Menelaos
Marta
2020
Spotify
YouTube
“On March of 2020 I released my second studio album titled ‘Marta’. The title is referred to a beloved horse that passed away last year. Every track of the album is talking about a story and usually this is the way I am composing my music.
The track ‘Save The Forest’ was created when a huge destruction took place at the area of ‘Mati’ in Athens, Greece at July of 2018 and with a simple way is talking about the beauty of nature. The track ‘Better In The Cave’ is referred to the caves at the island of Santorini as also the track ‘Caldera’ which shows the respect for the caldera rocks of that island. ‘Ikigai’ in Japan means to find your passion and so on.
The recordings and final mix and mastering of the album took place at Audiolab Studios in Larisa, Greece and for that album various musical instruments were used such as 4 Handpans, Shruti Box, Ancient Greek Lyre, Jaws Harp, Ocean Drum, Sansula, Wind Gong, Koshi Chimes and Singing Bowls.
As they say in the East, the listener makes the sound. The sound is a vibration and vibrations are not the same for everyone. We all hear the same sounds and words, the way we perceive all these though are different for everyone. I wish that the listener will make his/her own images and travel wherever he/she wishes. Thank you.”
Menelaos Tzafetas was born in April 1980 in the city of Thessaloniki and grew up in Larisa, Greece.
He studied Civil Engineering in London, where in 2007 a friend showed him a video of a new and hard to find percussion instrument, the handpan, which was first produced in Switzerland in 2001. Having influences and minor experimentations with electronic music, that particular sound seemed to be the one missing from all others until then, but in a more magical and real vibration.
In 2008 he returned to Greece and started working as a Civil Engineer, while keeping in mind music composing and other special projects.
In 2010 he began the search for that special musical instrument that produces a sound that can be perceived as a harp, piano, santuri or guitar.
In June 2013, he acquired his first handpan and soon started working as a professional musician.
Following life, flow or non-flow of matters, three years later in April 2016 he released his first album titled ‘Mi Via’, which in Greek is translated as ‘non violence’.
Having created compositions as a personal journey through people, moments and thoughts, he invites listeners to create their own images and most of all to begin their own journey. His second album was released on March of 2020 with the title ‘Marta’.
Menelaos’s collaborations so far include apart from other musicians, acrobats and story – tellers. He has performed a number of one man shows and festivals, and has also composed the musical score of the “Emerging Proud” (2017, UK) documentary, which was shown in selected theaters across the globe.
The past few years he has been working in the magical islands of Santorini and Crete mostly during the summer season, performing in hotels, wedding ceremonies and other special events.
The track ‘Save The Forest’ was created when a huge destruction took place at the area of ‘Mati’ in Athens, Greece at July of 2018 and with a simple way is talking about the beauty of nature. The track ‘Better In The Cave’ is referred to the caves at the island of Santorini as also the track ‘Caldera’ which shows the respect for the caldera rocks of that island. ‘Ikigai’ in Japan means to find your passion and so on.
The recordings and final mix and mastering of the album took place at Audiolab Studios in Larisa, Greece and for that album various musical instruments were used such as 4 Handpans, Shruti Box, Ancient Greek Lyre, Jaws Harp, Ocean Drum, Sansula, Wind Gong, Koshi Chimes and Singing Bowls.
As they say in the East, the listener makes the sound. The sound is a vibration and vibrations are not the same for everyone. We all hear the same sounds and words, the way we perceive all these though are different for everyone. I wish that the listener will make his/her own images and travel wherever he/she wishes. Thank you.”
In 2010 he began the search for that special musical instrument that produces a sound that can be perceived as a harp, piano, santuri or guitar.
In June 2013, he acquired his first handpan and soon started working as a professional musician.
Following life, flow or non-flow of matters, three years later in April 2016 he released his first album titled ‘Mi Via’, which in Greek is translated as ‘non violence’.
Having created compositions as a personal journey through people, moments and thoughts, he invites listeners to create their own images and most of all to begin their own journey. His second album was released on March of 2020 with the title ‘Marta’.
Menelaos’s collaborations so far include apart from other musicians, acrobats and story – tellers. He has performed a number of one man shows and festivals, and has also composed the musical score of the “Emerging Proud” (2017, UK) documentary, which was shown in selected theaters across the globe.