Ilithios - "Santa Fea"

Late last year, Ilithios, the project of Brooklyn artist Manny Nomikos, shared their excellent debut LP Florist. We featured the titled track as our Song of the Week back in September and were just as enchanted with the balance of the record when it dropped the following month. On Florist, Nomikos creates some lush electro-pop soundscapes, and one of the album’s most notable tracks “Santa Fea,” serves as the soundtrack for the project’s latest video.

“Santa Fea” opens with a pitter-patter synth riff that leads into some gorgeous arrangements that slowly blossom. Handclaps introduce the song’s more textured elements, as soon after, angelic harmonies begin to make their way through a soft, heart-beat mimicking beat. The personal song lovingly touches on themes of loss and letting go, as Nomikos weaves between English and Greek lyrics, thus incorporating this unique part of his background and identity. Fans of Panda Bear, Avery Tare, and the rest of the Animal Collective will definitely enjoy this dazzling number.

The accompanying video features an interpretive dance performed by Greek-based artist Vasilis Fatouros. Impressively, his moves are entirely improvised and nicely match the mood of “Santa Fea.”

Stream the video below!

Florist is out now via Totally Real Records. You can snag a copy on yellow vinyl via Bandcamp. You can also listen to the record on your streaming platform of choice, including Spotify. Keep up with Ilithios by following them on Instagram and liking them on Facebook.