Choir of Young Believers
Encyclopedia
Choir of Young Believers is the musical project of singer, writer and guitarist Jannis Noya Makrigiannis from Copenhagen, Denmark. The band, which consists of Makrigiannis along with a rotating cast of supporting players, has had multiple No 1 hits in its home country and was named the "Best New Act" at the 2009 Danish Music Awards. COYB’s music combines folk melodies, polyphonic vocals, orchestral instrumentation, and dark lyrics.
, in 2006, Makrigiannis moved to the Greek island of Samos
and began developing his own solo material. Upon his return to Copenhagen
, Makrigiannis gathered musicians and friends to form Choir of Young Believers. The group released the EP Burn the Flag in 2007, with the single "Sharpen Your Knife" receiving heavy play on Danish Radio. In September 2008, COYB released its first full length album, This Is For The White In Your Eyes, which was nominated for 6 Danish Music Awards and won the "Best New Act" category. COYB performed at the 2009 SXSW music festival, after which it was signed to US label Ghostly International
who released This Is For The White In Your Eyes in North America on August 18.
History
After the breakup of his previous band, Lake PlacidLake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
, in 2006, Makrigiannis moved to the Greek island of Samos
Samoš
Samoš is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Kovačica municipality, in the South Banat District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,247 people .-See also:...
and began developing his own solo material. Upon his return to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Makrigiannis gathered musicians and friends to form Choir of Young Believers. The group released the EP Burn the Flag in 2007, with the single "Sharpen Your Knife" receiving heavy play on Danish Radio. In September 2008, COYB released its first full length album, This Is For The White In Your Eyes, which was nominated for 6 Danish Music Awards and won the "Best New Act" category. COYB performed at the 2009 SXSW music festival, after which it was signed to US label Ghostly International
Ghostly International
Ghostly International is an American independent record label. Chief artists include Matthew Dear, Dabrye , Mobius Band, and Skeletons & The Girl-Faced Boys, all of which are innovative contributors to the world of music....
who released This Is For The White In Your Eyes in North America on August 18.
Albums
- 2007 Burn the Flag (EP)
- 2007 Choir vs. Evil (EP)
- 2008 This Is for the White in Your Eyes (Ghostly InternationalGhostly InternationalGhostly International is an American independent record label. Chief artists include Matthew Dear, Dabrye , Mobius Band, and Skeletons & The Girl-Faced Boys, all of which are innovative contributors to the world of music....
)
Singles
- 2007 Sharpen Your Knife
- 2009 Action/Reaction (Ghostly InternationalGhostly InternationalGhostly International is an American independent record label. Chief artists include Matthew Dear, Dabrye , Mobius Band, and Skeletons & The Girl-Faced Boys, all of which are innovative contributors to the world of music....
) - 2009 Next Summer (Ghostly InternationalGhostly InternationalGhostly International is an American independent record label. Chief artists include Matthew Dear, Dabrye , Mobius Band, and Skeletons & The Girl-Faced Boys, all of which are innovative contributors to the world of music....
)
Reviews
- Rolling Stone review of This Is for the White in Your Eyes
- Guardian review of Choir of Young Believers
- NPR review of This Is For The White In Your Eyes
Sources
- Choir of Young Believers Page at Ghostly International
- Identity Theory Interview with Jannis Noya Makrigiannis
- Choir of Young Believers on Iceland Airwaves
- Choir of Young Believers on MySpace
External links
- Choir of Young Believers at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Choir of Young Believers at Last.fmLast.fmLast.fm is a music website, founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. It has claimed 30 million active users in March 2009. On 30 May 2007, CBS Interactive acquired Last.fm for UK£140m ....
- Choir of Young Believers at Ghostly InternationalGhostly InternationalGhostly International is an American independent record label. Chief artists include Matthew Dear, Dabrye , Mobius Band, and Skeletons & The Girl-Faced Boys, all of which are innovative contributors to the world of music....
- Track Listing for mixtape