Music of Cyprus

The music of Cyprus includes a variety of classical, folk and popular genres. Recent trends have seen the rise of Ayia Napa, a resort, as a home for club music, similar in its evolution to that of the island Ibiza.

Medieval music

Cyprus changed hands numerous times prior to the Medieval era, and was an important outpost of Christianity and European civilization during the Crusades. The tumultuous history introduced a variety of styles, including; France, Turkey, and Greece. The island's peak as a cultural capital of Europe occurred from 1359 to 1432.

During that peak, Pierre I de Lusignan made a three year tour of Europe, bringing with him an entourage of musicians that so impressed Charles V in Rheims that he donated 80 francs in gold to them. On his return to Cyprus, Pierre I brought with him the French Ars Nova and, later, the Ars Subtilior. French musicians became well established in Cyprus, and the city of Nicosia became a capital of the Ars Subtilior style.

Janus I de Lusignan saw Cypriot music evolve into its own variety of music. His daughter, Anna, brought a manuscript after her marriage to Louis, Count of Geneva, which contained 159 folios with over two hundred polyphonic compositions, both sacred and secular. The manuscript is now contained within the National Library of Turin.

Classical music

Notable composers include:

Yannis Kyriakides 1969 Cyprus-The Netherlands
Solon Michaelides, 1905 - 1979 Cyprus-Greece
Michalis Chrysanthou
Nicolas Economou
Sotiris Karageorgis
Evagoras Karageorgis

Traditional music

Folk music on Cyprus is similar to the folk music of Greece and music of Turkey, and includes dances like the sousta, syrtos, zeimbekikos, tatsia, and the kartsilamas suites. Note that unlike Turkey and Greece, there are suites of 4 kartsilamas dances, different for men and women, some of them at tempo different than 9/8. Traditional music is modal based on the makams.

Both Turkish and Greek Cypriots use the violin as the main solo instrument, accompanied by laouto (form of lute) for Greek Cypriots and ud for Turkish Cypriots. Accordion, percussion and penny whistle(pithkiavli) are also used.

Michalis Terlikkas

Metal music

Basically, the history of the Cyprus Rock and Metal scene starts some years after the war of 1974, at the early 80's. This is the so called 'FIRST ROCK-METAL ERA OF CYPRUS'. One of the pioneers of the rock-metal scene in Cyprus are Armageddon in the mid 80s with their traditional Heavy Metal sound. The most long running band until today, they have managed to be synonymous to the Cyprus metal scene through the years, with quality releases and a few visits abroad. Nowadays they have moved more into the progressive side of metal. Another band that worths to be mentioned is Godblood. In the early 90s it firstly started the local Black Metal scene, acting firstly as a scool-band, and later on continuing as the main band od the record label 'Trone Productions'. They have disbanded and only some can recall some shows they had in Cyprus with bands from the Greek Scene like 'Rotting Christ' and an international festival in Israel in the late 90s. Although Power metal were among the most popular genre on the island at that time with bands such 'Diphtheria' and 'Arryan Path' leading the genre basically. And you could also find a couple of metal Thrash-ing mad bands also active, giving great live shows such as Regicide (supporting 'Epidemic') and Scotoma[1]. Eventually the 90s were a very active period for the scene in general. Some other bands that worths to be mentioned are 'To Marazi Tis Fotoullas', 'Triple Jam', 'Tade', 'Aposynthesis'... Rock-metal bars of that age were 'Reckless', 'Alarm Rock Club', 'Underground Rock club', 'Mythos', 'Cocoa', 'Streets-Underground', 'Savino', 'Kingstom', 'Woodstock', 'No Name'... At the late 90s many metal nights were organised also at places like 'Mandato' and 'Meteoro' as the last glow of the glorious 'FIRST ROCK-METAL ERA OF CYPRUS', where at the ages of 1998-2000 the Local rock-metal scene was almost dead. During those dead years the only active person fighting for metal to stay alive was a man named Paris 'the manowar'(Prodigal Earth/Arryan Path) organizing the legendary Metal Nights At Meteoro. He also organised some metal nights at 'Agora', 'Aroma', 'Blue Velvet' and 'Transit'. At the age of 2001 a man called 'AnexitiloN' started organising firstly rock-metal nights, and then gigs and festivals making the scene so active than never before. He organissed up to the year 2007 around 70 and something events dealing with almost all the active bands (around 67) and artists of that age. From school-bands to high level professionals, he tried give potentials to reserect the scene. Here we have the so called 'SECOND ROCK-METAL ERA OF CYPRUS' where information can be found at the http://www.anexitilon.com . Another characteristic of the 'SECOND ROCK-METAL ERA OF CYPRUS' is the organisation of the 'Underground Rockin' Markets', a series of experimental lifestyle street events. And this as a part of the cooperation of 'AnexitiloN' and 'Throne' in order to recycle (from hand to hand) mainly second hand and collectible cds, lps, clothing, books and accessories. Another aim was to help bands and artists present and sell their own music works. Now in the 21st century we can discuss the scene with credibility since most of the bands have an available medium of information in the internet which allowed the scene to communicate better. In a previous entry in wikipedia about this subject one said that only a handful of bands basically compose the scene. They also stated a number of "popular rock bands" which nevertheless, seem to play only covers.

