Aonian the sacred moniker of Alkis Livathinos is one of the best-kept secrets in the downtempo/electronica scene, sweeping lightly off the Mediterranean, currently based in London. It is time for the world to familiarize with his passionate stream of sonic consciousness, and the clear form and warmth of eclectic tempos that he unfolds with effortlessness. The predominant sound from Aonian’s Ascent, the first single of the full upcoming self-titled debut album, expresses a welcoming through the floaty atmospherics and remains celebratory in terms of traditional and ethnic musical culture identities carved in the backbone of its sound sincerity.
It is this spirit of affirmation and togetherness when music transcends esotericism and reveals the DNA of a world audience. In these terms, we pick up the pace and our spirit dances. Aonian travels us across the Greek mountain tops and through the bluest shorelines with references from folk elements that are of unique cultural identity, ever more refreshing to the soul. There are no preconceptions in Ascent, just a flow of balance from Livathinos and his attempts to re-mould any futuristic instrumental experimentation.
In his words: “Ascent was inspired by conversations I had with friend, storyteller, and ethnomusicologist Anastasis Sarakatsanos (@nomadmusicamsterdam) back in the summer of 2017, conversations surrounding cultural narrative and identity, especially in times of massive migrations, and how this all kept fuelling folklore stories and traditional music, as well as modern art, in Balkan and Mediterranean cultures. His performance on the Qanun instrument is featured throughout the track and made me overcome my initial doubts in including soundscapes from my motherland in my productions. It’s the first track of my debut album, and the entrance to my Aonian world.“
Livathinos has already established a well-trusted reputation in composition across media and brands (Hue soundtrack – gaming music, Louis Vuitton and Glossier) and his 5-year project in the making Aonian delivers a refreshing bittersweet serenity stabilizing the mood swings in dreamy beats.
I could imagine tracks off the debut album (yes we had a glimpse) laying ground on a next Kruder & Dorfmeister compilation box set or Why not? Everything feels musically calibrated from the roots up. The presence, the essence, the lightness, the wordless voices in Ascent. All eyes on Alkis and his vision incorporating two worlds of a music collective. One from the heart, and one from historical reality. Let’s see how traction picks up from fellow Dj friends, playlists-ers, and humans of artistic visualization. I have hope that music in quarantine will progress and bond us remarkably well!
Find Aonian on:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0irfc5RmuSG3wGYtVOXdJi?si=HVKvL-6MToal_vcBfF_xTA
https://aonian.bandcamp.com/releases
https://www.instagram.com/aonianmusic/
https://twitter.com/aonianmusic
https://www.facebook.com/aonianmusic
Read our past reviews here and here.
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