Axel Bray 3/25/25 Axel Bray 3/25/25

MOMERY: Remembering a Future Past

Memory is rarely linear. It bends, fractures, reshapes itself over time—sometimes seamlessly, sometimes in stark contrast. For Greek electronic duo Momery, this fluidity is more than a concept; it’s embedded in their DNA. Formed by George Papadopoulos and Charis Giachanos in 2022, Momery is a reconfiguration of past experiences, a new frame for their creative instincts. Both artists arrived with established identities—Papadopoulos as Symmetric, Giachanos as Future of Matter—but their coming together marked an opportunity to rewrite the script, blending their respective visions into something neither could achieve alone.

Their approach is as much about feeling as it is about form. Working from their base in Thessaloniki, the duo crafts electronic soundscapes that move beyond traditional melodic techno tropes, balancing precision with spontaneity, and introspection with dancefloor energy. Their music thrives on contrasts—crystalline textures against raw club sensibilities, intricate arrangements that remain emotionally direct. It’s a sound that doesn’t just evolve but reinvents itself, much like the memories they reference in their name.

Following their contribution to ICONYC’s acclaimed Florilegia series, Momery now returns to the New York / Berlin-based imprint with Still Love You. Across three carefully sculpted cuts, the record offers a prismatic reflection of their artistic intent—sleek, immersive, and deeply evocative. Melodic structures unfold like shifting patterns of light, underpinned by a rhythmic foundation that feels both urgent and hypnotic. There’s an unmistakable sense of movement, a cinematic quality that lingers long after the final beat fades.

In conversation, Papadopoulos and Giachanos are thoughtful, engaged, and brimming with ideas. Their partnership is built on a shared instinct for storytelling through sound, yet it thrives on the interplay of their differences. As they prepare for this next chapter, we sit down with the duo to unpack the creative process behind Still Love You, the tension and synergy that shape their work, and what the future holds for Momery.

Hi, Charis! George! It’s a pleasure to link up. How are you doing? Where are you now? Thank you for joining us today.

Hey! It’s a pleasure to be here. Thanks for having us! We’re doing great and feeling super excited about the release. Right now, in Thessaloniki, Greece. We really appreciate the opportunity to chat with you about this project!

Well, let us kick this one off then, shall we? Congratulations on the release of your new ICONYC EP, Still Love You. We can imagine the excitement must be high! So, how are you feeling about this one? Has the anticipation been high for you?

Thank you! We’re incredibly excited about this release. Still Love You is a project that’s really close to our hearts, and seeing it come to life on ICONYC makes it even more special. The anticipation has definitely been high—not just for us, but also for our listeners and supporters who have been with us on this journey. We’ve put a lot of emotion and energy into this EP, so we can’t wait for people to experience it and see how it resonates with them.

Let’s dive straight into the record. As the name suggests, there seems to be a thoughtful balance between nostalgia and a sense of hopefulness throughout the EP as a whole. Was this your intention from the offset? Did you have a clear horizon before you started this one?

Yes, absolutely. From the start, we wanted Still Love You to capture a blend of nostalgia and hopefulness. The idea was to create something emotionally resonant—music that evokes memories but also feels uplifting and forward-looking. While we always had a vision of making something deep and heartfelt, the creative process shaped the final outcome organically. It was about channeling emotions into sound and letting the music tell its own story. In the end, we feel like we struck that balance naturally, and we’re excited for listeners to experience it in their own way.

So, how did the titular cut come about?

“Still Love You” was born out of a moment of reflection. We wanted to create something that felt intimate yet expansive, blending deep emotions with a driving energy. The track started with a simple melodic idea—something melancholic yet uplifting. As we built around it, layering textures and evolving the groove, it naturally took on this cinematic, nostalgic feel.

The first cut, “Wanna Know”, sees you going a bit deeper but still maintaining the energy while paying homage to the vocals of yesteryear in a way. What’s the story behind this one?

