Spy Das – ‘Plot Twist’: Atmospheric instrumental sound
Spy Das introduces himself with his debut album! The record titled ‘Plot Twist’ is an instrumental rock feast, with a variety of influences and sounds. New entry from Spy Das!
By Dimitris (Bari) Polyzois
The guitarist-composer makes a dynamic start with his debut album ‘Plot Twist‘. Our first taste of his upcoming record came from the single ‘Doin’ Well‘ and ‘Bendface‘. The official release of the album will take place on 1/11/21.
The journey
The Spy Das (known in real life as Σπύρος Γεωργαντάς) was born in Athens in 1993. He is the guitarist/singer of The Vulcan Itch and Mama Sings Fire, while in the past he was a member of Blame Kandinsky, Citizen Jim and Press Esc. He started playing electric guitar at the age of 14 and by the age of 18 he had already managed to become a professional musician, with numerous live performances and collaborations with various musical groups and artists under his belt.
He completed his studies at the Professional Program of Lab Music Education and at the London College of Music with high distinctions and achievements. He has been taught by great musicians such as Γιώργος Καλαβρέζος, Παναγιώτης Κραμπής, Γρηγόρης Ντάνης, Τεό Γκουτσίδης, Aλέξανδρος Φλούρος, Γιώργος Δάφνος.
The music of the album
‘Plot Twist‘ has a great variety of sounds. On one hand we have ‘Doin’ Well‘ which is loaded with electronic elements, and ‘Bendface‘ which brushes up against the style of Ted Nugent! On the flip side, songs like ‘Isolation‘ and ‘My Loneliness‘ are quite calmer and more atmospheric. Throughout the record, the ‘metallic’ tone that characterizes the sound of the stratocaster-type guitars is clear. Generally speaking, Spyros plays with clean and borderline distorted tones.
These elements highlight the rhythmic and soloing parts of the songs. By saying soloing, one should in no way think that these are tracks that wear you out with endless solos. On the contrary, even though this is a guitar-driven record, the lead parts are very discreet and accompany each song.
Editor's Choice: 'Doin' Well'
The ‘Doin’ Well‘ is, in my opinion, a track you should pay special attention to! The album's opening kick is a song that could easily pass as material from Buckethead! Using a mix of electronic sound and guitar sound, it stands out from the rest of the record, presenting something fresh and different. Let's enjoy it!
Credits
Guitars: Spy Das
Bass: Kostas Antoniou
Drums: Chris Vigos
Keyboards on ”My Loneliness’’: George Ahas Lignos
Engineered and mixed by Nikos Chalkousis at Lychnopolis.
Mastered by Bill Lagos.
Design and illustration by Dimitris Nikolis, DN Design.
In conclusion
The Spy Das gives us a wonderful musical greeting with ‘Plot Twist‘. Being an instrumental record, it contains all the technical nuances of Spyros' very distinctive playing. Judging by the music alone, he comes across as a very special guitarist, with lovely compositional ideas that spread their tentacles across multiple genres of music.
What sets the record apart is the simplicity with which the melody is delivered to the listener. The music remains technical and complex, yet it gives us the illusion of simplicity in the way it's presented to us. The album's diversity also stands out, a fact that's spoiling us rotten when it comes to Spyros' future work. Until then, he's certainly managed to land on our musical radar!
