Plastic Flowers
Plastic Flowers | |
---|---|
Born | Georgios Samaras 1 August 1990 Thessaloniki, Greece |
Nationality | Greek |
Education | Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (BA) King's College London (MA, PhD) |
Notable work | Evergreen (2014), Heavenly (2016), Absent Forever (2017) |
Style | Dream pop, electronic, experimental |
Website | gsamaras |
George Samaras, better known as Plastic Flowers, is a London-based Greek songwriter and academic[1] who has released three full-length studio albums, Evergreen in 2014,[2][3] Heavenly in 2016[4][5] and Absent Forever in 2017.[6]
Career[]
George started recording music on a TASCAM Multi-track and released a series of bedroom pop influenced EPs that have received praise for their lo-fi touch.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]
In 2014 his debut album Evergreen was released through Inner Ear Records,[16] and Crash Symbols[17] in Europe and the United States respectively. He later moved to London[18] and recorded his second full-length album Heavenly[19] in November 2015,[20][21] and Absent Forever in 2017, both via The Native Sound and distribution by Warner ADA.
He became the first Greek act ever to perform at South by Southwest[22][23] and toured USA and Europe. Plastic Flowers has also performed live at the Royal Academy of Arts,[24] Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center,[25] Athens Concert Hall and Thessaloniki Concert Hall,[26] and shared the stage with Bonobo, A.R.Kane, Emancipator, Still Corners. On his debut album he collaborated with Keep Shelly In Athens[27] and NY-based folk artist Ed Askew.
Theodoros Pangalos Sample[]
In 2012, Plastic Flowers sampled Theodoros Pangalos' controversial ministerial statement "We [government and citizens] fooled away the money together" in Sinking Ship/Vanished Crew.[28]
Academia[]
As an undergraduate studying German at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki between 2009 and 2014, Samaras read modern and contemporary literature. He later completed a Master's Degree in Education Policy, and started his Doctoral Research at King's College London,[29] where he investigates the rise of right-wing extremism in Greece during the fiscal crisis.
He is currently writing for Greek newspaper Kathimerini.[30]
In June 2020, during the Black Lives Matter protests, he started a campaign against a local school in West Hampstead,[31][32] named after slave owner William Beckford. The campaign received coverage from national newspapers and support from Emma Thompson,[33] resulting in a name change.[34]
Discography[]
LPs[]
- Evergreen[17] (2014, Inner Ear Records – Crash Symbols)
- Heavenly[35] (2016, The Native Sound – Track & Field Records)
- Absent Forever (2017, The Native Sound - Distributed by Warner-ADA)
EPs and singles[]
- Meltdown EP (2011, Cakes and Tapes)
- White Walls Painted Black – Single (2011, Cakes and Tapes)
- Natural Conspiracy EP (2012, Cakes and Tapes)
- Empty Eyes – Single (2012, Bad Panda Records)
- In You I'm Lost – Single (2012, self-released)
- Aftermath EP (2013, Manic Pop Records)
- Fog Song/Silence – Double 7" (2013, Manic Pop Records)
- Now She's Gone – Single (2014, self-released)
- Summer of 1992 EP (2015, self-released)
- Falling Off – Single 7"[36] (2016, The Native Sound)
References[]
- ^ UCL (29 September 2020). "Georgios Samaras". Department of Political Science. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
- ^ Neves, Sergio. "Plastic Flowers Evergreen review". Vice. Portugal. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ^ "CHASSEUR INTERVIEWS MUSIC DUO PLASTIC FLOWERS – Chasseur Magazine". Retrieved 7 December 2018.
- ^ Murray, Robin. "Plastic Flowers – Diver". Clash Magazine. UK. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ^ Phillips, Nicola. "Plastic Flowers Album Premiere". Kaltblut. Germany. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ^ Murray, Robin (13 September 2017). "Premiere: Plastic Flowers - How Can I". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ Robinson, Tom. "Introducing Mixtape". BBC. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- ^ Neves, Sergio. "OS PLASTIC FLOWERS PREPARAM-SE PARA O SXSW EM PORTUGAL". VICE Mag. (in Portuguese). Portugal. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
- ^ "August's best new music from across the MAP". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
- ^ Evans, Dayna. "Plastic Flowers – Populists". Impose. USA. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
- ^ Carson, Dan. "Plastic Flowers – Dead Promises". The Line of Best Fit. UK. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
- ^ Milton, Jamie. "The Neu Bulletin 20th June 2013". DIY Magazine. UK. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
- ^ Listen to "Strange Neighbors" by Plastic Flowers, retrieved 7 December 2018
- ^ Subscribe. "Tracks: White Denim, Swearin' & More". DIY. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "Plastic Flowers "Lucy" (video)". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "Evergreen". Inner Ear Records. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Evergreen". Retrieved 26 February 2013.
- ^ "Interview: Plastic Flowers - Greece – beehype – Best Music from Around the World". beehy.pe. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
- ^ "10 best songs of the week". For The Win. 19 February 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ Darley, Andrew (25 May 2016). "Heavenly: An Interview with Plastic Flowers". The 405. The 405 Ltd. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
- ^ Bushell, Glen. "Plastic Flowers: "I like to remind myself that there is a past"". Punktastic. UK. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
- ^ "SXSW: Plastic Flowers". SXSW. USA. Archived from the original on 8 March 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
- ^ "SXSW 2017 Adds Nearly 500 Bands to Bill: Sad13, Merchandise, Pill, More". Spin. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "The Academicians' Room Members: RA Schools Curate | Event | Royal Academy of Arts". www.royalacademy.org.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- ^ Wedia. "Plastic Flowers". www.snfcc.org (in Greek). Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- ^ "PLASTIC FLOWERS". www.tch.gr. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- ^ writer, About Dayna Evans Dayna Evans is a; www, editor based in New York full profile/ twitter/ (7 October 2013). "Plastic Flowers, "Ghosts (feat. Keep Shelly In Athens)" - New Music". Impose Magazine. Retrieved 7 December 2018.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
- ^ Palast, Greg. "I upset my least favorite greek minister". VICE Mag. UK. Retrieved 21 May 2013.
- ^ "Georgios Samaras". www.kcl.ac.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ^ "Ανάλυση: Το Black Lives Matter ως πυλώνας αλλαγής, ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ ΣΑΜΑΡΑΣ* | Kathimerini". www.kathimerini.gr. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
- ^ Berry, Franki. "Petition urges West Hampstead primary school to reconsider slave trader name". Hampstead Highgate Express. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Now primary school could have name changed over slavery link". Camden New Journal. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Primary school to drop name of slave owner in wake of BLM protests". Evening Standard. 13 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Calls for London primary to be renamed after first black headteacher". Evening Standard. 24 June 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Heavenly". Retrieved 26 February 2013.
- ^ "Feel Everything at Once with Plastic Flowers and "Falling Off" - Noisey". noisey. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
External links[]
- 1991 births
- Greek musicians
- Greek expatriates in the United Kingdom
- Living people