Phases of Time

Kikis A. Apostolou

The instrumental part offers various moods and sounds, powerful but with angel-like female voice as […]
By Michel Ichiman Fernandes
August 29, 2018
Kikis A. Apostolou - Phases of Time album cover

The instrumental part offers various moods and sounds, powerful but with angel-like female voice as "Under Confusion" or a guitar lesson with Armenian-like opening and relaxing ("Shadow of an Angel's Wing").  Amongst those instrumental pieces, we also have a nice collaboration that is fluid and clear, offering a nice combination with the drums including some Flamenco ("Full Moon In Spain"), a clear as a crystal delightful track played with smooth drums and a guitar that lifts you up, to guide you far away to the sky, a nice ballad, with a great melody that will invite you to the ballroom, or to relax, ("Black Orpheus"), a nice guitar tempo,dynamic drums,  and with organ-like sounding keyboards, but also an ending theme which is called "Ending Theme" that sounds like a farewell, being cool but not sad, making it a great tune, a kind of apotheosis for the album.

There are a lot of features to offer the best interpretation of each instrument on the different songs, to show a full range of Kiki's Art as well as a composer than as a guitar player.  As "Armies of the Cheruvim" (wth Nicholas Leptos and Bob Katsionis) sounds like a good 80's song, as Europe could offer, but with clear and powerful voice, and a rousing chorus, supported by efficient guitar,drums, and keyboard. "Living in a Carton Tent"  has a 80's – 90's oriented mood, little bit like EUROPE with a more profound voice, and a chorus dealing with nightmares even if this track is none of this and more a good moment of melodic music or a nice dream. Still in a 80's style, good old 80's Rock but with a hoarse and dynamic voice and some David Bowie accents, "Down On My Knees" uses aerial guitar and keyboards to send us higher and further, in a nice musical trip that we wish could not end so quickly. The chorus of this song will make you imagine David Bowie singing with a South American band like ELF, and the whole tune is really joyful.

In a different mood both "Through Laughter and Cries" and "Point Of No Return" use organ-like keyboards. The first one using it with guitar to introduce us to a cool but not sad mood, offering an in-between moment, like an hymn with a chorus that enables the voice to express itself clearly, and the second one using it powerfully to make it sound like a church's organ, making it sound like a DEEP PURPLE song, especially with its great guitar solo.  All the tracks are huge, but this one is especially so. Every instrumental track and song are great moments of music, offering an open range of what someone gifted can produce with an instrument.

<

9 / 10

Almost Perfect

Songwriting

9

Musicianship

8

Memorability

8

Production

8
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"Phases of Time" Track-listing:

1. Under Confusion
2. Shadow of an Angel's Wings
3. Armies of the Cheruvim
4. Full Moon in Spain
5. Living in a Carton Tent
6. Heaven Wish
7. Down on my Knees
8. Through Laughter and Cries
9. Black Orpheus
10. Point of No Return
11. Ending Theme

Kikis A. Apostolou Lineup:

Nicholas Leptos, ,Tania Kikidi, Pavlos Gregoras, Jimmy Mavromatis - Vocals
Andreas Papamichalopoulos  - Vocals, Accoustic Guitar
Kikis A. Apostolou - Guitars, Drums (programming)
Christos Agathokleous - Bass
Angelos Doukas, Bob Katsionis - Keyboards

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