“Wanna Know” was all about blending deep, hypnotic grooves with that classic vocal touch. We wanted to craft something that feels both nostalgic and fresh—taking inspiration from the soulful vocals of the past while keeping the energy alive for modern dance floors. The track started with a deep bassline and a hypnotic groove, and once we found the right vocal sample, everything clicked into place. It’s a journey through emotion and rhythm, designed to keep listeners locked in while evoking that timeless, old-school feel. It’s one of those tracks that bridges eras, and we love how it turned out.

Vocals seem to play a rather prominent role in this particular EP. How do you go about finding these bits? Do they feel like a way to better tell a story to you?

Absolutely! Vocals play a key role in shaping the emotion and atmosphere of our tracks. We see them as a storytelling tool—sometimes they add meaning, and sometimes they just evoke a certain feeling without needing to be fully understood. When we’re searching for vocal bits, it’s usually an intuitive process. We dig through samples and old recordings, or even experiment with vocal processing until something clicks. It’s all about finding that one phrase or texture that resonates with the mood we’re trying to create. In this EP, the vocals helped reinforce that balance between nostalgia and hopefulness, making the music feel more personal and immersive.

The second, and reminding cut on the EP, “Lose My Mind”, also follows a similar vein but goes all-in with that irresistible lead. What was the process for this one like?

“Lose My Mind” was all about capturing that peak-time dancefloor energy while staying true to our melodic and emotional roots. We wanted to create something that really drives the momentum forward—something you could lose yourself in while dancing. The process started with the lead melody, which had this raw, hypnotic quality that instantly stood out. From there, we built the bass and percussion to give it that rolling, club-ready feel, and the vocal elements added an extra emotional layer. The result is a track that’s both powerful and immersive, designed to hit hard on the dancefloor while still carrying that deep, emotive edge.

Now, taking this one back to your origins…How did you guys first connect? Was the chemistry for Momery there from the start?

We first connected in Thessaloniki when George came back from Rome. We hit it off right away, sharing a love for music and production. The chemistry was there from the start, and it just felt natural to create together. That’s how Momery was born, and since then, it’s been an amazing journey.

And what does your relationship in the studio look like? Do you guys have set roles, or does that vary from track to track?

In the studio, it’s very collaborative. We don’t really have set roles—it's more about who takes the lead on certain parts, depending on the track. Sometimes, George focuses on the deeper production elements, while Haris might be more focused on the melodies or arrangement. But overall, we’re always bouncing ideas off each other and making decisions together. It’s about playing to our strengths and allowing the track to guide us.

Now, stepping outside of the studio…how do you guys envision the coming years for electronic dance music? Which new challenges do you see arising for artists?

The future of electronic dance music is always shifting, and we think it’s going to keep growing in exciting and unexpected directions. With more access to tools and platforms, there’s an endless stream of new talent and sounds emerging, which is great for the genre. But that also means standing out is becoming tougher for artists. One challenge we see coming is finding a balance between staying true to your creative vision and keeping up with the fast pace of trends. As the industry grows, it might become harder for artists to maintain that personal connection with their audience, so it’ll be crucial to stay grounded and authentic.

Last one, and we’ll set you free…What’s next for Momery in 2025? What new milestones are you looking forward to now?

In 2025, we’re focused on continuing to push boundaries with our music and exploring new sounds. We’re excited to share more releases and experiment with different styles while always staying true to what makes Momery unique. We’re also looking forward to playing more live shows and connecting with our fans in person, which is something we’re really excited about. Every year brings new milestones, and we’re excited to see where this journey takes us next!

Thank you for your time, guys! We wish you the best of luck with Still Love You. Catch you soon!

Thank you so much for having us! We really appreciate the support and the opportunity to chat about the EP. We can’t wait for everyone to hear it. Catch you soon, and thanks again for the love!

Momery’s Still Love You EP is out now via ICONYC. Purchase your copy here.

Axel Bray 8/13/24 Axel Bray 8/13/24

Florilegia: Nurturing ICONYC’s latest Compilation

Join us, as we dissect the moving parts inside the handpicked anthology, with exclusive insights from Momery, Anido, Bar.ba & hanami (IT), Way of Thinking & Sofia Lorena, Naeiiv, Baardman, Crudito Sava, and Vaert.

