EP1 by Xcellence
"have been so good to me" begin the subdued voices on "Perfectionism And Its Flaws", gracefully revealing the complexity in the heart of Xcellence's incoming "EP1".
The EP, served as a blank slate for the 23-year-old classical musician, electronic artist and composer in a pivotal moment in his life. Having just moved to Athens and after a three-year break from writing music (instead focusing on finishing his classical studies, performing and teaching), Xcellence - real name Nikolas Papadopoulos - used the process of finishing and releasing this EP, as an outlet to re-evaluate his approach to creating and releasing music in a new and healthier way.
"Working on this EP was essentially the first step towards me re-learning to love the process of creating and embracing the small imperfections in art, even highlighting them when that feels the most genuine and natural approach".
And working in this way seems to have done the trick for him. From the straight-forward, surgically-executed singles "Pieces" and "keep running", to the singular "FREE" and the ethereal sonic tapestries of "yes, thank you", Xcellence's nostalgic dance music sounds his most instictive but mature yet. The record is constantly juxtaposing from electronic to organic sounding, while the soundscapes keep the listener guessing which elements have been programmed digitally and which have been performed live. hint: it was all crafted inside his diy bedroom studio.
Nikolas Papadopoulos - the driving force behind Xcellence - is a creative who's tricky to pinpoint. There's the classical percussionist, graduating with honors, who's working with orchestras and ensembles - most notably part of the European Student Orchestra. The composer, whose original works and liberal takes on classics from Hans Zimmer to Ravel alike, are performed by these ensembles and more. But first and foremost, there's the elusive electronic producer, whose flurry of emotionally-charged future bass tunes, climbs the Soundcloud and Audiomack charts in hours and takes him from symphonic concerts and operas, to festival stages in his home country, Greece. Always restless - and easily bored - he follows with constant 180-degree turns from the nostalgic house signed by Proximity (Tell Me When) - appearing in gaming streams watched by hundreds of thousands worldwide - to the colourful indie-pop receiving editorial support from Spotify and Soundcloud (Breathe) and the invigorating classical-electronic experiments that fall under the radar of labels like Ninja Tune, Polydor, FFC, Because Music and more. His innovative projects “Sleepless” and “Z” featured 15-piece live ensembles and merged electronic music with classical percussion, creating immersive live performances and showcasing the multifaceted interests, deeply rooted in his core.
"There's not one thing I prefer the most, I really do love all of it" he says from inside his studio in Corfu, where posters of early influences Flume and Madeon hang on the walls, while LPs of current loves Floating Points, Sault and Kelela are scattered in the room among others. His "studio" was his childhood bedroom, up until recently. Now having moved to Athens to the same bedroom setup but ambitious as ever, he wants to bring these influences into molding his sound. His work is becoming less single-oriented, in favor of a more holistic and conceptual approach. "It's easy to take creating art too seriously I think. I'm trying to escape that and relearn to love the instictual aspect of it". And working in this way seems to have done the trick for him. His incoming "EP1" feels natural and organic, yet his most refined and mature body of work yet.
Tracklist
| 1. | Perfectionism And Its Flaws | 1:32 |
| 2. | FREE | 1:03 |
| 3. | Pieces | 2:18 |
| 4. | keep running | 3:18 |
| 5. | yes, thank you | 2:12 |
Credits
Written, produced, mixed, mastered and artwork by Xcellence
