21/07/2026
Symposion Santorini is proud to share a profound new release born from the timeless power of myth. 🏛️
We are thrilled to announce that Yannis Pantazis has collaborated with Dead Can Dance on their brand new track "The Cicadas" – now released worldwide.
This evocative single, inspired by Plato's Phaedrus, blends ancient Greek myth and acoustic ritual, creating a haunting, trans‑historical soundscape.
🎵 About the Track
"The Cicadas" is inspired by the ancient creation myth recounted by Plato in his dialogue Phaedrus. While resting outside Athens, Socrates and Phaedrus are surrounded by a loud chorus of cicadas. Socrates tells a tale that the insects were once men who loved singing so much that they sang until they forgot to eat, and were reincarnated by the Muses.
In Plato's account, Socrates describes the cicadas as covert messengers for the Muses. The story goes that before the birth of the Muses, these men existed, but when music was finally created, they became so enraptured by the art that they sang continuously, neglecting all food and drink until they died. As a gift, the Muses transformed these devoted singers into cicadas.
Because of their origins, cicadas do not require nourishment and spend their entire lives singing until it is time to pass away. After death, the cicadas return to the Muses to report on which mortals have honoured them on earth. Specifically, they tell the Muses which humans dedicate their lives to philosophy, music, and divine discourse.
Socrates used this story to urge Phaedrus to stay awake and engage in philosophical discussion. He warned that if they were to fall asleep during the hot afternoon and just listen idly to the cicadas, the insects would report them to the Muses as lazy men who lacked a love for wisdom. However, if they continued their pursuit of truth, they could win a gift from the gods.
🎼 Credits
Brendan Perry – hurdy gurdy, percussion
David Kuckhermann – bendir, riq
Yannis Pantazis – aulos
Rhodope Women's Ensemble
Recorded and Mixed at The Temenos, Epidavros, Greece.
Each download comes with a digital PDF containing lyrics and original artwork by Brendan Perry.
🎧 Listen Now
"The Cicadas" is available exclusively on Bandcamp via Holy Tongue Records:
👉 https://deadcandance.bandcamp.com/album/the-cicadas
Visit Symposion Santorini – a space dedicated to the Muses, memory, and the future of sound.
🌐 www.symposionsantorini.com
🏷️ Hashtags
