Ghost Town of Varosha Inspires British Musicians to Create an Album

Almost 20 years ago, British musician Terrence Overall came to Cyprus and found himself outside the closed-off Varosha area, unable to understand how a city of such a scale could have been completely abandoned. Years later, this impression became the basis for the conceptual music album VAROSHA, which will be released on 7 August.

The album was created by Terrence Overall and his musical partner Sean Baker. The authors describe the work as a «respectful musical reflection» on a city whose history continues to resonate strongly in Cyprus and around the world.

According to Overall, the idea for the project did not emerge immediately after his visit to Varosha. After returning home, he began studying the history of the city and Cyprus as a whole. Gradually, his interest in the abandoned resort developed into a years-long exploration of memory, identity and the fate of people connected to the place.

Before the events of 1974, Varosha was one of the Mediterranean’s best-known resorts, attracting tourists from around the world, including Hollywood celebrities. After the events of August 1974, the area was closed off and remained virtually untouched for decades.

The musicians note that they did not try to copy traditional Cypriot music. Instead, they used their own style — electronic music, new wave and ambient. The mood of the album gradually changes, moving from bright and calm compositions to more tense pieces reflecting the events of the conflict, while the final tracks are devoted to memory and reflections on time and loss.

Overall stressed that the album does not aim to explain the history of Cyprus or draw political conclusions.

«This is the work of two British musicians who were moved by a particular place and spent many years trying to understand the human story behind it,» he said.

The musicians hope to present VAROSHA in Cyprus, but believe that the project is better suited not to a conventional concert, but to an immersive format with visual accompaniment and surround sound.

The album will be released on 7 August.