"Hydra never asks where you are from; she wants to hear about all the places you’ve been. Known to antiquity as Hydrea (Υδρέα), named for her gift of water, she emerged from the sea an untamed, unruly force—a molten surge that turned to stone in an instant, becoming barren, hard, unyielding. Her waters don’t invite, they dare. For those bold enough to leap, Hydra transforms—no longer an island, but a heartbeat unrestrained." - Ekaterina Juskowski

Hydra: Island in the Sound is a book authored by Ekaterina Juskowski and Alkistis Boutsioukou accompanied by 7" vinyl EP by artist and composer Angela Tisner. Commissioned by Mnemosyne Projects and produced in partnership with the Old Carpet Factory Recording Studio. The first edition is limited to  300 numbered copies.

Commissioned and curated by Ekaterina Juskowski the accompanied compositions were developed during Angela Tisner’s Hydra Art Residency and produced in close collaboration with the Old Carpet Factory. Rooted in Hydra’s cultural heritage, the project weaves together sound, memory, and place to create a resonant tribute to the island’s enduring spirit.

Each track is created to accompany the poetic text written  by Juskowski and Boutsioukou for the locals of Hydra Island:

The title “Hydriot” doesn’t cling solely to birth certificates or ancestral claims—you belong to Hydra if the island takes root in your chest, if you surrender to her rhythm. Often, the bond cuts deeper when you come as a stranger, letting her waters strip you bare until the wind carves your name into her rocks. First, Hydra claims your heart, then she claims you whole.

By late October the island exhales the last of the summer crowd. Hydriots reclaim themselves and settle back into their quiet resilience that has long defined them. Winter arrives on damp footsteps, its chill creeping into the bones of the place. The air grows heavy, the stones slick, but the spirit of the place takes root, fostering a sense of togetherness among those who remain.

We set out to trace Hydra’s backbone—her jagged slopes, her restless sea, the rough trails that test your footing and patience. You don’t walk Hydra—you navigate her, rock by rock, as though mapping the scars of a life lived hard and unapologetic. We follow the life lines of her people—watching, listening, always seeking. Observers, yes, but explorers too, hungry for the unvarnished truth of the island and the stubborn souls that call it home. Hydra doesn’t hand over her secrets freely. You have to endure her seasons to earn them."