Active bands with releases all appeared in magazines and webzines around the globe are: Arryan Path, Arisah, Arkhon, Atrocious, Armageddon [2], Blynd [3], Bludgeond [4], Crestfallen, Dictator, Dream Funeral, Dystopia, Necrosadist, Scotoma [5], Winter's Verge[6], Diphtheria [7].

More bands with material ready to be recorded and active live status are: Prodigal Earth, FassariA[8], Bloodharvest, Inferno, Lacrima, Oblivion, Rust, Soul Steal, Sulphur, Terminal Disease. Information about the bands themselves and their websites can be found on http://www.metal-archives.com search> country> Cyprus.

In June of 2006 ROCKA ROLLA cafe bar opened in the heart of Nicosia. ROCKA ROLLA is a place [9]where metalheads from all the country gather to listen to their favorite music.

Also worth mentioning, are the two distribution and music labels owned by scene members that exist on the island. Throne Records and the Sérpéné Héli Music Collective http://www.serpenehelimusic.com/.

Even though the island of Cyprus may pose almost no significance at all for international bands, acts like the Scorpions, Sepultura, Deep Purple, Nightingale, Rage, Omen and Rotting Christ have visited the island for a numerous of live appearances.

Rock music

Some popular rock bands in Cyprus are Johnny & the Liars (Punk/Alternative), Forty Plus, Triple Jam, Amnesia (Greek) and Krokes (Greek).

And Cyprus' Metal Scene is basically consisted of: Armageddon, Arryan Path, Scotoma, Prodigal Earth, Blynd, Winters Verge, Rust, Fassaria, Dementor and many more smaller bands.

Reggae

Haji Mike is the leading reggae artists in Cyprus. Beginning his recording career in London in 1990 he was featured on Andy Kershaw and John Peel and appeared at WOMAD and WOMEX. in 1992-3 his music took off in Cyprus and he repatriated and worked on Radio and TV doing music shows. He has released three solo LPs and formed Olive Tree Music in 2004 with Turkish Cypriot poet Zeki Ali. The pair teamed up with several local musicians and worked with US producer Stand Out Selector forming a group together called Poetz4Peace. Poetz played the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in USA and various events in Cyprus. Haji Mike also worked with Hmiskoubria, Izit, Simon Booth, Sugar and Harri Kakouli.

More recently the first reggae sound system was set up by Roots Crew, who have established an authentic heavyweight reggae sound system. The Roots Crew play at their own events and in venues that support reggae music. Haji Mike appears with them live on the mic when available.

Also intibah a psychedelic duo that apeared from nowhere are experimenting with reggae rock hip hop and using unusual instruments in reggae music, such as theremins, dijiritu, birimau, Greek lira, mcing and also the classic guitar, bass and percussion, intibah have released a single album by their own expenses giving to people for free and trying to avoid the game of record companies. contact:intibahistas@yahoo.com..........jie dostou villies

Hardcore/Screamo

Recently in Cyprus there has been an outbreak of emo and hardcore music, This scene has begun to grow and a few bands have formed to try and generate more buzz, the most successful being Low On Saturn and Scarletsnowprelude who are expected to release their EP during the next few months.

Hip-Hop

The first attempt at rap music was by a group in Cyprus called Vaomeni Esso (Βαομένοι Έσσο which translates as Locked Indoors) who were formed circa 1993.They MCed mainly in Cypriot Greek and performed in public, but they never circulated recordings of their songs. Around the same time, 1993, Haji Mike a reggae MC blended dancehall with traditional Cypriot melodies. While most of his music is reggae - with some left field hip hop thrown in the mix - as an MC he became very popular and was the first person from Cyprus to release songs independently on his own label with such success.

One of the members of 'Locked Indoors', Yiannis Wu, released two solo albums as Mastermind (Τελευταίες Μέρες (Last Days) in 1997 and Απαγορευμένες Γνώσεις (Forbidden Knowledge) in 1999). Both of them were released by All Records. He also released an independent LP, Αόρατος Πόλεμος (Invisible War) in 2004. On these albums, Wu raps in Standard Greek not in the Cypriot dialect. Invisible War marked a big change in Wu's work content wise - with heavy apocalyptic messages about religion, the world and doomsday.

By the beginning of the new millennium many new DJs and producers appeared and tried to make hip-hop well known in Cyprus. Among them were: DJ Magos (HCH), DJ Fingaz, DJ Ponokefalos, DJ Net and DJ Phatkat. The most well respected Cypriot hip-hop producers are: X-Method, Sniper (So Solid Crew), Magos (HCH), Ponokefalos, Ice (FTW) and Mazout (IUT/AII).

