The Greek Composer Sets A Patient, Cinematic Tone Where Restraint Carries The Emotion
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Markos Chaidemenos’s new album Light Beam opens with “Si-iS,”
a piece that unfolds with quiet intent, setting the tone for a record built on restraint, atmosphere, and emotional precision. Rather than announcing itself, the track draws the listener inward, establishing a sonic language that prioritizes space and subtlety over immediacy.
Chaidemenos came to the piano at 16, a late start that continues to shape his approach. There’s a deliberateness to his writing, as though each note is placed with care rather than impulse. His academic path, from Athens to a Master’s in Jazz Performance, is evident in his technical command, but Light Beam signals a shift away from demonstration and toward immersion. “Si-iS”
captures that evolution, leaning into a more narrative sensibility where composition becomes a vehicle for mood and movement.
Built on restraint, the track centres on the interplay between piano and strings. Neither element dominates. Instead, they move in close conversation, allowing silence and negative space to carry as much weight as melody. There’s a cinematic quality to the arrangement, but it avoids excess. Chaidemenos focuses on subtle shifts in harmony and texture, creating a sense of internal motion that unfolds gradually rather than pushing forward.
That approach expands immediately on the album’s title track, “Light Beam,”
which follows and introduces Irini Arabatzi’s vocal. Where “Si-iS”
remains instrumental, “Light Beam”
broadens the palette, integrating voice as part of the composition rather than placing it above. Arabatzi’s presence adds a human dimension without disrupting the balance, marking a key evolution in Chaidemenos‘s work as he moves toward a more holistic form of storytelling.
Recorded at Noisy King Studios, the album reflects a collaborative process grounded in precision. The string work from Babis Karasavvidis and Kalliopi Mitropoulou reinforces the project’s cohesion, while allowing room for controlled improvisation within a defined framework. Each element feels intentional, contributing to a sound that is both intimate and expansive.
Funded through crowdfunding, Light Beam speaks to a direct relationship between artist and audience. That independence is audible throughout. The music resists urgency, instead inviting the listener to settle into its pace and inhabit its atmosphere.
As an opening statement, “Si-iS”
positions Chaidemenos in a space between traditions, where jazz phrasing, classical restraint, and ambient sensibility intersect. It’s not about redefining genre, but about refining expression—music that values presence, patience, and attention above all else.
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