George Tzavaras, a.k.a. Ravaya, decided that it was about time to release a solo work after four amazing albums with his main band, the exceptional Need. For start, hoping that there will be more in the future, he created this five-track EP. Unfortunately, it only lasts a bit longer than twenty minutes, so it is mandatory to press the repeat button again and again.
I don’t know if the music of “Rifftard” comes from ideas that didn’t fit in the next Need album or if it was composed exclusively for this release. One thing is certain, Ravaya’s main band comes to mind a lot at certain parts and this can only be good. An instrumental EP that doesn’t follow the trend. We don’t listen hyper technical music with 5.498 notes per second, but compositions that really have something to offer. The delightful riffs and melodies here are full of emotion. I found myself listening to it every day since it came to me and this comes from someone who almost never listens to albums like this one.
Ravaya has proved until now that is an excellent guitar player who focuses on creating amazing music. He isn’t a poser who will demonstrate meaningless and blabbering technique just because he can. Something like that applies to this EP. Each time I hear it, I find myself liking it even more than before and the riffs and melodies often take place in my head and stay for long.
“Rifftard” was mixed and mastered by Ektoras Tsolakis, one of Greece’s top sound engineers. He also contributed with bass and drums while Ravaya’s bandmate Anthony Hadjee plays keyboards. Also, Sapfo Stavrides, who participated in Need’s latest studio album, gives her aethereal voice to color one of the tracks. Overall, it’s a very good and successful effort from Ravaya. And, as mentioned above, I hope that it won’t be the last.
