Drapery Band – Black Loone: Their EP left us spellbound!

Black Loone is the name of the latest EP from Drapery Band and it's no exaggeration to say it took us on a journey through atmospheric sounds and gorgeous compositions.

A wise observation, that there are no limits in art and, of course, in music. Quite the opposite of what usually happens, actually. Music tears down whatever walls get put up by natural or social barriers. And that's exactly where Drapery Band come in with their new EP, Black Loone, which seems to prove the point above.

Athens – Thessaloniki: When distance is just a minor detail!

Listening to Drapery's work, I'm blown away by the quality and beauty of the composition. The most striking thing, though, is the fact that the members aren't just in different cities, but in cities about 500 kilometres apart. Γιώργος Παπαδόπουλος forms the northern half of this Greek musical alliance, being a resident of Thessaloniki. Νίκος Κορτιμανίτσης, on the other hand, now lives in the capital.

Both musicians with a broad range of influences. (Γιώργος was a member of Your Hand In Mine). When they first met, there was no shortage of things to talk about. Guitars, basses, Hammonds, farfisas and surf! All of it swirling among influences from post-rock, post-punk and rebetiko. A rather unusual combination, but one that got the fermentation going for the formation of Drapery.

Decisions from "on high"!

They say the best conversations happen on a balcony! The best deals get struck when you're relaxed, with your favourite drink or a great coffee in hand! Even more so when you've got a view of the beautiful Nymph of Thermaikos! A scene straight out of an old Greek film, then, but one that laid the groundwork for the band's formation in 2016. The goal was simple and spontaneous: to turn the balcony into a musical rowboat of composition (without necessarily setting out to make a record).

A record that racked up a lot of mileage.

Defying the difficulties of distance, limited free time and equipment, the two friends-like-brothers kept on, and keep on, writing. After all, the will and the desire to make music together is there. According to the guys, as long as it still makes sense and still gives them joy, Drapery Band will keep going.

Black Loone is their first recorded work. It's a record that racked up a lot of miles long before we ever got to hear it. It came together across various locations, like Nea Skioni, Pelasgia and Thessaloniki, from the start of 2018 all the way to the end of 2019. Even though there were long gaps in production due to unforeseeable factors, help from close friends played a significant role in the record's development (special credit especially due to Μάνος Μυλωνάκης).

Compositions that stood out

The EP's six tracks came together as a single seamless whole, out of a wealth of ideas and half-finished songs. Music that captures this whole stretch of composing and everything that happened along the way, despite its short runtime.

The two musicians took on the role of creators across forms and "musical fields" where, for years, they'd only ever played the listener. Listening to the EP, we try to pin down the style of the music into some kind of framework. But often, a big part of the enjoyment comes from the creator's own perspective. Seeing how the composer had it in their head. When we asked the band what genre of music they think they play, the answer was pretty clear-cut. "If the genre 'post-romantic indie punk' existed, we'd happily admit we belong to it, or at least we'd try to."

Music that took us on a journey

Listening to the guys' take on their own musical style, we suddenly feel like it holds up. Indeed, their music is soft and distinctive. It takes you somewhere and conjures images. Its foundations come from the traits of indie style. What struck me was the emphasis the band placed on instrumental sections. The dynamics of the music and the shifts in composition more than made up for the parts where there were no lyrics.

It's a great choice to let the music speak for itself and describe your work. And that's exactly what Drapery Band do. I can say that this first taste of their music has whetted my appetite. I'm waiting eagerly for their next release, hoping they'll still have plenty more to express to us. To Γιώργος and Νίκος themselves I'd say, give more music to the people!

"Black Loone" is out on CD and Digital via Inner Ear. You can find the EP here.