Showcase: Ghone

"Ghone" live @Place by Manos Chrysovergis

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"Ghone" is a rather peculiar entity. It is a native of Athens, Greece, found in the dark corners of the city, brooding and composing its tunes in the shadows cast by the ancient temples of the Hellenic pantheon and high-rise buildings of the urban sprawl. It is an extraordinarily rare being, only one of its kind known to exist, currently residing in the body of a musical maestro known as John Kontandreopoulos. John has been a powerhouse for creating a mesmerizing concoction of experimentally ambient noise. Proof of this is that since 2011 he has amassed twelve releases under the “Ghone” tag and has no apparent intention to stop.
Personally, I was exposed to this music by mere accident back in 2012 when “Ghone” opened a show for “Nadja” and Aidan Baker in Novi Sad, Serbia. The epilogue of this concert was phenomenal and all of my thoughts about it back then were summarized in a gig review which I wrote here. I think I wasn’t as nearly as descriptive (edit: annoying) with describing the experience in that article, but the bottom line is that I was severely impressed, both from the audial and the visual perspective. It was stunning to see one person creating such a vast and abundant soundscape, especially considering that the way he performed was completely new to me. Using drumsticks as a tool for playing bass, what? Creating such a massive wall of sound with so little equipment? If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t believe it. Back then such creative insanity was a whole new dimension of music to me and I never saw someone play music live in such a way. All of this immediately made me want to delve deeper into the rest of the music made under the name of “Ghone”. However, in 2012 there was only one other record available on his bandcamp page.

“Luceum Sequimur”, recorded and released near the end of 2011, is  the “Ghone” first-born. Consisting of only one song (keep in mind that this is something you’ll notice to be a trend with this artist), a 17 minute long eerie ambient crawl, slowly sucking you in with droning vibrations and tubular resonances. It takes you on a space-like voyage filled with vastness and nostalgia, later on replaced with a much more claustrophobic sounds sprinkled with tiny sporadic tingling noises, as if you just landed on some strange alien planet. The song builds up towards a climactic anti-climax ending, which sounds like a paradox, but it makes sense in a strange way. On one hand, the aforementioned tingling kept hinting that there was going to be something horrific waiting at the end but finishes on such a note that it leaves you hanging and wanting more. Yet on the other hand, to me this represents the branching evolutionary path for future work, which can be visible as such once you view the entire discography as a whole. “Ghone” has just begun playing with your senses and this is simply saying that he will be back and more will follow.
Published as a 3’’ CDr, “Luceum Sequimur” was made to be a limited tour release and has been sold out since then. Worth noting is that it seems like the 3’’ medium has been a favorite of “Ghone”, something that I’m really loving actually, as I am a huge fan of these less popular formats.

A while after I attended the show in Novi Sad I went back to the bandcamp page and I was pleasantly surprised to see the gig recording offered to people as a proper release. Another surprise came in the form of more material, namely “Untitled”, recorded straight to a cassette without further editing. It consists of two songs, together ramping up to 40 minutes in duration. The first track immediately hooks you in with melancholic tones periodically layered with a distant spoken word. The monophonic synthesizer used to perform this provides such a fragile tune which leaves a strong impression on the listener. Some minutes into the song you get thrown into a whirlwind of crazy sounds being generated by a loop station. The whole mid-section of the song is so weirdly layered, sounding like a straight up LSD trip in a room full of twirling memories. Eventually it starts calming down, as if the trip is wearing off, and drifts off into a droning tone.
The second “Untitled” song is my favorite, as it manages to quickly set the overall mood and keeps it strong until the very end. Right from the start you’re faced with vibrating tones building up with intensity, so much so that you are feeling like they are going to lash out at you all of a sudden. The entire song keeps a steady momentum with one specific wave-length of sound, but then along the way it introduces a different pitch or a single note that completely changes the moment, as if you’re discovering a whole new chapter of some unknown story. I got some exceptionally strong cyberpunk vibes from this one, painting images of bleak, rain-soaked dystopian cities in my head.
This release came in an extremely limited physical format consisting of only 10 cassettes, each with a unique handmade collage cover. As you will see, stuff like this is a bit of a “Ghone” signature when it comes to physical releases, as it seems to me that most of them are true works of art by themselves.

