Brachliegen are proud to present Break Down, the first release from Sakostamu, the collaborative project of Vasilis Sakkos (Casual Nun) and Tasos Stamou. The pair layer chanting vocal groans, wandering bells, weaving drones and haunting plucked strings through a four track tape recorder; this ritualised process builds a rich textual palette, burrowing deep to create a den of sonic transcendence, a place where shared cultural histories and individual wounds are broken down and confronted. 

A work fermenting for years before it came to fruition via a lucky accident, Vasilis describes the summer breakdown that resulted in these haunted tones as follows: "In midsummer of 2022, Tasos and I met up to play music together after a near two and a half year absence, in his home in Shoeburyness. The pandemic days had left scars on us both and the lingering sense of a prolonged breakdown hung over our heads. Every-time we meet up, though, it feels healing. And this time was no different. Amidst the sounds of a beautiful Donovan album and the soft light of a summer morning, we got ready to play and record. But mere moments before our playtime and recording, a spilled glass of water from the small hands of a four-year-old caused Tasos's laptop to give up the ghost.

A new breakdown was upon us, stirring up emotions that were lurking in the dark. Our Deus Ex Machina arrived in the form of an old four track recorder that was eerily waiting for us all along. Over the next two days we got to exorcise through sound, the voices of inner children and friendly demons. I felt connected to my Thessalian roots and whispers from forgotten lore spoke to me. I felt directly connected to Tasos and his roots — his stories and mine all became one thread, one sound. Ultimately we broke down but in doing so rose up and these tracks became our Midsummer Breakdown memento. Here's to the future stories, here's to getting back up again… "