Lyrical Eye is one of the few fully Cypriot Mcs that actually raps fluently in the English language. The artist began performing live before the year 2000 with Big group at the time Universal Soldiers at venues such as Sabia and Spartacus club. The rapper has performed in over 50 different venues across Cyprus and has taken his live performances around Europe. He has performed live at the biggest hiphop festival in Europe called the HipHop Kemp during the summer of 2006 in Czech Republic.

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The Artist has also achieved reaching the final of the biggest songwriting competitions worldwide (ISC - www.songwritingcompetition.com)final winners will be announced March 2007) The artist is currently working with big labels and completing the long anticipated solo album which will be released in June 2007 which features some of the best producers in Europe such as Anno Domini, OP, TK, Kane and many other big names ([www.myspace.com/lyrikaleye] - email: lyricaleye@gmail.com)

HCH (Hardcore Heads) were a crew of breakers, writers and MCs. Some of the members formed a hip-hop group, also called HCH, in 2001, and they circulated their first EP totalyy DiY in 2003. The lyrics alternate between Standard Greek and Cypriot dialect, and are critical of capitalism, the military and the music industry - and hence their name HardCoreHeads. The MCs are Charos, ON, k Gamma, Pico, Zak and Magos. Magos is also the DJ/producer. It's a shame the HCH did not continue as they were respected far and wide as the first underground hip-hop group to do things for themselves and by themselves.

Ponokefalos (Headache), another member of Vaomeni Esso, took up the mic again in 2002. He also produces beats, and DJs in Nicosia and Limassol. Recently he has released songs on the internet with Kinisiotherapeftis (Kinesiotherapist) in the Cypriot dialect. He also made a mix-CD as a DJ which was sold at events where he played.

Among the oldest crews in Nicosia are IUT (Invisible Underground Threat) (nowadays known as AII), FTW (Fuck the World) (www.myspace.com/cyftw) and CyMafia who have existed since 2000. They have released many songs on the internet, also circulated hand-to-hand by underground tapes and CDs. All the three bands/crews together with Lyrical Eye performed live for their first time at Exis Club in Larnaca in 2001 which was the first well-organised live event that had occurred in Cyprus (by that time) by Cypriot MCs.

MB59 - Musdy and Bulmy are two Turkish Cypriot youths who wrote the first song in the Turkish Cypriot Dialect, Genclik Ateshi (Youth Fire) which was released by Olive Tree Music on 'The Cyprus Thing Vol 1' compilation. MB59, Sofoz & Haji Mike also made the first song in Greek - Turkish and English, called 'WorldWIde Ting'.

SOFOZ MC is a new breed of MC in Cyprus with heavy philosophies and at times a fast lyrical flow. From Larnaca Sofoz has not released solo work but has been featured on numerous projects via Olive Tree Music, a non-profit music label formed by Haji Mike and Zeki Ali. He represented Cyprus hip hop in Europe and he had various collaborations with other European and not only rappers. His first album is expected the coming year (2007) and he is open for new collaborations and invitations for concerts. You can contact him at sofoz_mc@yahoo.gr . You can find his songs at [10].

POTS (Part of the Soul), made up of Fuck-it (aka Funkit) and Archangelos are a new underground hip hop groups that have released songs on the internet and organised their own gigs. POTS are ruff in style in their own unique way and take their hiphop seriously. Funkit also has one of the gruffest voices to ever grace the mic from Cyprus!

MC X-Force - a young Turkish Cypriot MC who began more as a junglist and drum & bass MC . Featured alongside Sofoz, Funkit, Bulmy, St3phani3 (http://www.myspace.com/st3phani3music), maxiMOOM, Haji Mike and Zeki Ali on the SOS produced tune 'Music Is Joy'. X-Force has now turned more to hip hop beats.

DNA (Δημιουργοί Νέας Αντίληψης - Creators of New Perception) is a group that released a CD in 2006 through their own discography label, AK SOUNDplan, although they have had songs on the internet for a few years. Two of the MCs of the group, Megahz and Decayer, are in charge of hiphop.com.cy. They have played live in many shows and also at Hip Hop Kemp (Czech Republic) in both 2005 and 2006 (together with Cypriot MC Lyrical Eye, who raps in English).

Sniper - Last but by no means least. The most successful artist in the hip-hop genre to date started out at a very young age as a DJ in Ayia Napa. Sniper soon found himself in the chart topping SoSolidCrew. As an MC and Producer Snipper has achieved more than most musicians from Cyprus over the last 20 years. Currently based Greece, running a studio and label with links to Jay-Z in the USA. Sniper is building a legacy in Cyprus and putting the island on the map of music world wide.

Drum & Bass

Probably the newest genre of music to enter the Cyprus music scene. Founded in 2006, frustrated by the lack of variety currently on the island, Newformz (UK), Phat Phinxxx (CY) & Seven7 (AU), joined together in order to provide locals with an alternative form of music previously unheard of in Cyprus. Currently all 3 DJ's are based in Limassol and are running a regular night. Future plans include performing in other towns.

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