Greece

The 3rd full length offering by the Athenian quartet comes along with eight – as they say – volcanic rock tracks, that will surely satisfy all those who grew up in the ‘90s, headbanging on heavy guitar sounds.

Grunge, alternative rock and stoner rock are perhaps the most common labels to characterise their music, but you can not deny as well their glimpse at early ‘70s progressive rock, or even metal.

The combination of Luna’s female vocals with the monolithic drums, the rhythmic section of the bass and the tight guitar riffs, it’s quite a thing.

♪♫ Listen: “Bird” + album stream

Puta Volcano on Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.

“Alarm” is an impressive debut album by a band that managed to climb on the top of the most important new entries of the Greek alternative scene during the last year.

The album is full of catchy riffs, super bass, killer drums, clean vocals and fresh up-to-date production.

The sound of this quartet is definitely influenced by many great bands of the last twenty years, but one thing is for sure: they take no prisoners.

♪♫ Listen: “Backseats” + album stream

Deaf Radio on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram.

FlökosH is a young boy based in Athens. A beat maker from outta space. A patient with mild dyspnea and dysphonia. An alien abducted edm trap producer from an unknown planet.

He creates electronic music and he just released his first full length album that contains edgy sounds, abstract melodies, tons of bass, heavy breaks and dark nerdy synths.

This is a really interesting trippy listening that at times could remind you the early rave sounds of the ‘90s.

♪♫ Listen: “Emphysema” + album stream

FlökosH on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram.

The only thing that makes you realise that “Congo” has something to do with Greece, is a part of Kareem Kalokoh’s lyrics.

Strongly influenced by the American hip-hop and the music industry that surrounds rap nowadays, he released his first full length album in 2017, externalising and reflecting a part of the underground and urban life of Athens. Founding member of ATH KIDS collective, the young afrogreek rapper was born in Sierra Leone but has lived most of his life in Athens.

The eleven tracks of the LP are fresh, with downtempo electronic beats, confident melodies and hypnotic loops. If you are into Frank Ocean’s, Kendrick Lamar’s, Drake’s or Travis Scott’s music, to name a few, please come closer.

♪♫ Listen: “Whip Game” + album stream

Kareem Kalokoh on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

The composer’s 16th record “Η Ζωή σε 11 Ποιήματα του Γιώργου Βέη” is a concept album which is based on Georgios Veis’s poetry and deals with all the aspects of human nature.

Everyday life and its routine hide plenty of levels, each one of which gets closer to the “meaning of life” and to the truth behind it.

And this album presents them on violin, cello, classic and electric guitar, bass and drums, piano and percussions, played all by the composer himself.

♪♫ Listen: “Η Φενάκη Της Μουσικής” + album stream

Recorded in Greece over several periods between 2010 and 2015, Burgundy Grapes’ third album is a calm beauty, a magical realism with semi-classical arrangement, folk simplicity and dreamy soundscapes.

Led by the duo George Kolyvas and Alexandros Miaoulis, with plenty important contributions by notable musicians, this instrumental effort could be the soundtrack of your nights.

Lullabies, cinematic references, lovely melodies and atmospheric strings unfold flawlessly, offering a wonderful collection of – mainly – melancholic pieces.

♪♫ Listen: “Continental Drift” + album stream

Burgundy Grapes on Facebook, www.

Fourth full-length album from the adventurous Athenian band, that returns with its familiar joyful afro-funk and psychedelic rock.

Eight new songs that blend mainly their ’60s influenced pop sensibility and ’70s prog-rock confidence, boosted by the afro-funk percussion and rhythm sections.

The foursome stays faithful to its trademark sound, even if it slows down with sensitive ballads like the emotional and melancholic “Before Sundown”, or accelerates the rhythm like the gorgeous “Tell Me What You’re Made Of”.

♪♫ Listen: “Tell Me What You’re Made Of” + album stream

Baby Guru on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.

