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Monika - Avatar

Hype around an artist can always go both ways; make you popular in no time or break you before you even start. This has been the case with so many bands (I ain’t go to start listing) these days. Everyone is looking for the next big thing (especially music bloggers..I guess it’s our favorite game).The same applies with Monika but of’course constrained in the Greek world. The 21 year old singer/songwriter released her debut album Avatar around a month ago (May 19 on Archangel Music label) after a long wait by the built-up hype. I had promised to review it for sometime now, but I guess it’s better late than never (especially now that the original enthusiasm has subsided).

I have given the album numerous listens and in general I must say I really like it. I don’t dare judge it as a Greek album, cause then I would just have to give it a 5/5 from the first listen and that would just be unfair. Monika has a great voice and is obviously talented. The record also sounds very personal and truthful for a debut, with some of the tracks being really wonderful but unfortunately some others sounding like you’ve heard them somewhere before. I would really love this one to be a great album but it lacks in details that could have made it so much better. For a debut, this one is really great but it shows that Monika needs to work even more in order to produce something special next time around. But then again, that’s a good thing, since it will keep us looking forward to her future work and if the hype doesn’t break her, we could be looking at one of the first female songwriters that could make it big even outside Greece. The best of luck then…and we’ll be waiting for the next steps…

Misery Loves Company


Are You Coming With Us?


Over the Hill


Artist.Site Buy.MPGreek

4 Comments »

  • χμ τι μου θυμίζει τι μου θυμίζει. Αν ναι, φωνή Pj Harvey, μελωδία Pj Harvey,στιχοι Pj Harvey στα 21. Ναι για ελληνικό είναι καλό album όπως πολύ σωστά ειπες,με άψογη ενορχήστρωση, αλλά αν είσαι πάνω από 25 και έχει ένα υποτιθέμενο γούστο στη μουσική και έχει ακούσει και κάτι πέρα από mainstream ποπ ροκ είσαι σίγουρος ότι αυτό το album το χεις ξανακούσει και δεν ενθουσιάζεσαι. έχει πολύ καλή προφορά όμως η κοπέλα! Συγνώμη για τα ελληνικά στο σχόλιο...

  • Don't worry για τα ελληνικά (οι περισσότεροι εξάλλου ετσι απαντάμε)..Όσο για τη Μόνικα, σαφώς και έχει εμφανής επιρροές αλλα:
    α. Υποστηρίζουμε κάθε ελληνική προσπάθεια που ξεφεύγει από τη μπουζουκοκρατία έστω και αν δεν είναι τέλεια
    β. Ντεπούτο είναι (το λέω γιατί το έχω ακούσει με πολλά συγκροτήματα τελευταία...δυστυχώς δεν μπορούν όλοι να βγάζουν ένα Funeral για ντεπούτο)...οπότε τα καλά σημαδια της φωνής και η δημιουργική της ικανότητα μας δίνει ελπίδες για το μέλλον..

    Αυτά τα λίγα :-)

  • I live in UK and only very recently heard a track from Monika, or I should say ‘The track from Monika ‘Over the Hills’.
    I am of the opinion this song would be up there amongst the best here in UK, but if not here definitely anywhere else in Europe. She is not just a very talented individual but also a clever one, (undergraduate in Mathematics)….
    She should represent Greece in the Eurovision even with this song, (with a sharper execution), she would win the competition by a mile.
    This quality is rear anywhere, and she sings with confidence.
    Send this song to the BBC as a ‘white label’ to the attention of ‘Jules Holland’, hey I will even to him myself if I have to….but make no mistake Monika is simply exceptional!!!
    I listen to a great deal of music, and I am always in the look out for new material…this is the best discovery for the last six months…
    The recording of this track is very poor and does not justify its quality as a song…
    Well, I will buy her music anytime!!!

  • Monika is simply amazing. Since you liked her, check out her brother as well (very talented and a great debut) Lumiere Brother http://www.myspace.com/lumierebrother

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