For anyone who attended the inaugural Alpha-ville festival back in 2009, Eleni Adamopoulou should need no introduction – she’s the mother of two projects showcased there, Manekinekod and Magnitophono.
The second edition of Alpha-ville’s podcast series, which you can listen to below, sees the Greek musician appear under her Manekinekod guise. While the artist has taken in a variety of genres over the course of her career, it’s a basic fascination with the noises that surround us, the ways in which they can be manipulated to form fresh narratives when shorn of their original context, that informs her take on digital sound. The podcast sees her select a diverse range of artists who share in this musical sensibility, building something inspired by concrète but also imbued with an accessible musicality and ranging from the glitchy instrumentals of Flying Lotus to the gauzy analogue throb of Atom TM, via her own fluid soundscapes.
Listen: Alpha-podcast presents Manekinekod
We got in touch with Eleni to tell us about approach to production, her musical background and to give us the lowdown on the podcast.
Can you give us some background on your Manekinekod project, how would you describe the music you make?
“Manekinekod was my second music project and has existed since 2007. I created this project to make it a little different than my first one – that was called Magnitophono. I use more industrial beats, narration, and mix it with classical samples. The sound stories are mostly about “digital creatures, machines and futuristic landscapes.”
Can you talk about your evolution as an artist? You began with classical before moving into other areas such as jazz and you’ve even played keyboards in alternative indie bands…
“Knowing not so many things about music at a young age, I started playing classical music first and then tried to explore different ways of thinking through other styles. For me there is always something interesting to explore in all genres of music. Yet I always wanted to create my own sound by mixing elements from everything. Jazz helped me a lot to discover improvisation.
“I also studied music for cinema and did my practice school as a music teacher. I am always fond of things that I don’t really know. And that’s why I find excitement in music, because you never know enough.” Â
Let’s talk about your podcast. Why did you choose these records, did you have a particular goal in mind?
“Choosing the songs for the podcast isn’t really because I know these musicians. I just have an affinity with them and the feelings they share. This podcast works like a dream machine and transports me to most of the places I want to go. It is a map of feelings, using my favourite ones.”
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