some of our client projects
Tea Dragon – Tea Dragon (EP)
Recorded by Andreas Matheou / Produced and Mixed by Qais Khoury – at Hot Soap Studios in Spring of 2024.
Mastered by Robb R
Release: EP ”Tea Dragon”
Written by Tea Dragon
Cover Art by @Artcohr
Tea Dragon Orchestrated a Symphonic Parable of Dualism with the Instrumental EP, Tea Dragon
Qais Khoury continues to be an incalculable entity in the music industry; the fluidity of their creativity refuses to be dammed, evidenced by their panoramic symphonic narrative of an instrumental 2-track EP, Tea Dragon.
The prelude piece, Void, eases you into the profoundly unexpected EP; the opening chapter of a story told in melody, set in the dusk of desolation arrests through the tenderly ruminative guitars filtered through ambient reverberations, intersected by classical strings and electronica aesthetics of cinematic serenity.
The title single contrasts the quiescence caged within Void; lush tonal transcendence precedes the art-rock crescendo which unflinchingly extends throughout the intricate rhythmic visceralism of the release, the contorting time signatures become emblems of fortitude as they meet resistance with resilience.
Side by side, Void and Tea Dragon become a manifestation of the dualism between introspection and action.
Kontovourkis & Co. – Avril Mesimeri (Single)
Recorded and mixed by Andreas Matheou – at Hot Soap Studios in Summer of 2024.
Release: Single ”Avril Mesimeri”
Written by: Michalis and Panayiota Kontovourkis
Tender words of affection, softly strummed guitar strings, and sunset-tinged dreams of
tomorrow: Cypriot outfit Kontovourkis & Co.’s new number, ‘Avrio Mesimeri’ is a summertime
chanson that nods to technicolor romance serenades of 1970s Mediterranea. Translated to
“Tomorrow Noon,” the love song follows on from the septet’s country-teased debut single ‘Long
Way to Nirvana’, and features brother-sister duo Michalis and Panayiota Kontovourkis sharing
main vocals atop of a rocking rumba beat and gliding horns.
The song tells the tale of two lovers awaiting their escape the following day to embark on a
journey dedicating their lives to one another. They pledge to meet at the pier at noon, yet both
temper their hopes, wary of what may arise should either be overcome with a change of heart.
“Its a song filled with hope and the possibility of future joy. One simple step, physical and
metaphorical, will set them on a united life-changing adventure; but its a step that requires great
courage and conviction from them both,” explains the band.
With ‘Avrio Mesimeri’ sung in Greek and following ‘Long Way to Nirvana’’s anglophone release –
both penned by Anglo-Italian Cypriot Duncan McCowan – Kontovourkis & Co. lay bare their
bilingual makeup, offering a vista into the liminal soundworlds of their homeland in Cyprus, the
sonic landscape of which has taken shape by the slew of empires reigning over the island
across the millennia and its fast-forwarding into a globalised today. In ‘Long Way to Nirvana’,
Kontovourkis & Co.’s endearingly jovial energy makes it hard not to stomp your feet in time with
the freewheeling skiffle tune. In ‘Avrio Mesimeri’, the swaying rhythm of the track and unrefined
warmth of the siblings’ vocals lull the lyrics’ bittersweet qualms with a nostalgic glow, gliding
above the track’s background of acoustic guitar strums that intertwine with the trumpet’s
resonances and rays of electric guitar that twinkle like sun glitter.
Formed in 2016 by Michalis Kontovourkis, a key figure in Larnaca’s music hub on the southeast
coast of Cyprus, Kontovourkis & Co. honed their sound through their live gigs, drawing
inspiration from foundational artists across the rock, singer-songwriter, and indie genres
spectrum. After turning heads on the island with his solo 2018 singer-songwriter album “Ap tin
Arxi”, Michalis spearheaded Kontovourkis & Co.’s formation as its band members offered more
creative direction to the songs. Marking the band’s debut is a string of three singles written by
McCowan, who himself brings along his musical past from London’s roots busking scene of the
1980s.
