Ciccada came to be in 2005 as Nicolas Nikolopoulos (flute, keyboards) and Yorgos Mouchos (guitars)
joined forces, soon joined in by vocalist Evangelia Kozoni (who also plays accordion and percussion), thus forming the core of the band. More musicians came and went as years went by and in their first album they are joined in by bassist Omiros Komninos and contributions from session musicians.
While other reviewers and the press release cite Jethro Tull, Renaissance, Gentle Giant and the likes as influences, which is all well if you'd like to get an idea of what to expect, I'll chime in with two notions:
One, I personally would place Ciccada in a "camp" along with Viima and their "symphonic folk prog rock" style. Two, instead of searching for labeling and sound-alike bands, I'll say this: Ciccada's music finds its inspiration and characteristics from symphonic prog, folk and to a lesser extent jazz. The result as I hear it, is a compelling sound that doesn't appear as a senseless mélange as can be the case sometimes.
The music of CICCADA is heavily rooted in folk music; it's complex, compelling, borrowing influneces from many other spheres of progressive rock or more. If you're intrigued by fusing the most
complex moments of GRYPHON and GENTLE GIANT, this band is highly recommended. Ciccada draw on many musical styles with folk being high on the list, but there's also jazz, classical touches and some symphonic prog too. This is all played by highly skilled musicians in complex arrangements that for the large part is played with a lightness of touch that is rare, even in prog. To cap it all off there's the lovely and pure vocal delivery of Evangelia Kozoni, who sings partly in her native tongue and partly in English.
CICCADA - A CHILD IN THE MIRROR 2010
And now some tunes in Greece style. A strong and impressive debut effort from this Greek ensemble,
taking the art of sophisticated folk inspired music into new and exciting territories at their best. I appreciate very much their use of varied instruments to create a rich and spacey sound (acoustic and electric guitars, flute, clarinet, strings, French horn, trumpet, glockenspiel, piano, violoncello and of course bass and drums). Another aspect I like here is the balance between the mellow and the less delicate.
Their blend of medieval inspired folk wanderings blended with touches of jazz and symphonic
progressive rock isn't a novelty in itself, but the manner in which these elements are blended together is something of a novelty. In particular in the cases where guitar riffs of a more metal oriented nature are utilized to good dramatic effect, but also when the organ, clarinet and various additional instruments for intriguing and richly layered soundscapes with ample room for subtle dissonances and disharmonies, with the occasional jazz-tinged motif sneaking in on these themes as well.
Ciccada – A Child In The Mirror
Label: Fading Records – FAD-001
Format: CD, Album
Country: Italy
Released: Jun 10, 2010
Genre: Rock
Style: Folk Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Prog Rock
TRACKS
01. Ciccada 4:38
02. Isabella Sunset 6:09
03 .Ένα Παιδί Στον Καθρέφτη (Ena Pedi Ston Kathrefti - A Child In The Mirror) 6:01
A child in the mirror every morning asks me:
"Why the sun freezes dreams in the heart?
Why the moon burns me when I give her kisses?
among the flowing river can I build a nest?
can i put wings on the paper boat?"
04. A Storyteller's Dream 7:09
05. Raindrops 4:16
06. An Endless Sea 5:28
07. Epirus - A Mountain Song 4:58
08. Elizabeth 7:09
09. Η Στιγμή (I Stigmi - The Moment) 3:14
10. A Garden Of Delights 8:24
LINE - UP
Alberto De Grandis - Drums
Anna Böhmig - French Horn
Evangelia Kozoni - Voice, Accordion, Tambourine
Hryssoula Georgaki - Clarinet
Mattia Signò - Glockenspiel
Nikolas Nikolopoulos - Organ, Mellotron, Flute, Strings
Napoleon Savanis - Alto Saxophone
Omiros Komninos - Bass
Panayotis Yannakakis - Piano
Paolo Botta - Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes]
Pietro Cavedon - Piano
Spyros Laskarides - Trumpet
Vassilis Lykos - Cello [Violoncello]
Valerio Cipollone - Clarinet
Yorgos Mouchos - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Music By – Nikolas Nikolopoulos, Yorgos Mouchos
NOTES
Recorded & mixed at Effettonote Studio, Milan between July 2009 and April 2000.
Additional recordings were made in Athens at: Studio 19, Genesis
Studio, Bedroom Studio.
To γκρουπ σχηματίστηκε σιγά σιγά, ο αρχικός πυρήνας το 2005 ήταν ο Γιώργος Μούχος στην κιθάρα
και ο Νίκος Νικολόπουλος στο φλάουτο και τα πλήκτρα και στη συνέχεια έγιναν τριμελής μπάντα με την Ευαγγελία Κοζώνη (φωνητικά). Το 2010 ηχογραφήθηκε το πρώτο άλμπουμ και ήρθε μαζί τους στο Μιλάνο για τις ηχογραφήσεις ο Όμηρος Κομνηνός (μπάσο), με κάποιους Ιταλούς μουσικούς να γράφουν εκεί, αλλά αναζητήσαν στη συνέχεια νέα μέλη σε μόνιμη βάση.
