Place yourself in a futuristic lounge hidden away in the depth of some distant unnamed city. The atmosphere inside swirls with a smokey, yet airy charm, as random glasses clink in the darkness and a smattering of enigmatic characters sit and absorb the sounds emerging from within. On the unpretentious stage, a sultry woman stands behind a control panel of various machines, their indicators and displays splashing colours of light across her face, illuminating a gentle sadness in her eyes as she controls and manipulates her sounds. Her name is Zinovia. She is from Athens. Her work is titled 'The Gift Of Affliction' and it seems to have the entire audience entranced. No doubt, there is a deeply personal connection here.

This is Zinovia's own brand of sadness, as if hidden somewhere for ages and is now finally emerging. Hidden forms of inclusive beauty marked by elegant soundscapes, classical underpinnings, and deep, moving ambiance. Is this a love story, or an allegory of loss? Naked. Humble. Threadbare loneliness with an air of hope just on the horizon. Never insistent, yet tempts its audience with an intoxicating aura of haunting allurement. Elegant piano arrangements and brief snatches of exotic symphonies ring out over warm, intoxicating atmospheres and choric vocals to create a worldly feel; experienced and wise, but not without its price. Time to make amends.

Zinovia’s compositions stand poignant and intellectual, fusing stylistic classical elements with deep, moving ambient sounds and subtle, uplifting beatwork. Smooth, intelligible, and truly elegant songs that allow the audience to drift away in a wash of tranquil tones that ebb and flow with a rare maturity and grace. Zinovia gives us 'The Gift Of Affliction', a memorable and exquisite work that demonstrates the profound capacity and undeniable charm of this gifted and talented artist.

"Very pleasant album by this Greek musician, which combines the grittiness and richness of acoustic instruments with the cleaner and leaner aspect of slowly floating electronica. ...very solid for a newcomer and deserves to be checked out and listened to." - Ad Noiseam

"While accomplished in terms of arrangement and production, it’s the breadth of genres and mediums in which Arvanitidi has worked which makes 'The Gift Of Affliction' a welcome addition to the Tympanik fold and the general nexus of IDM and acoustic composition." - I Die: You Die

"Enchanting and yet beautifully dark in all the right places Zinovia will have you wish there be more of such music. For lovers of: Boards of Canada, Amon Tobin, Hybrid." - Intravenous Magazine

"It has that rare distinction of being created by a musician who has a very high level understanding of harmony, performance and cutting edge electronic music production. It's a truly inspiring record." - Brutal Resonance

"Surely one of the finest downtempo albums released this year." - Headphone Commute