Island Seeds, the musical collective born out of Nicosia’s buffer zone, announced the release of their new single “Who Would Have Thought?”.
The song deals with the feeling of estrangement after growing apart from someone dear: Why do human connections turn sour sometimes? Even when you’ve put so much of yourself on the line to make it work. And what’s worse; the disconnection itself or the manner of the fading away?
Following the release of their second single, Island Seeds will be presenting their debut album Beginnings at the Nicosia International Festival, bringing their “Mediterranean Soul” sound of addictive melodies and psychedelic-infused grooves to the island’s capital, on the 29th of November 2023.
Beginnings constitutes a distinctive offering of a musical journey that started with the Island Seeds’ first single “Stray Cat”; a humorous take on the adventures of a stray cat in Nicosia’s buffer zone, incorporating names, streets, and buildings from the band’s location of birth.
Quintessentially Cypriot and yet effortlessly outward looking, the entire album couples a hopeful personal outlook with a sense of resigned inevitability, melodically dovetailing between humor and irony.
In overcoming personal, physical, and mental barriers to create Beginnings, Island Seeds show the possibilities of inspiration, creation, and collaboration when connection and empathy is at the heart of engagement.
Island Seeds is comprised of eight artists and musicians from Cyprus’ largest two communities. Brought together by Home for Cooperation and the ‘United by Sound’ program’s creative director Lefteris Moumtzis, the collective becomes a medium of musical self-discovery and experimentation, drawing from each member’s own musical path and career. As such, the Island Seeds is like no other group in Cyprus, unique in its composition, sound, and ethos.
The special guest for the evening at the Nicosia International Festival is the well-known artist Nama Dama who will open the night with her original set that incorporates live looping and storytelling.
Island Seeds are: Ezgi Akgürgen on vocals, Alexis Sunder on guitar and vocals, Cemre Arca on flute, keys, and vocals, Alexandros Komodromos on electric guitar, Arman Tatlicioglu on electric bass, Alexandra Astreou-Karides on electric guitar, Ulaş Öğüç on drums and Odysseas Vlamis on the keyboard.
Island Seeds is powered by the Home for Cooperation under its United by Sound program. This program benefits from a grant under the Active Citizens Fund through the EEA and Norway Grants (2014-2021), financed by Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