[Ναι, μου αρέσει αυτό το ντεμπούτο άλμπουμ του ελληνικού συγκροτήματος Ciccada. Στην πραγματικότητα, δεν μπορώ να σκεφτώ καλύτερο ντεμπούτο άλμπουμ σε οποιοδήποτε είδος. Αν και ο βασικός ήχος που βρίσκεται στο A Child in the Mirror είναι ρετρό prog, έχουμε πολλά φλάουτα και
κλαρίνα εκτός από κάποια μεσαιωνικά όργανα. Ενώ λάτρεψα αυτόν τον λαϊκό/μεσαιωνικό ήχο, μου άρεσε επίσης η τζαζ καθώς και η επιρροή της μουσικής δωματίου που βρέθηκε στο A Child in the Mirror. Υποθέτω ότι η progarchives έχει τα λεφτά για να ονομάσει τους Ciccada eclectic prog. Μπορούν να το ονομάσουν ό,τι είδους prog θέλουν, αλλά ξέρω ότι το λατρεύω. Λατρεύω επίσης τη φωνή της γυναικείας τραγουδίστριας Ευαγγελίας Κοζώνη καθώς είναι τέλεια και έχει πολύ ευχάριστη φωνή.
(By Butterflyman)]
Ciccada – A Child In The Mirror
Label: Fading Records – FAD-001
Format: CD, Album
Country: Italy
Released: Jun 10, 2010
Genre: Rock
Style: Folk Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Prog Rock
TRACKS
01. Ciccada 4:38
02. Isabella Sunset 6:09
03. Ένα Παιδί Στον Καθρέφτη (Ena Pedi Ston Kathrefti - A Child In The Mirror) 6:01
Ενα παιδί στον καθρεφτη κάθε πρωί με ρωτά:
" Γιατί ο ήλιος παγώνει τα όνειρα στην καρδιά;
γιατί η σελήνη με καίει όταν της δίνω φιλιά;
μεσ' το ποτάμι που τρέχει μπορώ να χτίσω φωλιά;
πάνω στην χάρτινη βάρκα μπορώ να βάλω φτερά;"
04. A Storyteller's Dream 7:09
05. Raindrops 4:16
06. An Endless Sea 5:28
07. Epirus - A Mountain Song 4:58
08. Elizabeth 7:09
09. Η Στιγμή (I Stigmi - The Moment) 3:14
10. A Garden Of Delights 8:24
Flac Size: 353 MB
CICCADA - THE FINEST OF MIRACLES 2015
It's been five years since Greece's Ciccada released their highly acclaimed debut album, A Child in the
Mirror on AltrOck Records. Now they are back with an album that displays the maturation process the band has undergone in both recording and compositional technique. The songs of The Finest of Miracles show improved mastery of the band's proclivity for weaving sophisticated instrumental structures using their multiplicity of ancient and traditional folk instruments integrated with modern electrified instruments.
They have also refined their symphonic sensibilities, as is displayed in the long-playing masterpieces,
"Around the Fire" and the 18-minute long "The Finest of Miracles Suite." They are also much more evenly paced, eliminating the occasional tendency they had previously to over-do or flood passages with too much information.
Diversity is something of a central characteristic to be given Ciccada's second album. The foundation of
their style is progressive folk rock, but with details and excursions from jazz, traditional folk music and symphonic progressive rock incorporated into the totality, alongside elements that one might describe as chamber rock to boot (not to be confused with RIO).
A well made album on all levels, and while not as challenging as it may sound from description, the
overall production merits that description due to the sheer diversity of the material. As the band cites bands such as Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant and Gryphon as sources of inspiration, those with an affection for those bands appear to be a likely key audience for this CD, and I'd suggest that those with a general affection for bands with a diverse and varied sound, style and expression to give this one a spin as well.
Ciccada – The Finest Of Miracles
Label: Fading Records – FAD-018
Format: CD, Album
Country: Italy
Released: 2015
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
TRACKS
01. A Night Ride 6:26
02. Eternal 8:01
03. At The Death Of Winter 4:04
04. Around The Fire 9:16
05. Lemnos (Lover's Dance) 0:47
The Finest Of Miracles
06. Birth Of The Lights 1:52
07. Wandering 6:42
08. Siren's Call 1:38
09. As Fall The Leaves 3:09
10. Song For An Island 4:47
LINE - UP
Evangelia Kozoni / vocals
Yorgos Mouchos / acoustic, Classical & electric guitars, backing vocals
Nikolas Nikolopoulos / flute, recorder, tenor sax, organ, Mellotron, piano, electric piano, synth, glockenspiel
Yiannis Iliakis / drums, percussion, marimba
WITH:
John Kosmidis "Jargon" / vocals (4)
Savvas Paraskevas / acoustic & electric piano (1)
Panayiotis Sioras / clarinet & bass clarinet (2,4-10)
Spyros Kakos / French horn (10)
Panayotis Zafiropoulos / trombone (10)
Yannis Moraitis / trumpet (2,5,10)
Dionysis Agalianos / trumpet (10)
Sakis Myronis / tuba
Lydia Boudouni / violin (1,2,4,6-10)
Marianna Vassou / cello (2,4)
Yorgos Lambadis / bass (1)
Johan Brand / bass (2)
Omiros Komninos / bass (3,4,6-10)
NOTES
Recordings were made in Athens and mainly at S19, Kyriazis Studios and Genesis Studios, between October 2012 and June 2014.
