Sounds like…
Conan Osiris has a Greek brother.
The review
Korfian is the moniker of Spyros Psarras. Bringing his Greek heritage with him to a goth-pop party, Korfian’s latest EP ‘Legacy’ is a highly original mix of ideas. Ancient instruments are hiding behind thumping kick drums, synth string arrangements and club keyboards. Front and centre is Korfian’s voice and it will be what makes or breaks your experience of his music.
In 2019, Portugal entered a song into the Eurovision called ‘Telemoveis’ from singer-songwriter Conan Osiris. It was purposely off-key, acutely aware of how avant-garde it was and lent into it in every way. It was strangely hypnotic and alluring and unlike anything else you’d heard for some time. Korfian is cut from exactly the same cloth. Creating big sounds with huge drums, sweeping synths and then throwing unusual Greek instruments around the mix, every beat sounds sinister. The music absolutely excites me in how dark, defiant and bold it is. The way how tracks ‘Growling Thunder’ and ‘White Smoke’ especially evoke an eerie foreboding is superb.
Korfian’s singing is often atonal though. There are moments when he syncs up with the songs melody – especially with his big operatic cries – and you can appreciate the breadth and depth of his vocals. The majority of the time though, his voice is shifting between on and off-key in a way that will be like chalk and cheese to most casual listeners. Only on the track ‘No Limit’ does Korfian stay largely in tune with the thumping bass and it is an excellent track. Elsewhere, such as the title track ‘Legacy’, the vibrato is extremely Eastern European. By this I mean, it’ll cross the most in-tune note at points but largely the voice will oscillate around it. I personally enjoy that when we’re in the weird zone and thankfully we are. Your mileage will greatly vary though.
That is why my caveat here is – if you loved Conan Osiris’ Eurovision entry – you’ll love this and you should add a point or two to the score. If you thought that was absolutely barmy, Korfian is not for you and you should knock a few points off of my score. My personal view is that there is a lot of talent here – especially in the song production side of things – that just needs a bit of shaping vocally so that a future powerhouse in the making can be born. A legacy awaits – divisive or otherwise.
Recommended track: No Limit
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Korfian - Legacy