With a revamped sound and a striking visual image, ICONYC has been turning heads throughout 2024, fronting releases by Solique, Roman Kyn, and more. Now, the sophisticated brand unveils the first installment in its newly-minted Florilegia compilation series.

Featuring eight new cuts, ICONYC’s Florilegia showcases a refined search for something that lasts beyond the confines of the traditional dancefloor, exploring the borderlines between house and techno, uncovering its endless shares.

Way Of Thinking - “Get Out Of My Way (Ft. Sofia Lorena)”

"Sofia and I didn't really know each other. I went to visit my friends Frankey & Sandrino at an event in my city, and on the dance floor, Sofia introduced herself and told me that she was the vocalist of Tribu Oro, a band from Malaga that I was familiar with. We decided to exchange contact information, and a few weeks later, she sent me some material.

Sofia has a very soulful voice, and she reminds me a lot of the legendary Amy Winehouse. She sent me her work, but I wanted to create a track that was more special, something more unique, kind of weird, and out of the ordinary. I asked her to get angry and try rapping or just screaming. She completely stepped out of her comfort zone.

When I start a track, I don't really know where it's going, but I always try to create music that's a bit more special. As I was working in the studio, I aimed to capture a sense of coldness while also infusing warmth into the melody. I also wanted to include unexpected moments, all within a span of less than six minutes.”

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Momery - “Who Are You”

“Who Are You is an inspiring track dedicated to everyone's self-search, something that can be found through the sample in the bridge. A fast melodic arp with an intense bassline complements the main flow of the track, while granular sounds have been used to frame it.”

Anido - “Elijah”

“Elijah is the result of the union of contrasting - but at the same time - compatible sounds. what makes it exciting is the choice of harmonious and celestial sounds that support his movement. The voice, that keeps the attention alive, stands out, arousing a climax of sensations till the very end.“

Vaert - “Need You“

“I wrote this track in a tough period of my life, and I put on it all my feelings at that moment. Need You is a statement for those people who experienced the frustration of being misunderstood about what you need from the other person, which is essentially when we talk about love. For me, it has to be just about the person, the soul, and being there. Nothing more than this.

I decided to explore my House side for this record because I felt it was the right vibe I wanted to achieve.

The process of writing the track was really spontaneous and organic and I usually experience this feeling when there is a strong message behind that I need to share. This is the reason why I do music.”

Naeiiv - “Digital HUman Scan“

“With my track Digital Human Scan, I intentionally worked with cold digital synths. I wanted to create a futuristic, cold track. Hence the monotonous vocals. To stay true to my emotional and expansive sound, I incorporated a brief euphoric scene just before the second break. With this track, I aim to maintain my existing style while exploring new directions, keeping it as dancefloor-oriented as possible.”

Crudito Sava - “Solskjaer“

“Making the tune was some sort of catharsis, my music is usually way more sweeter and calmer, I was trying to explore violence through music.

I intended to catch all the modern sounds available and fit them into my sound design, with aggression as a premise. To keep a huge amount of aggressiveness and forbid me of the urge to add soul and kindness to it, I decided to do no melodies at all, and work with fx, horns, stabs, and hits only, which turned out great.“

Bar.ba, hanami (IT) - “Blossom”

“Blossom is a tribute to the birth of hanami, Andrea Vaccaro's new project, born from the collaboration with Bar.ba on a rainy winter Sunday. Sweetness meets depth, creating a track a little different from the usual, where the artistic facets of the two Bergamo-based producers stand out.”

Baardman - “Natura Ly”

“This was quite an experimental track for me as I explored some more unconventional sound design techniques for the lead sound. It involved layering multiple midi effects within Ableton to create interesting rhythmic structures for the sound.

Since this was the main focus and took up a lot of space in the mix, I kept the rest of the track minimal with some additional harmonies and a sampled vocal to enhance the emotion.

I didn’t want to lock this track in with any genre or trend so thanks to Pietro & ICONYC for believing in that vision.”

ICONYC’s Florilegia I is out now. Purchase your copy here.