The album was mixed during July 2014 and mastered in January 2015.
Έχουν περάσει πέντε χρόνια από τότε που οι Greece's Ciccada κυκλοφόρησαν το πολυβραβευμένο
ντεμπούτο άλμπουμ τους, A Child in the Mirror στην AltrOck Records. Τώρα επιστρέφουν με ένα άλμπουμ που δείχνει τη διαδικασία ωρίμανσης που έχει υποστεί η μπάντα τόσο στην τεχνική της ηχογράφησης όσο και στη σύνθεση. Τα τραγούδια των The Finest of Miracles δείχνουν βελτιωμένη γνώση της τάσης του συγκροτήματος να υφαίνει εξελιγμένες οργανικές δομές χρησιμοποιώντας την πληθώρα αρχαίων και παραδοσιακών λαϊκών οργάνων ενσωματωμένα με σύγχρονα ηλεκτρισμένα όργανα.
Έχουν επίσης τελειοποιήσει τις συμφωνικές τους ευαισθησίες, όπως φαίνεται στα αριστουργήματα
μεγάλης διάρκειας, "Aound the Fire" και στη 18λεπτη "The Finest of Miracles Suite". Έχουν επίσης πολύ πιο ομοιόμορφο ρυθμό, εξαλείφοντας την περιστασιακή τάση που είχαν προηγουμένως να παρακάνουν ή να πλημμυρίσουν περάσματα με πάρα πολλές πληροφορίες.
Η διαφορετικότητα είναι ένα κεντρικό χαρακτηριστικό που πρέπει να δοθεί στο δεύτερο άλμπουμ των
Ciccada. Το θεμέλιο του στυλ τους είναι το progressive folk rock, αλλά με λεπτομέρειες και εξορμήσεις από την τζαζ, την παραδοσιακή λαϊκή μουσική και το συμφωνικό progressive rock ενσωματωμένα στο σύνολο, μαζί με στοιχεία που θα μπορούσε κανείς να περιγράψει ως chamber rock to boot (δεν πρέπει να συγχέεται με το RIO).
Ένα καλοφτιαγμένο άλμπουμ σε όλα τα επίπεδα, και παρόλο που δεν είναι τόσο προκλητικό όσο
μπορεί να ακούγεται από την περιγραφή, η συνολική παραγωγή αξίζει αυτή την περιγραφή λόγω της τεράστιας ποικιλομορφίας του υλικού. Καθώς το συγκρότημα αναφέρει μπάντες όπως οι Jethro Tull, οι Gentle Giant και οι Gryphon ως πηγές έμπνευσης, όσοι αγαπούν αυτές τις μπάντες φαίνεται να είναι ένα πιθανό βασικό κοινό για αυτό το CD και θα πρότεινα σε όσους αγαπούν γενικά τις μπάντες με ποικίλο και ποικίλο ήχο, στυλ και έκφραση να δώσουν και σε αυτό ένα περιθώριο.
Ciccada – The Finest Of Miracles
Label: Fading Records – FAD-018
Format: CD, Album
Country: Italy
Released: 2015
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock
TRACKS
01. A Night Ride 6:26
02. Eternal 8:01
03. At The Death Of Winter 4:04
04. Around The Fire 9:16
05. Lemnos (Lover's Dance) 0:47
The Finest Of Miracles
06. Birth Of The Lights 1:52
07. Wandering 6:42
08. Siren's Call 1:38
09. As Fall The Leaves 3:09
10. Song For An Island 4:47
Ciccada: Harvest 2021 HERE
Ciccada i order this two after you got the 1st one online.
ReplyDeleteI know that you like them and I 'm glad for this.
DeleteYes beautiful music, beautiful covers.
DeleteI've just ordered the TIM HOLLIER 3 cd box. I hesitated for a long time because i have the wonderful sampler. But there are twics as many tracks here.
ReplyDeleteMother Marry Ann Trump about Donald Trump: yes, he is an ideot with no common sense and no social skills, but he is my son.
ReplyDeleteI just hope he never goes into politics.
He would be a disaster.
Ha 😆 Ha 🤣 Ha 😂 !!! Mother's little monster.
ReplyDeleteOh WOW !,... Ciccada are a Greek master piece and what a delightful mix of Symphonic Prog Rock & Medieval Folk music, this is definitely a feast for my ear's Kostas with wonderful art work to die for........I already had the Harvest album which you kindly shared with us all 2 years ago , so many thanks for sharing theses other 2 albums my friend........Kostas you are a Diamond .....Love & Peace Stu x
ReplyDeleteOoh Stu, your comment is a diamond and the music of Ciccada is a true gem. Cheers 🥂 my friend.
Delete