Exploring Life, Death and Collectivism : Vocalise for Nine Voices by Kostika Çollaku

Kostika Çollaku is an Albanian composer living in Thessaloniki, Greece. His works combine elements of music, technology and video. The Vocalise for Nine Voices is a striking exploration of life, beginning from a single melody line (unison) symbolizing birth, followed by diverging voices which come together again in a final unison death motif. There is something extremely sensual and chilling about the sound of dissonance, or clashing harmonies, between human voices, especially when they are unaccompanied by other instruments.

Video via Kostika Çollaku on YouTube.

This music video is further enhanced by grittiness of the location: the abandoned fabric factory of Yfanet in Thessaloniki, which is now an anarchist collective squat, housing families and providing a space for concerts, artistic endeavors, and community events. Yfanet contains a cafe, a library, a computer room, an assembly and cinema room, a gymnasium which doubles as a dance studio, a barter and trade area, and an underground space for events, such as music concerts and performances. The factory has been occupied since 2004 by groups and individuals uncomfortable with modern society who attempt to realize a life that is not dependent on government or money.