Kristi Stassinopoulou spent her childhhod in Athens where she was inspired by traditional folk music along with classic rock groups such as Jefferson Airplane and post punk groups such as Blondie. She put a Grecian turn on the modern rock music she played in numerous high school bands. Her Greek influence carries over into the title of the album.

Echotropia comes from two greek words. “Echo,” meaning sound and “tropia,” turned around.” She turns modern influences into a beautiful classical melody, luscious and calm and traditional influences into a driving pulsating collection of sound.

“Echotropia” is an album driven by passion. Every song consists of sensual rhythms that invoke images of rolling naked in silk, dancing in soft moon-light, perfume- filled nights in Egypt, gypsies playing violins in a mystic caravan, or walking along a beach in Greece…the exotic, the wonderful, the faraway dreams of fantasy. Songs like “Trigona,” “Aeolos” and “Rain Is Falling” become intense adventures into the sexuality of music without the raunchy overtones.

I recently performed at a belly-dancing festival in New Orleans to one of the songs on Echotropia. The song “Majnoun” and the dance together formed a powerful performance that was a smash hit and the album was one of the best ones featured at the festival. Though the album is a bit too much on the “ethnic side” to become accepted as mainstream, Echotropia deserves all the attention it can get. Kristi Stassinopoulou’s talent as a musician is highly remarkable and the music is well orchestrated and inspiring.

As an avid fan of Middle-Eastern music and female musicians, “Echotropia” has become one of my favorite International albums. It’s also a CD I refer to as wonderful to perform to. This is an astounding album! Five stars!