‘Avrio Mesimeri’ is a sea-sprayed ode to hopes and dreams for the future, drifting between the
band’s own yearning of escape from a secluded island and settling into the solace of the
familiar, much like the bittersweet ebb and flow of the Mediterranean waters that surround them.
Pinwheel Valley – Reverie (EP)
Recorded by Andreas Matheou / Co. Produced & Mixed by Qais Khoury & Andreas Matheou – at Hot Soap Studios in Winter of 2023.
Mastered by Ryan M
Release: EP ”Reverie”
Written by Pinwheel Valley
Cover Art by Alica Cao Illustrations
Having long found inspiration in the likes of Jeff Buckley, Thom Yorke and Fink, singer-songwriter Qais is a white-heat intensity in Pinwheel Valley’s panoptic sound, as the rising dynamo in the making (with Stef Meletiou on drums & Max Daniels on bass) strike both sonically & lyrically with iridescent and pastel aural-tones. As do Palace, Half Moon Run or Art of Sleeping, the cluster melds the genre blends of Indie Soul, Mellow Alternative Rock and Folktronica with fingerprint intricacy. A group that has evolved profoundly over the years, having toured throughout Vancouver, Toronto and Seattle in 2016 and 2017, received numerous accolades such as a Canadian Best Out of Province nomination at the 13th Toronto Independent Music Awards, and landed acclaim in the archives of pivotal blogs like Clash Magazine, Earmilk and Music News, Pinwheel Valley holds firm in belief. In 2020, they joined the London Indie sync licensing roster, North Note, and in 2020 were invited to a prestigious show by BBC Radio London host Robert Elms for their seminal 2018 single, Take Me Home. More recent notable achievements include Best Music Video wins for ‘Abduction’ and ‘Willow’ at the 2023 New York Movie Awards, Vegas Movie Awards, Swedish International Film Awards, and Russia’s HALO International Film Festival. Currently, the group continues to work on their profoundly explorative music out of their home base island in the Mediterranean. A place encircled by water on all sides, their only wait out proves to be none other than a steady rise up.
Kontovourkis & Co. – Long Way to Nirvana (Single)
Recorded and mixed by Andreas Matheou – at Hot Soap Studios in Winter of 2024.
Release: Single ”Long Way to Nirvana”
Written by: Michalis and Panayiota Kontovourkis
Kontovourkis & Co. debut with freewheeling country-teased single ‘Long Way to Nirvana’
Cypriot band Kontovourkis & Co. are what you’d least expect to find belting out country tunes à
la skiffle craze of yesteryears that invaded the island’s former reigning empire – yet their debut
‘Long Way to Nirvana’ is a love story that recalls just that era and carries an ungovernable
joviality that’s hard not to kick your shoes off and dance to. Slated for release on 29 March
2024, ‘Long Way to Nirvana’ is an uncomplicated bluegrass jaunt that holds a foot-stomping
pulse and is accompanied by a music video capturing the band revelling in music’s conviviality.
The story of Kontovourkis & Co. begins in Larnaca’s southeast coast of the much-coveted island
of Cyprus, a country not quite in any of the three continents it intersects, with local dialects that
aren’t quite Greek or Turkish, and with a cultural identity long effaced by more conquerors
across the millenia than its fellow EU members can bear to admit. Yet rather than succumb to
overworn PR stunts of anthems of resistance or exotic folk-psychedelic fuzz fusion, the band
take things as they come, liberated by any sounds that bring music to their ears. With their
‘Long Way to Nirvana’, its harmonica-powered engine and rowdy rendering, Kontovourkis & Co.
are befitting just that.
Formed in 2016 by Michalis Kontovourkis, a key figure in Larnaca’s music hub, Kontovourkis & Co. honed their sound through their live gigs, drawing inspiration from foundational artists
across the rock, singer-songwriter, and indie genres spectrum. After turning heads on the island
with his 2018 singer-songwriter album ‘Ap tin Arxi’, Michalis spearheaded Kontovourkis & Co.’s
formation as its band members offered more creative direction to the songs. Marking
Kontovourkis & Co.’s debut, the band is releasing a string of three singles penned by harmonica
player Duncan McCowan, who himself brings along his musical past in London’s roots busking
scene of the 1980s. Led by ‘Long Way to Nirvana’, the band will follow with ‘Avrio Mesimeri’ – a
Mediterranean chanson about two star-crossed lovers, and singer-songwriter number ‘Last
Farewell,’ out this Spring.
The song expresses the universal, farcical dilemma arising when an unsophisticated guy falls
for an enlightened, cultivated woman. He’s panic-stricken, but ready to sacrifice his world to
reach hers. There’s an endearing vulnerability about him, and an alluring, charismatic charm
about her, explain the band.
Copper Mine – Barrow (EP)
Recorded, mixed and produced by Andreas Matheou at Hot Soap Studios in Winter of 2023
Mastered by Bari Hadjikyriakou
Release: EP ”Barrow”
Written by: Copper Mine
Singer songwriter and guitarist Copper Mine’s earliest and most lasting musical influences came from exploring as a teenager his older sister’s record collection and discovering the likes of Bob Dylan, JJ Cale, Dire Straits, the Beatles and Bob Marley. He later came to love other genres including jazz, Latino and opera. He sees songs as a great way of capturing moments in time.
Copper Mine – Calumet & Mountaineer (EP)
Recorded, mixed and produced by Andreas Matheou at Hot Soap Studios in Summer of 2023
Mastered by Bari Hadjikyriakou
Release: EP ”Calumet & Mountaineer (acoustic versions)”
Written by: Copper Mine
Singer songwriter and guitarist Copper Mine’s earliest and most lasting musical influences came from exploring as a teenager his older sister’s record collection and discovering the likes of Bob Dylan, JJ Cale, Dire Straits, the Beatles and Bob Marley. He later came to love other genres including jazz, Latino and opera. He sees songs as a great way of capturing moments in time.
Copper Mine – Calumet (EP)
Recorded, mixed and produced by Andreas Matheou at Hot Soap Studios in Summer of 2023
Mastered by Bari Hadjikyriakou
Release: EP ”Calumet”
Written by: Copper Mine
Singer songwriter and guitarist Copper Mine’s earliest and most lasting musical influences came from exploring as a teenager his older sister’s record collection and discovering the likes of Bob Dylan, JJ Cale, Dire Straits, the Beatles and Bob Marley. He later came to love other genres including jazz, Latino and opera. He sees songs as a great way of capturing moments in time.
Pinwheel Valley – Willow (EP)
Recorded, mixed and produced by Andreas Matheou, Qais Khoury & Sam Royo Varela at Hot Soap Studios in Winter of 2022
Mastered at CPS Mastering
Release: EP ”Willow”
Written by: Pinwheel Valley (formerly known as KAIS)
Cover Art by Alex Pap
Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Pinwheel Valley (Qais Khoury) takes the complexities of the human condition as inspiration for his fusionist sound that sonically melds the realms of indie soul, neo psychedelic rock and folk. At the outset of his music career, he addressed global topics before turning his attention to the drab difficulties and profound beauty of being human and lyrically dipped into meta poetry.
Clash Magazine praised him for ‘working on different dimensions, pushing himself further and tapping into uncharted emotions.’ As a lover of the metaphysical, Pinwheel Valley’s work consists of finding balance between natural inclinations and the demands in an ego-driven late-stage capitalist world, and his wanderlust tendencies have seen him gracing global stages since the early 2000s as an independent artist. Since honing his craft in the early 2010s, he has been well-accoladed and featured in pivotal blogs such as ‘Music News’ and LA’s ‘Buzz’. In 2020, Pinwheel Valley joined the London Indie sync licensing roster, North Note, and in 2021 he was interviewed by BBC Radio London host Robert Elms for his seminal 2018 single, Take Me Home.
Currently, Pinwheel Valley works out of Hot Soap Studios, his personal and commercial recording studio in Cyprus, where he continues to hone his profoundly explorative music.
“In a time when it is impossible to hear anything but aggravated polarised opinions, Pinwheel Valley’s intellectually humanistic approach to music is the breath of fresh air that our souls are crying out for.” Amelia Vandergast – A&R Factory.