Monsieur Minimal has a unique ability to write lush and catchy pop melodies. Songs that you will certainly remember for the rest of your day. His 5th studio album comes this time with seven new tracks in Greek lyrics, one in French – sung wonderfully by Kid Moxie – and two dreamy instrumental additions.

Romanticism, sensitivity and gentle vocals are aways his main carriage next to his indie pop and psychedelic rock, while mesmeric electronica and mediterranean balearica fills his erotic content.

Worth of mentioning is his collaboration with Dakis, a cult Greek pop singer from the ’70s, and his excellent song titled, “Love In The Time of Psychedelia”, an electronic rock delight of nearly seven minutes.

♪♫ Listen: “Ici” + album stream

Monsieur Minimal on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.

Released by the DIY label Sweetohm Recordings, “RITE” is the third full-length album by the Athenian band The You And What Army Faction.

Following the tradition of the four-letter named releases, Faction’s album is less dark and more catchy than their previous efforts, allowing more space for the guitars and the bass to breathe, still preserving and evolving their trademark sound.

A no-wave, post-punk delight, an addictive listening that hits you in the stomach.

♪♫ Listen: “Body Horror” + album stream

The You And What Army Faction on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook.

Parental advisory explicit Greek content. Now this is an impressive hip-hop album. Dirty, bloomed in darkness, anxiety and melancholia, with anger that is spread all over it.

These thirteen tracks come from Preveza, a small town in the region of northwestern Greece, having sharp and honest words, interesting samples and tight beats.

The album is self-released and you can download it freely from their blog, even though you won’t probably understand its lyrics. But you can truly enjoy the intense feelings of their songs and their music. It’s worth a try.

♪♫ Listen: “Φάρος Γεντικουλέ” + album stream

Οπλιστής & Ηχοδότης on Soundcloud, www.

An empty road, a frozen moon, the silver stars, a hyena and a dark place.

A blues-rock soundtrack for a road movie that has not been filmed yet. Or a record spinning in a smoky bar in New Orleans, next to some bottles of whiskey. Nick Cave, Tom Waits and The Black Heart Procession would be proud of their descendants.

Five years since their latest release Illegal Operation return with a fine 6-track outing.

♪♫ Listen: “Down” + album stream

Illegal Operation on Bandcamp, Facebook.

Brazilian-born musician, actor and Egg Hell’s singer, Jef Maarawi, releases his first solo album, and it’s lovely.

The album contains ten folk-rock compositions that reveal his equal influences by first-class songwriters such as Bonnie Prince Billy, Father John Misty, Bill Callahan or Jeff Buckley, to name a few.

Meanwhile, soft touches by the Brazilian music culture give to his songs even more depth and colour. There is inherent melancholia and elegance here, an intriguing mix of indie rock and folk that is well served.

♪♫ Listen: “Forest” + album stream

Jeff Maarawi on Facebook, Instagram.

An ocean of heavy guitars, rock excitement and poetic words.

Omega Ray released their debut album in 2017, confirming the greatness and timeless value of George Karanikolas, singer and guitarist of The Last Drive (among others), probably the most important rock band in Greece during the last 40 years.

Omega Ray’s album contains five long compositions that give the opportunity to the band to explore various music genres, as psychedelia, garage rock, acid-folk or krautrock, with an intense improvisational mood. There is no doubt that their unique musical world will devour you.

♪♫ Listen: “Host” + album stream

Omega Ray on Bandcamp, Facebook.

A gothic-folk album characterized by cohesion, and still without a concept behind it. A magnificent artwork for each song that makes you delve into the world of the artist.

A personal record, undoubtedly unique and magical, that blends the traditional music of Crete Island with warm electronic sounds.

A hybrid of Bat for Lashes, Tori Amos and Björk, from a talented artist who sings in Greek, English and Norwegian. Female power at its finest.

♪♫ Listen: “Still Universe” + album stream

Sofia Sarri on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, www.

