Φώτης Δεληνικόλας – 'Alma': Instrumental aura, with multiple styles
Φώτης Δεληνικόλας introduces himself to us with his first, personal work. His record titled 'Alma' constitutes an orchestral musical quest. Φώτης Δεληνικόλας reveals himself to us!
By Dimitris (Bari) Polyzois
The Φώτης Δεληνικόλας is revealed to us! The composer and guitarist from Athens, with numerous projects, collaborations, musical stints and live performances around the world under his belt, introduces us to his first solo work, which bears the title "Alma".
A guitarist from a young age
Fotis started playing professionally at the age of 16. He had the chance to work with several bands and artists and get involved with different musical genres, such as hard rock, progressive rock, funk, soul and pop.
The numerous projects he has taken part in have given him the chance to play music in a great many places around the world, among others, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Sardinia, and Australia.
'Alma' in his career
Fotis's debut album is – mainly – a lockdown-era work, although it also includes compositions written quite a while earlier. In any case, it's the result of hard work and a lot of love, which managed to ease things for Fotis, helping him deal with the difficulty of the times. With his mind cleared of everything unnecessary, he simply wanted to express himself through his music.
As a result, he has pulled off an album, but also a guitar expressiveness full of emotion. A variety of compositions and a philosophical approach, genuinely admirable, since all his influences, from various musical genres, from all the years of his journey, have found their place and their role in "Alma", achieving his original goal: an album with a uniform character and a cohesive result.
On the Music
The music of 'Alma‘ is really something special. It has a lot of different elements woven together, creating an interesting mix that's bound to send you off on musical explorations! The album's style leans into Progressive Metal. There's no shortage of electronic elements either, which give the sound a different feel. On the tracks you'll hear a plethora of sounds and melodies that don't come only from guitar, and they usually make heavy use of effects.
Fotis's sound is mainly distorted. What's impressive is that there are tracks where, through the mix, that characteristic 'metallic' tone of the Telecaster he occasionally uses comes through! That alone (the fact that we can pick out the guitar type) is a badge of honor for the album's production.
From a rhythmic standpoint, ‘Alma‘ is extremely labyrinthine (how could it not be, being a progressive album). The tracks move through rhythmic patterns that are constantly shifting. I'd say no track stays 'static' — instead it 'flows' like a river, but one with no predetermined course. That's what makes Fotis's music stand out.
There's not much left to say about Fotis's technique! He's an exceptional guitarist with a real talent for cooking up sounds and melodies, even when playing something very simple. He's a highly melodic musician, though compositionally, I feel that in some spots the riffs are so dense that the listener struggles to focus. Still, throughout the whole listen, I catch myself on edge, eagerly awaiting the next melody.
Editor's Choice: 'Run'
One of the most distinctive spots on the record is the track ‘Run‘. It's a song that could easily be the soundtrack to a chase movie. Musically, here we get to see a wide range of the techniques that define Fotis, and its main riff is excellent. The tone used is very reminiscent of the technique of Steve Vai! Let's enjoy it!
Credits
Mix Dimitris Radis
Mastering Αποστόλης Σιώπης (Siopis Masters)
On keys for the tracks "Alma” and “Dualism” Pavlos Culturemidis
Artwork Anastasia Konstantakou
On the filming of the videos “Seasons” and “Dualism” Apostolos Liagkas
Vocals on the track “Alma” Alex Simon Papaconstantinou
Tzouras on the track “Brainwash” Stavros Chilas
All compositions and music are by Φώτη Δεληνικόλα.
'Alma' Tracklist:
- Brainwash
- Alma
- Chimera
- Dualism
- Raindrop
- Run
- Judas
- Nexus
- Seasons
In conclusion
‘Alma‘ is a record that demands the listener's attention. Its complexity makes it stand out and at the same time offers a multifaceted musical experience. The density of the melodies is huge, but if you push through that, as listeners you'll be in a state of constant surprise, since no track follows a predictable path.
The first fully-realised musical effort by Φώτη Δεληνικόλα can be called impressive, so much so that it seems hard to imagine what could follow it. Either way, Φώτης made an ‘Alma‘ and planted himself firmly in our musical consciousness!
