel that ignites the conception of a scene that
will grow and its members will then be able to bounce ideas off each
other. You don’t need a lot of money to produce electronic
music, all you need is creativity and imagination.
Allou/Europe
It will be distributed in Europe
through EFA and will be available from January 19.
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The full track listing for Allou, is as follows:
Oraia Mera |
2000-3 (c) Copyright - Olga Hadjilambri. All rights reserved.