The former lo-fi rock duet of Vagelis Makris and Fotis Ntouskas, have now become a rock ’n’ roll trio with Pantelis Karasevdas joining the force on the drums, an addition that sets off a pivotal change to their sound.

They moved away from their DIY roots towards a more straightforward way, to an “in your face” sonic direction, embracing an electrifying, stomping and heavy rock sound that denies any quick categorisation.

“Freaktown” blends garage with electronic rock and post-punk in a way that sounds as much urgent and visceral as truly timeless. Before you even know it, you just press play again and again, and the headbanging continues endlessly.

♪♫ Listen: “The Quick And The Dead” + album stream

A Victim Of Society on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram.

‘80s resurrection has become a trend in every part of the cultural map, but Stella does it better (est 2015). This is her second personal effort in which the charismatic songwriter encapsulates all her adorable obsessions with the pop sound of the past, but it never sounds obsolete or retro.

On the contrary, she is managing in her own unique way to combine a playfulness and sophistica-tion in her pop mixture that keeps in pace with the current aesthetics of indie pop.

In the end, this is a collection of eleven tender and equally harsh songs, boiled with much love and sensitivity. Σtella is a master of her own craft.

♪♫ Listen: “Way To Go” + album stream

Σtella on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.

Hand & Leg are Iro on the bass and guitars, and Stylianos on the drums.

Their Cretan origin did not stop them from appearing in various cities and festivals around the country, gaining impressions and a contract with the American label of Slovenly Recordings, for their first debut album, titled by their name “Hand & Leg”.

The duet with the aggressive, fuzzy, rough but also sexy sound, walks around with comfort at the archetypal rock’n’roll paths and embraces, with its raw punk-rock, emblematic names as Dave Van Ronk and Lester Bangs. A thrilling and truly explosive release.

♪♫ Listen: “Tie” + album stream

Hand & Leg on Facebook, www.

Thessaloniki based composer, producer and thereminist offers her fourth – and her best till now – album.

In the world of “Junea” shimmering synths come along with digital melodies and smart electronic beats, imaginative soundscapes and a crystal production.

The use of the theremin is hauntingly beautiful while the ethereal vocals give a romantic human touch and an earthly approach to this wonderfully electro-ish outing.

♪♫ Listen: “Air” + album stream

May Roosevelt on Soundcloud, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, www.

One of our favourite boys here on beehype, Alexandros Voulgaris, aka The Boy, creates a record about a girl, Athina, depicting the capital city of a country ready to burst. The sequel (or prequel?) of “Έτοιμοι Ένα” (“Ready One”) that was released in 2016 is not based on wrath and anger like its predecessor.

On the contrary, this one is filled with more melancholic and tender tunes, fighting to survive the financial and moral crisis that – guess what – still exists in the country.

One of the finest albums by an artist who continues to boogie on his own unique and strange tune.

♪♫ Listen: “Γλυκειά Μου Αγάπη” + album stream

The Boy on Facebook.

The Man From Managra. We first met him back in 2014, at our annual best of. In 2017 he returns with his second full length album and it is without any doubt the best thing we’ve heard this year. “Half A Century Sun” was chosen by an overwhelming majority, was loved for its straight forward beauty and its everlasting songs.

Coti K.’s songs project, delivers eleven lovely pieces of smart pop music, urban blues and hearty folk tunes that were recorded, produced and mixed in Athens and Tinos island, between 2015 and 2016.

Having a great amount of remarkable collaborators and guest musicians, as Panos Galanis on drums, Rena Rasouli on vocals, Hristos Lainas on bass and guitar, Blaine L. Reininger on violas and vocals, Jim R. White on drums, to name a few of them, Coti K., who has now turned fifty, reveals his tender side with a collection of remarkable and instantly addictive songs.

Melodic and elegant, this is an excellent and totally charming record.

♪♫ Listen: “You Can Keep Your Winters” + album stream

The Man From Managra on Bandcamp, Facebook, www.