To be absolutely honest, after this release I somewhat drifted away from “Ghone” and I failed to come back to it for quite some years. It is only now in 2019. while in the process of resuscitating the blog that I returned to it. During my hibernation “Ghone” was tireless, so once I came back there were nine (9!) new releases waiting for my ears, oh the pleasure!

I decided to listen chronologically, so “Amen.Ophis” was first on the list. Similarly to “Untitled”, this is another two song release and on this occasion it is on the shorter side as far as “Ghone” standards go, consisting of “only” 15-ish minutes of music. Let me tell you immediately, this one could very well be a soundtrack of a mind-bending horror movie.
The first song, “Amen” oozes with dread, a tension-filled composition which provides superb background ambiance for a persistent mantric singing sample. The way it builds up, it truly feels like you’re walking into a cave and stumbling upon an eldritch ritual performed by a cult worshiping some unknown entity. Add to this the fact that throughout the song you can periodically hear some kind of squeaky noise, as if made by a rocking chair, superbly adding eeriness to the already horrific scene.
“Ophis” does not lack in horror either, only this time it takes on a wholly different form, as if the sleeping god was successfully awakened by the previously mentioned ritual. There are these unexpected thumping and explosive electrical shocks which don’t fail to make you feel unnerved somehow. The squeaky noise is present again, this time in the final moments of the song, making the whole release somehow come full circle.
It was fascinating how some of these subtle tones weaved together manage to create certain images in your mind. Who knows what kind of image or inspiration was in John’s head while creating this and maybe I’m completely off with what the “aim” of his music is, but whatever the background and whatever the message, something manages to get across to the listener in a successful way.
To put it mildly, I was impressed. So immediately after I finished listening, I knew that it would be amazing to talk to the person behind “Ghone” and to help spread the word about the music via an interview.

While writing the initial message to get in touch, I put “10.6.2012” as background music. This release comes along with an interesting “one day” concept, meaning that the entire thing was written and recorded within a single day. It is an initiative from “Somehow Ecstatic Records” based in Greece, where they invite numerous artists to have a take on this recording concept. Most of these releases are available for free download on their bandcamp page found here, while the physical format is always limited to 30 hand-numbered copies. Give them a listen.
The contribution to this initiative done by “Ghone” are two surprisingly contrasting pieces. The first track is filled with calming noise, droning you into serenity. It starts off in an aggressive fashion and being exceptionally loud around the 4 minute mark, but the more the song goes on the more it shifts in dynamic and eventually it begins emitting a lulling bass tune. Even the buzzing and crackling of static near the end seems to be calming in a way and the vocal samples bursting through are somewhat assuring.
The second one, to me, was not so relaxing and is somehow a stark difference to the first part of the release. The whole song is infested with some sort of static-induced high pitched wail, which truly tickles the nerves. This crackling noise also permits a deeply low, rumbling growl to vibrate along, which in unity makes you feel like you’re standing in the midst of some lightning-charged electric maelstrom. It certainly gets its point across, whatever that point may be, but I feel like this is not pleasant for every day listening, or at least it isn’t as peaceful as its predecessor.
Ultimately, when you take into account that these two songs are roughly 40 minutes in length, the “one day” thing mentioned above becomes truly impressive.

“Varstatg Arre” is by far the shortest “Ghone” track, but the background is interesting. The song is actually a part of a compilation called “Protos Orofos - 4” which includes 13 artists in total. “First Floor”, as the two words translate from Greek, is a group of people who organize concerts for experimental bands, which take place at 1ος Όροφος (“on the first floor”), in Thessaloniki. And thus, a new compilation comes out each year (currently ramping up to issue #11), featuring artists who played the year before. I actually ended up picking the whole #4 compilation from a guy in Serbia and it is worth the listen for every single performer. Highly recommended that you check it out, you can easily find the CD on Discogs for cheap.
As far as “Ghone” goes, the contributed song is short and direct. A slow four minute long drive through static noise enhanced with deep rumbling wobbles and barely noticeable electric tingling.