Copper Mine – Santiago (Single)
Recorded, mixed and produced by Andreas Matheou at Hot Soap Studios in Summer of 2022
Mastered by Bari Hadjikyriakou
Release: Single ”Santiago”
Written by: Copper Mine
Singer songwriter and guitarist Copper Mine’s earliest and most lasting musical influences came from exploring as a teenager his older sister’s record collection and discovering the likes of Bob Dylan, JJ Cale, Dire Straits, the Beatles and Bob Marley. He later came to love other genres including jazz, Latino and opera. He sees songs as a great way of capturing moments in time.
Pinwheel Valley – Hot Air Balloon (EP)
Recorded and produced by Andreas Matheou & Qais Khoury at Hot Soap Studios in Winter of 2022
– Hot Air Balloon – Mixed by – Jim Mc
– Horizon – Mixed by – Matthew N
– Turning to Gold – Mixed by – Andreas Matheou & Qais Khoury
Mastered at CPS Mastering
Release: EP ”Hot Air Balloon”
Written by: Pinwheel Valley (formerly known as KAIS)
Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Pinwheel Valley (Qais Khoury) takes the complexities of the human condition as inspiration for his fusionist sound that sonically melds indie, psych, soul-infused blues, rock and folk. At the outset of his music career, he addressed global topics before turning his attention to the drab difficulties and profound beauty of being human and lyrically dipped into meta poetry.
As a lover of the metaphysical, Pinwheel Valley’s work consists of finding the balance between natural inclinations and the demands in an ego-driven late-stage capitalist world. His wanderlust tendencies have seen him gracing global stages since the early 2000s as an independent touring artist. In 2014, he took part in the Mayor of London Big Busk and graduated with a diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering from Point Blank Music College.
He toured Vancouver, Toronto and Seattle with a full band in 2016 and 2017, received an honorary mention in the 2016 International Songwriting Competition, a Canadian Best Out of Province nomination at the 13th Annual Toronto Independent Music Awards and a Lyrics Finalist position in the 2017 USA Songwriting Competition.
In 2021 he was interviewed by BBC Radio London host Robert Elms for his seminal 2018 single, Take Me Home.
Currently, Qais works from his personal and commercial recording studio, Hot Soap Studios, in Cyprus, where he continues to work on his profoundly explorative music that challenges society’s constricting constructs that inhibit actualization.
“It takes some serious reading between the anthemic uplifting lines to pull out the protestive fire that any establishment would be desperate to put out through fear of it cutting profit margins that are boosted by dull hiveminds. On the flip side of that, texturally, Hot Air Balloon is a dreamy, kaleidoscopic blister of bliss, which is all too welcome in these easy to lament times.” Amelia Vandergast – A&R Factory.
Copper Mine – Albuquerque (EP)
Recorded, mixed and produced by Andreas Matheou at Hot Soap Studios in Summer of 2022
Mastered by Bari Hadjikyriakou
Release: EP ”Albuquerque”
Singer songwriter and guitarist Copper Mine’s earliest and most lasting musical influences came from exploring as a teenager his older sister’s record collection and discovering the likes of Bob Dylan, JJ Cale, Dire Straits, the Beatles and Bob Marley. He later came to love other genres including jazz, Latino and opera. He sees songs as a great way of capturing moments in time.
Copper Mine – Pajaro River (EP)
Recorded, mixed and produced by Andreas Matheou at Hot Soap Studios in Winter of 2022
Mastered by Bari Hadjikyriakou
Release: EP ”Pajaro River”
Written by: Copper Mine
Singer songwriter and guitarist Copper Mine’s earliest and most lasting musical influences came from exploring as a teenager his older sister’s record collection and discovering the likes of Bob Dylan, JJ Cale, Dire Straits, the Beatles and Bob Marley. He later came to love other genres including jazz, Latino and opera. He sees songs as a great way of capturing moments in time.
Pinwheel Valley – Healing (Acoustic) (Single)
Recorded and mixed by Andreas Matheou & Qais Khoury at Hot Soap Studios in Summer of 2021
Mastered at CPS Mastering
Release: Single ”Healing”
Written by: Pinwheel Valley (formerly known as KAIS)
Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Pinwheel Valley (Qais Khoury) takes the complexities of the human condition as inspiration for his fusionist sound that sonically melds indie, psych, soul-infused blues, rock and folk. At the outset of his music career, he addressed global topics before turning his attention to the drab difficulties and profound beauty of being human and lyrically dipped into meta poetry.
