Occur Goes Global - The Music of Cyprus

• by Melissa Bobbitt
• Jun 20, 2016

Split between Greek, Turkish, British and Arabic influences, the Mediterranean island of Cyprus boasts a diverse, conflicted history. Its arts scene has long flourished, from beloved poets to culinary euphoria. The music of Cyprus is omnipotent and potent, borrowing from its multicultural folk traditions and from the current wave of EDM. Here are five Cypriot entities to keep an ear out for:

TriCoolOre

If the Red Hot Chili Peppers traded Anthony Kiedis for a mad piano, they might sound like this jazz-rock-funk-dance troupe. Nikos Doukas lights his bass afire with his thrumming; drummer Vaslis Vasiliou keeps things rolling with his nimble touch; and keyboardist Angelos Doukas rumbas all over his electro-ivories. TriCoolOre’s 2015 debut album, Oregano Infused, earned kudos from All About Jazz and other international platforms. (Thanks to My Cyprus Insider for the intro.)

The Low Spark

“Fear is contagious, but so is love,” sings Lefteris Moumtzis in the Low Spark’s “Love Comes from Above.” The psych-rock threesome have been going strong since 2009, mixing Black Keys muscle with King Crimson cacophony. The prog-grunge gurus are about to unveil their debut album, and until then are tiding us over with the soaring single “Deep Deep Down.”

Dmitry G

Creating under the “glitch-hop” banner, Dmitry G scratches over 8-bit jigsaw pieces and what sounds like laoutos, or Cypriot lutes. Though he hasn’t updated in awhile, his “Fluffy Unicorn” and “Cyber Friends” mixes wouldn’t be out of place on a Madeon or Skrillex joint.

2 AM

It’s never too early to get a start on one’s music career, as proven by teenagers Anastasia and Muhammed. An acoustic duo reminiscent of Rihanna and Drake sharing a cuppa tea, 2 AM have been making the festival rounds in Limassol since they were freshmen in high school. They’ve been known to cover Fleetwood Mac and other classic artists. (Thanks to BalconyTV for the info.)

Drumble Beats

As if 2 AM weren’t impressive enough, Drumble Beats’ four members are tykes compared to them. The energetic band fuses EDM with caffeinated percussion, using hand drums, electronic samples and PVC pipes to build their empire. They frequently perform at charity events and ensure a “fresh mix that leaves no foot unmoved!,” according to the Thursday Lives event page.