Cosma
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Cosma is Avihen Livne, born 1979, from Qiryat Bialik near Haifa , Israel. Avihen started his musical way in the dark clubs of Haifa and the area, listening to new wave and bands such as Depeche Mode, The Sisters of Mercy, The Cure, Front 242 etc. Then trance arrived (95), he said, and put some consciousness between everybody's feet and brain. That affected him as well, and after years of parties he started to make music in 1998. As he has been into computers since he was very young, making music with the computer was natural to him.
He worked first with Benny Risher as Diablo. They released one album - 'Insufficient Memory' on Pandora records in 1999 and tracks on compilations: 'Hop She Goes...' & 'Papa' (Space Mantra/BNE).
In 2000 Avihen started to work under the name Cosma (suggested by DJ Jorg of SST). Avihen said a lot has changed since in the way he grasped music and in the making of it. Part of it was thanks to working together with other artists like Ido Ophir (Domestic) and Erez Eizen (Infected Mushroom) which helped him a lot to develop and grow up. "It's very helpful to learn the way another mind operates and to see a different way of working."
He released quite a few tracks on compilations and in September 2001 Avihen released his debut solo album 'Simplicity' (BNE/Yoyo). This album was considered a milestone release in every aspect as Avihen found a new formula of Israeli trance that swept the world off its feet. He took the direction of trance into a broader perspective; "Simplicity" was characterized by a big clear quality sound cruising through a deeper vibe, taking in funky beat, progressive, electronics and ambience while sounding fresh all the way. "If you were in the right mood, "Simplicity" could be a religious experience"(DJ Magazine). After the release of this album, Cosma became an established name and he performed live in countries such as England, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, Brazil, Greece, Denmark, Belgium and Hungary.
Avihen moved on to signing his new album, "Nonstop", to the Israeli label HOMmega. In this album he swept many influences. 'Nonstop' is a juicy and innovative journey into trance. Dark and pounding, not for lightweights, Cosma's music rocks your core without beating your brains out, all while keeping his famous trademark - his unique cosmic atmosphere.
Avihen was about to release his 2nd album, "Nonstop", on March 2003. Following the album's release, he was scheduled for a world tour going through Brazil, Japan, Mexico, South Africa and England. To prepare himself for this exciting stage of his musical career, he decided to take some time off in Goa, India . On February 10th, while driving back from Palulim beach to his hotel, he was involved in a motorcycle accident. He was hospitalized, but despite all medical efforts, he died.