Athena - The Best of George Skaroulis is an eight-year retrospective of this artist’s most impressive body of work. The sixteen tracks include four never-released pieces, so even if you own all of Skaroulis’ previous albums, this is still a must-have. Known for his evocative blending of piano and keyboard as well as traditional Greek musical idioms and contemporary piano stylings, the title track is a bit of a surprise with its Yanni-like big sound. The song was originally released on “Return to the Homeland” in a somewhat different format, and that version is also included on the album. This track includes piano, a beautiful violin part played by Paul Mercer, percussion, and additional keyboards. Rhythmic and celebratory, it is very Greek in style and sound. A great start! The only piece on the CD that isn’t original is Skaroulis’ lovely arrangement of “Hymn to Liberty (The Greek National Anthem).” Presented as a piano solo, its simple melody is haunting. “Goddess” is another new track, and is one of Skaroulis’ most beautiful pieces. A melancholy piano is accompanied with Jairaj Swann on electric bass and Alex Wolf on guitar, along with elegantly interwoven synth parts that give it an ethereal quality. “The Dance” clocks in a less than a minute, and demonstrates that less can truly be more - a perfect solo piano vignette. I also really love “Return to Patmos,” a reflective and haunting piano piece with synth strings washes that actually enhance the piece. “Voice of the Ancients” is the fourth of the new pieces, and includes a male voice speaking in the background behind shimmering string and synth sounds. Another vignette, it’s an interesting interlude. Other titles include “Numinous,” “Reflection,” and “Hopes and Dreams.” All of the tracks have obviously been carefully and caringly selected, and there isn’t a weak track on the album. If you are new to George Skaroulis’ music, this is an outstanding introduction to his work. One of my favorite artists, Skaroulis deserves a much wider audience. Athena is available from amazon.com and evzonemusic.com. Very highly recommended!