In-Ear Trip
debut album
Magnetic Fields
Love Pigs
In-Ear Trip
The Lost Ghost
Day In The Dark
Blood Type
Sidekicks
Athens Spirit
Devious Soul
Vein Of Light
In-Ear Trip
more info
Andrew Kouretas started the “In-Ear Trip” when he felt the urge and need to express the atmosphere of Exarchia, the center of Athens but through a trip to our inner self, a sinking to the subconscious notion of the heart. Every song started from an “idee fixe”, an idea that stack in his mind after playing and improvising with the guitar or piano and then this idea evolved and became a song for a rock band. The lyrics came afterwards.
A prevalent theme in “In-Ear Trip” album is the urban landscape of the centre of Athens with the buildings and the people in and around them. This is the background of all songs. Additionally, there are some 80’s sci-fi references through some synths sounds, that carry and adapt the urban images as if we had the Athens of the 80’s existing in a different timeline in the future.This quite inspiring metaphor was used often during the making of the album.
The “In-Ear Trip” is a hard rock, post punk journey of the mind through the dark post, progressive and metal city streets towards the light of the future. The inner voice that someone hears only when the music triggers his imagination and his soul. When the headphones are plugged into his ears and then into his brain and take him away.
Recordings-Production
The recordings of all instruments except from the drums took place at Grindhouse Studios Athens with George Bokos (STONE COLD DEAD, GEORGE KOLLIAS, MELECHESH), as a sound engineer. The guitars Andrew played were a Gibson Les Paul, a Fender Stratocaster and for the heavier parts a Fernandes Ravelles Baritone guitar. A Randall 12-channel tube preamp head was used at some songs loaded with top class guitar preamps. Also, the Thermionic Culture Vulture was used as a main guitar sound or even driven by different fuzz and other weird pedals like the Vivider from Salvations Mods.
Andrew and George didn’t use the same gear for all the songs and each time they were experimenting with several amps, guitars and pedals in order to serve the unique vibe of the song. For some of the vocals the natural reverb of the entrance of the studio was used. The keys and synths were played with a Roland FP-7 that was connected as a midi keyboard to Andrew’s Logic Pro X interface.
Dimitris Misirlis recorded and engineered the drum recordings on a SSL 4000 at Matrix Studio Athens.
The production, mix and mastering of the album was made by George Bokos who with his bright musical ideas and thorough technical knowledge gave the album a unique sonar basis and transformed it into a well-structured and passionate work of art.
Album Credits
Music Andrew Kouretas
*Magnetic Fields, The Lost Ghost, Vein Of Light
Andrew Kouretas, George Bokos
Lyrics Andrew Kouretas
Vocals, Guitars, Piano, Keys Andrew Kouretas
Arrangements Andrew Kouretas, George Bokos
Drums Ntinos Roulos
Recording Lineup
Andrew Kouretas guitars, vocals, keys, piano
Ntinos Roulos drums
George Bokos bass
Charis Pazaroulas contrabass
Ioannis Moraitis trumpets
In-Ear Trip Album produced, Mixed and Mastered by George Bokos
Artwork and videos: Konstantinos Papadopoulos (Drunk Design Tripolis)
Album photos: Panos Circus
Website photos: Aggeliki Kokkove