Momery is a partnership between the conception of memory and music. It is an attempt to connect images with ideas, emotions, and sensations. Through the externalization of Haris & George’s ideas, the project became a reality.
Fresh from their contribution to our EG Spotlight mix series, we caught up with Momery to learn more about the drop of their debut single ‘Ophelia’, the origins of the project, future endeavors, and more.
EG: Hi Haris! Hello George! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? Where are you right now?
Momery: Hey there, thank you for having us. Right now, we are in the city of Thessaloniki, which is north of Greece enjoying the sun, inside the studio & making some new music.
EG: First of all, congratulations on the release of your debut single, ‘Ophelia’. What has the initial reception been like? Have you been able to test this one out live yet?
Momery: Thank you very much! It’s really a unique track for us because it’s our first release. We’ve been playing ‘Ophelia’ for a year now and we have to say that every time is different.
EG: So, what’s ‘Ophelia’ all about? Is there an inspirational trigger to this one? What can we expect to find on this one?
Momery: It was an era when Haris was working as a sailor and George was at the studio in Thessaloniki, and we were discussing distance, love, and human relationships. We went through a deep-dive conversation on the subjects mentioned, and that’s how we inspired each other to compose that track. At the same time, we were searching for a voice to give life to the instrumental version, and here we are. Running Pine did an incredibly emotional journey.
EG: What was the writing process for ‘Ophelia’ like? How did you go about collaborating with Running Pine? Did you have a previous relationship with him?
Momery: We heard his voice on the track he did with Mind Against, and while we were listening to the instrumental version of ‘Ophelia’, we knew that we needed his voice. We got in touch with him, sharing ideas, and that’s how we have the final result.
“We went through a deep-dive conversation on the subjects mentioned (distance, love, and human relationships), and that’s how we inspired each other to compose that track”
EG: And ‘Ophelia’ is out via Mind Against’s new HABITAT imprint. How this did come about? Were you expecting your debut release to come through such a big project?
Momery: Honestly, Mind Against inspired us since the first days of our career and we are really glad that our music is included in their label. It is a big success for us, having our first release on HABITAT.
EG: By the way, how did you guys connect? How was Momery created? Do you guys have defined roles?
Momery: We met in Thessaloniki, Greece, which is the hometown of Haris, when George moved back from Rome, where he was studying in 2015. Haris that time was sailing as his main job. After many years of playing together with a different project, in 2022, we felt the need to start creating something together. We would say that we have quite equal roles on this project.
EG: Right now, social media seems to play a completely prominent role in the development of an artist’s career. What’s your stance on this? Is the bringing us closer than ever, or is it drawing our attention away from the actual music?
Momery: Frankly speaking, social media is a useful tool to promote your music instantly and easily receiving raw and instant feedback from the audience, but it becomes more and more difficult for people to be satisfied, as they receive a huge amount of information daily. So the main threat is not to get lost inside the ocean of the internet but to stay focused on our musical direction.
EG: Summer’s almost winding down now. Are you looking forward to anything in particular?
Momery: We’re about to visit a few Greek islands, chill with some friends, eat Greek food (which is the most delicious in the world, haha), and explore some places that we haven’t been to before.
“Furthermore, we will have 2 releases coming till the end of 2023, and we really can’t wait to share this stuff with you. You can have a taste of our upcoming releases in our EG Spotlight mix”
EG: How do you keep entertained when not in the studio? Have you recently found any good movies, books, or albums you’d recommend?
Momery: As you already found out, we are both food lovers, so we go to restaurants, hang with friends, and enjoy deep conversations. We love to watch movies, read books, listen to music, and explore some new stuff in art. As for the books, Haris is really charmed by Anthony Bourdain’s personality and we’re reading his first released book called ‘Kitchen Confidential’ to dig more into his own world. In a different way, George loves to read some philosophical books. Regarding music, right now we love to listen to some new releases from Burial, Brian Eno, Overmono, and Vegyn.
EG: Can you share something personal with us only a few people know about?
Haris: Few people know till now that music is not my regular job. I’m working at the same time as a sailor around the ocean and as a musician.
George: I don’t have a good sense of timing. I’m always late, so if you ever have to meet with me please come 30 minutes later, haha.
EG: What’s next for Momery? Where can your fans catch you next? What new milestones are you looking forward to in 2023?
Momery: We’re going to play at Reworks Festival in Thessaloniki on the 23rd of September, together with artists like Mind Against, Maceo Plex, Paul Kalbrenner, Mathame, ARTBAT, and many more. Furthermore, we will have 2 releases coming till the end of 2023, and we really can’t wait to share this stuff with you. You can have a taste of our upcoming releases in our EG Spotlight mix.
EG: Thank you for your time, guys! We’re excited to see what’s in store for you. Take care!
Momery: Thank you again for having us, we enjoyed it a lot.
Momery & Running Pine’s ‘Ophelia’ is out now via Mind Against’s HABITAT. Purchase your copy here.
Follow Momery: Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud
