“Wake Up & Smile (Acoustic Version)” by Stray Blue finds the long-running Greek trio marking two decades with a porch-close reworking of their signature tune. The stripped setting, twelve-string in an unusual tuning, brushed percussion, easy low harmonies, lets the refrain land like morning light over Chania’s harbor, resilient without pushing sentimentality.
At the center is Nick Anastasakis’ calm vocal, sounding like a friend nudging you upright after plans crater; bass and hand-drum pulse from Georges Athanas and Papazoglou keep things grounded while the chorus reminds you to greet rough mornings with a grin you grow into. The message feels earned, drawn from long miles together.
The companion track, “Moody Sky” with cellist Yoed Nir, stretches the set toward dusky indie folk, cello tracing weather fronts across the mix and giving the release replay pull. Tracked in Thessaloniki, the pair of songs serves as a compact refresher on why this band mattered and why a return to stages would be welcome. Until that happens, these recordings offer an easy add to morning acoustic queues and reflective late-night unwinds alike. Share them with good coffee.
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