As a lover of the metaphysical, Pinwheel Valley’s work consists of finding the balance between natural inclinations and the demands in an ego-driven late-stage capitalist world. His wanderlust tendencies have seen him gracing global stages since the early 2000s as an independent touring artist. In 2014, he took part in the Mayor of London Big Busk and graduated with a diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering from Point Blank Music College.
He toured Vancouver, Toronto and Seattle with a full band in 2016 and 2017, received an honorary mention in the 2016 International Songwriting Competition, a Canadian Best Out of Province nomination at the 13th Annual Toronto Independent Music Awards and a Lyrics Finalist position in the 2017 USA Songwriting Competition.
In 2021 he was interviewed by BBC Radio London host Robert Elms for his seminal 2018 single, Take Me Home.
Currently, Qais works from his personal and commercial recording studio, Hot Soap Studios, in Cyprus, where he continues to work on his profoundly explorative music that challenges society’s constricting constructs that inhibit actualization.
“In a time when it is impossible to hear anything but aggravated polarized opinions, Pinwheel Valley’s intellectually humanistic approach to music is the breath of fresh air that our souls are crying out for.” Amelia Vandergast – A&R Factory.
Copper Mine – 5th Day of May (Album)
Recorded, mixed and produced by Andreas Matheou at Hot Soap Studios in Summer of 2021
Mastered by Bari Hadjikyriakou
Release: Album ”5th Day of May”
Written by: Copper Mine
Singer songwriter and guitarist Copper Mine’s earliest and most lasting musical influences came from exploring as a teenager his older sister’s record collection and discovering the likes of Bob Dylan, JJ Cale, Dire Straits, the Beatles and Bob Marley. He later came to love other genres including jazz, Latino and opera. He sees songs as a great way of capturing moments in time.
Pinwheel Valley – Dark Side of the Light (Single)
Recorded, mixed and produced by Andreas Matheou & Kais Khoury at Hot Soap Studios in April 2020
Release: Single ”Dark Side of the Light”
Written by: Pinwheel Valley (formerly ‘KAIS’)
Kais Khoury, professionally known as KAIS, is a Canadian, Jordanian born singer-songwriter and producer.
Blending a fresh fusion of Indie, Alternative, and Soul-infused Blues & Folk Rock, he’s creatively addressed a wide array of topics. Recognizing music as a tool that could move and influence people, he first wrote about world issues like war and global warming. Today, his poetic complexities have grown to express the plain difficulties of being human. Always a lover for mysticism, he’s woven a fine balance between natural inclinations and the demands of the social world. For the most part, he certainly is no stranger to wanderlust and has expanded the boundaries of his spiritual development with an avid love for traveling and open expanse sports like kitesurfing and even skydiving.
Gradually having made ripples in the music industry as an independent and self-funded artist, he’s performed quite a number of gigs since the early 2000s. In 2014, he took part in the Mayor of London Big Busk. That year, he put a stamp on his music career after graduating with a diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering out of Point Blank Music College. It’s safe to say that he’s dabbled with electronic sound design and other far-reaching aspects of the music industry, and has prolonged the rewards of that entrepreneurial musicianship with a broader vocabulary and a hands-on approach. In alliance with a full band, he continued to perform throughout Vancouver, BC, Toronto, ON and Seattle, WA in 2016 and 2017, and was set to perform at SXSW in Austin, TX in 2018. Recent achievements include an ‘Honorary Mention’ in the 2016 International Songwriting Competition, a ‘Best Out of Province’ Nomination at the 13th Annual Toronto Independent Music Awards and a ‘Lyrics Finalist’ in the 2017 USA Songwriting Competition.
Although he has retired from live performing in the last couple of years since moving back to his hometown, he gradually continues to write and record music now with greater maturity and a stronger approach, all to be released in due time. One thing seems certain for this artist… His intense passion and an insatiable thirst for self-betterment are taking things up a notch for both him and the steadfast comrades by his side.