Mikhail : Orphica

Orphica is the debut album by Mikhail. After releasing his music alongside sound explorers such as Scanner and Stephen Vitiello, and on a compilation by pop experimentalist Björk, this is Mikhail's first solo album.

Orphica takes the listener on a thrilling sonic adventure. Drawing inspiration from the legendary singer Orpheus whose music had miraculous powers, twelve songs map a journey through mythical epic encounters, intimate confessions and emotional confrontations in an exuberant melding of pop, electronica, Greek folk and avant-garde music.

Orphica's sonic universe is high-tech and baroque, raw and delicate at once. In a journey tracing Orpheus’s steps to the Underworld, his encounter with entranced Maenads and his voyage with the Argonauts, Mikhail traveled to Greece to collect sounds for his debut album. Choirs chant alongside distorted static, sequenced recordings of creaking insects and flying bats in caves on mount Olympus. Beats made from thrashing knives, smashing plates and electronics slice through the sounds of harps, harpsichords and the Ionian sea. In the midst of this, Mikhail's expressive voice reaches out for its limits.

Orphica presents the exciting results of a musical experiment by an artist whose vision attempts to channel the raw energy and lyricism of folk song while pursuing musical innovation.

(click SoundLAB.org to read interview with Mikhail)

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Composed and written by Mikhail Karikis, except: Maenads, lyrics by Uriel Orlow & Mikhail Karikis. Performed and produced by Mikhail Karikis, except: Asteris, solo cello by Louise McMonagle, speaking voice by Uriel Orlow. All tracks recorded in London, except: Asteris, binaural field recordings of the Ionian Sea, Greece; Archon & Incubus, binaural field recordings of night insects in Corfu and bats inside Orpheus’ cave on Mount Olympus, Greece. Mastered by Gabriel Séverin at Laboratoire Central, Brussels. A remix of Untitled in CoF Minor appears with the title ’Once More’ in CoF Minor on Björk’s album Army of Me: remixes and covers, released by One Little Indian Ltd 2005. Archon: a prayer for Franco Incollingo. Cover: photography by Uriel Orlow, design by Mikhail Karikis. Published by Volvox Music. Released by Quatermass, 2007.

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