A year long break followed for “Ghone” only for it to come back better than ever with “Imnissel Mill Dinja”, featuring an hour long monster of a song. The bandcamp page linked below actually has this track split in two, but the CD version features the original full-length. Worth mentioning is that this was recorded as part of a rehearsal for the first “Fresh Music Festival” in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
This release brings me back into “this should be a soundtrack” territory, as this is some unbelievably good ambiance work. “Part 1” features excellent usage of the electric double bass, at times sounding sophisticated and classical, yet at others it seems broken and mad. The deep vibrations of the instrument take you on a 19 minute voyage through some truly desolate soundscapes, pierced by high pitched screeching and feedback that could wake the dead.
“Part 2” continues with this same clash on a much grander scale and it is actually no surprise that these two parts were originally one song. It simply does not let you rest. Every tone produced here is at its maximum, be it in the form of the resonant moaning taking you to new ever-lower depths, of the bass feedback tormented to the point of screaming or even in the form of both these extremes clashing together to form a cacophony of sound.
This second part, at times, reminds me of the soundtrack (surprise, surprise) of the “S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl” video game, as you continually feel unnerved and on edge during all these twists and turns. Especially near the end when certain smashing sounds are heard and you feel like it’s someone bashing on your door trying to murder you. Superb release and probably one of my favorites!

Half a year later we come to witness the birth of something very interesting. A new chapter of sorts in the history of “Ghone”, the start of collaborative split work with other musicians. Symbolically, the premier one is called “The First Harvest”, a split with Greek experimental post-rock act known as “The Dandelion Fields”. I won’t go too far into reviewing their part of the split, but in short they deliver a grim, bleak and even existentially nihilistic sound. For the most part the songs are peacefully brooding, yet deeply melancholic and sad, especially when you delve deeper into the lyrics.
On the other end of the spectrum, “Ghone” did an excellent job in following up with that specific tone set by the other collaborator. John opted to present a less noisy version of “Ghone”, focusing more on a compressed soundscape. The sounds burst towards you in a rippling motion, as if their full power is contained in an endlessly moving bubble and only snippets of volume come to attack your ears. For the most part it seems like the bubble you’re facing is filled with scratching noises or chains being dragged across a huge hallway made of metal. Near the end of the track there is a bass-infused rumbling sound, reminiscent of the one displayed in “10.6.2012”, but in a calmer tone and thus tying up with the melancholy created by “The Dandelion Fields” part.

Not even a full month after the split “Rushing for Coal” was released. I’m not a 100% sure why, but just by looking at the cover of this one I got excited and I had a clear feeling that this was going to be something different. Writing this now I can say that the feeling was weirdly accurate.
This release has been cut into three songs, all clocking out at around 30 minutes total.  “Somm” is the opening track and it perfectly sets the tone for the entire thing. A somber mix of gloomy synths and soft electrical currents produce a strange feeling of listening to some long forgotten voice message noise decaying in a loop stretched out to infinity. This is continued and expanded upon in “Naam”, which greatly expands the pensive mood, especially in moments when guitar tones are introduced. It paints such a bleak picture in your head, reminding me at times of some works produced by “Earth” on their more dark jazzy albums. The guitar creates excellent dark jazz/folk sounds, completely overtaking the song and taking it into its own direction. This mutates to a whole different level on the final song called “Ruum”, as the guitar takes an aggressive turn creating an echoing wall of distortion. This violent burst of sound is only brief and it seems like it was placed as a cutting point to let more calm notes back in. The synthesizer is back in the spotlight from this spot onward and it somehow takes the sounds from the first song and morphs them into a gentle, almost hopeful and cheery tune.

A hibernation period ensued and roughly two years passed until a new release appeared. Next in line was another split and this time a live one at that! Recorded live at Ypogeio, Thessaloniki on 21st May, 2017, when “Ghone” performed along/with “Six Steps Above The Earth”.
There’s a big contrast when comparing this and “The First Harvest” split. There we saw “The Dandelion Fields” opening and setting the tone which “Ghone” gradually took and morphed, while sticking to the mood previously established. Here, however, the roles swapped and it feels like “Ghone” is building the setting. Opening up with a sample of some beautiful music by Astrud Gilberto (the song “Trains and Boats and Planes”, to be exact), “Ghone” starts slowly piercing the melody with clean, sharp noises. He gradually adds more and more elements, the low growling bass, static showers, gentle folkish guitar tunes changing into resonant feedback. By the end of the 20 minute track you come to a conclusion that this seems like a perfectly condensed showcase of what “Ghone” is. This seems to be an excellent comeback piece after such a long wait.
The second song is actually an introductory jam between “Ghone” and “Six Steps Above The Earth”, which is a really eerie, yet madly entertaining track. They somehow layered the tones well, the former providing consistent shifting ambiance while the latter introduces creepy string plucking melodies. Great improvisational skills on all sides as you feel both contribute with their own tones, sounding broken and perfectly aligned at the same time.
The final part of the split/live is reserved for the split partner, who bring out a slow and noisy drone-inspired doom. A tongue twister for sure, but worth checking out, as I find them to be a solid stage partner for “Ghone”.

