Aonian – the moniker of Alkis Livathinos, a Greek born and London based producer – sonically infuses downtempo, trippy dance electronica with Mediterranean sounds. Having already established a trusted reputation in composition across media and brands (including Fendi, Louis Vuitton and Glossier), Aonian emerges from five-years of conceptual and instrumental experimentation, delivering a refreshing sound.
Now the producer reveals the second chapter of his upcoming debut album, with the release of his single “Hideout”, a poignant and lush fusion of downtempo electronica and organic mellow soundscapes. Drawing inspiration from the idea that each of us builds their own “hideout” in times of crises, a place of inner safety and familiarity, Hideout has a sound that appeals to both fans of neoclassical and techno music.
Aonian borrows sounds and memories from his homeland by using percussion elements recorded near his family village in Greece, as well as moments of meditative improvisations on the piano in a pandemic era locked down studio in London. In this era of self-isolation and forced solitude, it reminds us where each of our hideouts lies – maybe not in isolation, but in shared, communal experiences.
Commenting on the track, the artist offers, “The motif was written on the Oud, but I then recorded it on the piano where it took a completely different form, and I ended up adding organic percussive elements built from places and memories of my motherland. I wanted to bring out a sense of familiarity and safety from those sounds and melodies, a feeling that I fear has been missing this last year from our lives.”
On “Hideout”, Aonian delivers his laid back downtempo sound, driven by snapping beats and lifted by his trademark mix of piquant instrumentation. With references to traditional and folk elements from his home country and a new found love for ethnomusicology, he successfully pays homage to our past and present whilst remaining loyal to an ever-changing cultural identity that his music represents.
Listen to Hideout (Edit) below
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