Choir of Young Believers
| Choir of Young Believers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | COYB |
| Origin | Copenhagen |
| Genres |
Avant pop Orchestral pop |
| Years active | 2006 - present |
| Labels | Ghostly International Tigerspring |
| Website | http://www.myspace.com/choirofyoungbelievers |
| Members |
Jannis Noya Makrigiannis Jakob Millung Cæcilie Trier Lasse Herbst Casper Henning Hansen Bo Rande Sonja Labianca |
Choir of Young Believers is the musical project of singer, writer and guitarist Jannis Noya Makrigiannis from Copenhagen, Denmark. The band, which consists of Makrigiannis along with a rotating cast of supporting players, has had multiple No 1 hits in its home country and was named the "Best New Act" at the 2009 Danish Music Awards. COYB’s music combines folk melodies, orchestral instrumentation, and dark lyrics.
History
After the breakup of his previous band, Lake Placid, in 2006, Makrigiannis moved to the Greek island of Samos and began developing his own solo material. Upon his return to Copenhagen, Makrigiannis gathered musicians and friends to form Choir of Young Believers. The group released the EP Burn the Flag in 2007, with the single "Sharpen Your Knife" receiving heavy play on Danish Radio. In September 2008, COYB released its first full length album, This Is for the White in Your Eyes, which was nominated for six Danish Music Awards and won the "Best New Act" category. COYB performed at the 2009 SXSW music festival, after which it was signed to US label Ghostly International who released This Is for the White in Your Eyes in North America on 18 August 2009. The next album released was Rhine Gold in March 2012.
The song "Hollow Talk", from the debut album, was used over the opening and the closing credits of the Scandinavian police series The Bridge (2011, 2013).
Participants
- Jannis Noya Makrigiannis: vocals, guitar, piano, bass, keyboard, percussion
- Cæcilie Trier: cello, backing vocals
- Jakob Millung: bass
- Bo Rande: brass instruments, keyboard, backing vocals
- Sonja Labianca: piano
- Lasse Herbst: percussion
- Casper Henning Hansen: drums, percussion
- Mette Sand Hersoug: violin, flute, backing vocals (until 2008)
- Fridolin: bass, drums, percussion, trumpet, flute, keyboard, backing vocals (until 2008)
- Nicolai Koch: piano (until 2008)
- Frederik Nordsø: percussion (until 2008)
- Anders Rhedin: keyboard, drums, guitar, percussion, backing vocals (until 2008)
Discography
Albums
- 2007: Burn the Flag (EP)
- 2007: Choir vs. Evil (EP)
- 2008: This Is for the White in Your Eyes (Ghostly International)
- 2012: Rhine Gold (Ghostly International)
Singles
- 2007: "Sharpen Your Knife"
- 2009: "Action/Reaction" (Ghostly International)
- 2009: "Next Summer" (Ghostly International)
- 2014: "Hollow Talk"
Tracks featured
- 2009: "Ghostly Essentials: Avant-Pop One" (Ghostly International)
- 2009: Numb3rs, end credits for series 6 episode 1 - "Hollow Talk" from the album "This Is for the White in Your Eyes" (Ghostly International)
- 2010: Submarino, Danish drama film directed by Thomas Vinterberg
- 2011: The Bridge, theme and end credits - "Hollow Talk"
- 2014: Reign, season 1 episode 18 - Hollow Talk plays at the end of the episode.
Reviews
Sources
- Choir of Young Believers Page at Ghostly International
- Identity Theory Interview with Jannis Noya Makrigiannis
- Choir of Young Believers on Iceland Airwaves
- Choir of Young Believers on MySpace