Our showcase artist goes to sleep for another two years and comes back with a new split release in 2017, this time with a project called “Modelbau”. Full name of the entire collaboration is “Zagtel Jaar Mileit / Pulse/Phases”.
“Ghone” has been absolutely superb on this one, simply because you can sense the evolution of the project which has been gifted by these yearly breaks. The titular song possesses a sublime note to it, presenting a clean cut amount of noise that is highly technical and accurate. He plays with only a handful of electrical notes, but the culmination of those is no longer a cacophony of harshness, but is instead a precise purring of a well-oiled machine. It oozes with a sense of minimalism that is rich with various elements at the same time.
Same can be said for “Modelbau”, the experimental electronic act of Frans De Waard. The seven tracks that make up “Pulse/Phases” are hitting the ceiling of minimalism with droning ambient tunes which are borderline meditative.

By now it is safe to say that this “two year hibernation” experiment has been an absolute benefit for “Ghone”, as all these releases have been some of my favorites. The same applies to the final addition called “Sram Schet” which saw the light of day in 2019 as a live recording of a show done in April of the same year.
We’re back in soundtrack land and I honestly believe that this is peak “Ghone” material in those regards. This brilliantly horrific track takes you on a 23 minute deep dive into a decaying rust-covered haunted (mad) house. Or post-apocalyptic ruins of a once vastly populated city. Or a thick, vast forest filled with shadows and moving eyes or whichever other scenario gets your spine tingling.  It’s creepy. It’s chilling. It gives you goosebumps. And it’s done perfectly. You hear how “Ghone” plays with sounds, keeping the overall mood at an edge, but adding layers, melding them together, breaking the pattern with unexpected high pitched samples and then putting it back together, but never stopping. It is times like these where I wish the tracks had lyrics, as I imagine that they would have quite a story to tell. Then again, the music paints a far better picture than words ever could.

There you have it ladies and gentlemen, “Ghone” in the smallest of nutshells. Each of the above listed releases is worthy of a longer, proper review. It feels like each of them successfully manages to transfer a unique feeling, which I think a lot of noise artists can’t always achieve.

To sum this whole showcase up, if I had to rank my top 3 “Ghone” releases, my list would look something like this:
#1 - Sram Schet
#2 - Rushing For Coal
#3 - Imnissel Mill Dinja
#honorable mention - split w/ Modelbau (as the #1 split release)

Overall, as mentioned at the start of the showcase, I’m impressed by “Ghone” and have been captivated by it ever since I heard the first tone. Objectively, there are areas where it excels at and some which might be room for improvement. Some tracks are intimidatingly long and they could be a bit shorter while still managing to get the feels across to the listener. This is why I would love to see John exploring some shorter song formats, as I think some of these already existing briefer tracks are surprisingly impactful. Similarly, at times I much more prefer “Ghone” in the clean cut, more minimalistic and technical incarnation, compared to the harsh noise variant simply because I feel like the cleaner ones manage to send a stronger message.
And yet, whatever kind of opinion you have regarding “Ghone”, one thing is for certain. It is a passion project in constant motion and evolution, ever-growing and forever changing. It is a machine fueled by creativity, a thing which it doesn’t seem to run out of, and thus you never truly know what will another release bring. “Ghone” can slow down, but it will never stop.
I hope these little snippets of my thoughts are enough to inspire you to check out this wondrous noise from Greece. You can find the entire discography up on bandcamp found here, some selected works on youtube here and you can also follow “Ghone” on the official facebook page found here.

As promised, this showcase will be shortly followed by an interview I did with John, which will be up on the blog this upcoming Thursday. Great conversation, truly can’t wait to share it with you all. Stay tuned!