Easy-to-digest rave, trance, happy hardcore and pop beats wrapped around revolutionary, original Greek lyrics
By Katerina Florous
I first heard Nekrotsoulithra’s tracks—probably at some student party or in a cramped, smoky bar somewhere in downtown Athens. Dancey, playful lyrics and something retro, straight out of 2000s euro pop, which I actually never lived through myself.
“Death by Death in Patissia,” “666,” “The Most Beautiful Disgrace” — just a few of the most popular songs by the artist behind this hybrid band, Giorgos Katapodis. Friends had urged me to go to a Nekrotsoulithra gig, where the much-promised “chaos” of the lyrics apparently comes to life. Consecutive sold-out shows across Athens and Thessaloniki, and recently, a mini expansion of this sweet onstage gang at a Greek party welcoming night in Amsterdam. And I say gang, because ten to fifteen guys storm the stage — clearly having the time of their lives, transmitting a pulse unlike anything the Greek crowd is used to.
But the central figure of the gang is Giorgos — a punk-rooted artist with plenty of mileage in other types of bands. He admits he’s had no formal training in music, calling himself self-taught on the piano, where he writes all the melodies. As for the lyrics, inspiration seems to come straight from Athenian nightlife — its rights and wrongs alike — speaking openly about all kinds of addictions that flood the lives of young and old alike.
Talking with the widely known alt-youth favorite Nekrotsoulithra (a name derived from Greek slang for drugs), I learn that the project, which began as an idea in 2016, initially served as a side act to the self-described disco punk band Nurse of War, where Giorgos had previously played. So, tentatively and at first in English, the first Nekrotsoulithra songs appeared — like “The Exorcism of Queen Sophia” — where the sound draws cleverly from happy hardcore, “soft” rave written on trance beats (think German pop artist Blümchen, Aqua) with lyrics deeply rooted in Greek subcultures.
“I like music to have lyrics in the language its creators actually speak — it brings variety and keeps things interesting”, Giorgos emphasizes during our chat, firmly advocating for Greek lyrics in his songs to preserve their authenticity, while somehow maintaining — in a delightfully odd way — both the essence and evolution of Greek party life and a punk attitude.
Thematically, the focus circles around the usuals of the party lifestyle — drinks, substances, friendships, and love — but also dives into existential questions about vanity and self-obsession. I know what I know — you better listen for yourself to hear what fresh Greek sound means today.
Of course, Giorgos isn’t alone. Alongside him stand the producers — currently DJ Leo, and in the past Giorgos Makrakis and ph0fyX — since, as Giorgos himself told me, he follows a more hip-hop setup with mic and DJ. They, and many others, bring their provocatively improvised and edgy outfits to stages across Greece, joining the audience in one happy, euphoric, and slightly hazy crowd.
Listen to Nekrotsoulithra’s new album now and follow the gang on social media — help them take their madness abroad once again and shake you up with their modern beats.
