Author: macha

Latvian musician Kristiāns Laizāns launches a new alternative country project “Red Lung” and releases his debut EP “Sleepless”. The album consists of five tracks, which also includes the single “Baby Lightning” released this January.

“The story of “Sleepless” EP began during the beginning of the pandemic along with the first chords of “Baby Lightning” that I captured on my phone while working in my bedroom. Initially, I didn’t expect to release even a single track, but as soon as “4 AM” arrived, I began to feel that this could become a modest but sweet collection of compositions created during some of my insomniac nights. I certainly don’t wish to glorify sleep deprivation, but I felt that it would be more than appropriate to name the album “Sleepless” considering the subject matter and what it took to write the songs,” says Kristiāns.

“When it comes to the themes and content of the songs, I think they are all well connected by their narrative nature. The tracks are like lullabies for adults or small etudes for anyone who could associate themselves to the protagonist or at least an observer,” adds Kristiāns.

The EP came to being in several phases, combining the five tracks recorded over the last few years, including “Baby Lightning” which was released in January. Several musicians from a multitude of other projects participated in the recording of the album: Alise Golovacka (backing vocals, flute), Monta Sleže-Zaļkalne (violin), Oskars Jansons (guitar), Rūdolfs Ozols (guitar), Jānis Steķis (bass guitar), Kalvis Sležis-Zaļkalns (drums) , Rūdolfs Daņiļevičs (drums). The album was recorded, mixed and mastered, as well as produced by Edvards Broders (Broders Audio) at “Red House” studio in Riga, Latvia.

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Kristiāns first introduced himself to the music scene as the leader of the progressive/indie rock band “Be Reet” (2013-2017). Later, under the stage name “Tavs Puisis”, he began performing as a regular DJ, gave several acoustic concerts, released the single “Hang of This” in the summer of 2020 and later the single “Baby Lightning” in January 2023.

Last year during his final term of music studies in the UK, musician and drummer Kārlis Roberts Kalējs as the final portfolio wrote a solo album, where each track is composed and arranged entirely on drums. The aim was to experiment with the ability to make music, not just rhythms. Ode to Becoming is also the artist’s debut album. Previously, the musician has worked on various different projects internationally as a drummer and a producer, and continues to do it now after returning back to Latvia.

Ode to Becoming is a dialogue with drums. “Usually when making music with other people, I communicate through the drums, whereas with this project I wanted to gain a deeper, much more personal connection with the instrument and learn how to communicate with the drums themselves” the artist says. Drum solo albums are rare and in Latvia Ode to Becoming is the first of its kind.

The album is a diverse yet cohesive and meditative sonic journey. Inspired by countless jazz drummers and experimental improvisation, in his compositions, the musician uses different drum kit setups, extended techniques and various effects. Throughout the album there are tracks where Kārlis layers different elements, plays melodies or simply makes it groove. For some compositions he restricts himself and makes something very minimalistic; for some – quite the opposite. For the best listening experience, a part of the artist’s vision is to encourage people to take a break from everyday rush and listen to the album on headphones in one continuous take without doing anything else. Ode to Becoming is available on all major streaming platforms.

Composed and performed by Kārlis Roberts Kalējs
Recorded by James Coates
Mixed by James Coates and Kārlis Roberts Kalējs
Produced by James Coates and Kārlis Roberts Kalējs
Mastered by James Coates
Artwork by Terēze Brence
Photos by Vivian Almas
Creative director: Tīna Alise Drupa

Zambian guitarist Katuta Sichilongo after listening to the album: “I loved the variety of themes expressed and picked up a wonderful juxtaposition between form and freedom – what they mean and what they could mean. The production was top tier… There were some sounds in there that I imagined were not typical part of the drumkit but added astounding beauty.”
“I had never worked on anything like this before. When Kārlis first got in touch with me, his vision about the album very intrigued me and the whole process has been just an incredible experience.” Sound engineer James Coates describes his collaboration with Kārlis.
Ode to Becoming creative director Tīna Alise Drupa: “The concept and the execution of the album inspired me. It broadened my perspective about the drums as a musical instrument.”
Terēze Brence, who worked on the artwork, describes the album as a unique experience: “It’s so enjoyable and interesting! I have a feeling that I’m listening to some kind of traveller telling me about his adventures.”

Although the story of the song is about relationships, about the pain of separation, when everything seems to be lost and hands are down, the call not to say no can be applied to almost any everyday situation, it is relevant for all of us. A video was also made for the song, in which the story is danced by the couple.

Beatrise Heislere, more widely known from the semi-finals of the “Supernova 2022” song contest where she participated with the song “On the Way Home”, has released a new single “Dance ‘Cause You Need It”.

The author is musician and singer Edvards Grieze, the producer is a musician and member of “Eridana” – Roberts Pētersons. “Our successful collaboration simply had to continue. It’s amazing how from the first draft Robers finds details to highlight, giving the song a unique sound,” says Beatrise about the song’s creation process.

“The song is about inner struggles and self-reflection. Again the song and it’s meaning, actuality and everything around it is Edvards’ talent and creativity peak – the right song in the right time,” says singer about the song.

Genre that would describe “Dance ‘Cause You Need It” most accurate is Synthwave. This is a micro genre of electronic music that brings out the best of 80s nostalgia and pop culture era – the atmosphere, arts as cinema and music, and video games. Previous single “On the Way Home” purposefully was produced in this genre to popularize in Latvia.

“With this song I would like to reach out to every listener, saying that you don’t have to hide behind your dreams and goals but aim and get closer every day. Last year hasn’t been the easiest one, many will agree that with everything we’ve been through there are days when you want it all and days when you feel like doing nothing, but, more so – dance ’cause you want it, ’cause you need it now,” says Beatrise.

The song is included in her debut mini-album “Aizturu elpu”. The song tells about infinite love that has no boundaries of time or space. The song was made in cooperation with producer Kaspars Ansons.

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Latvia-based band LUNT has released ‘The Inner Border‘ (Iekšējā Robeža), a cerebral, stunning track filled with gravitas and hunger to stir emotions. The record was written in June 2020, using soundscapes as metaphors for the travel that led LUNT’s frontman Gilles Deles-Velins to Latvia. Anna Akhmatova’s poem, A land not mine, is read in Russian at the beginning of the track and in Latvian at the end.

You can listen to ‘The Inner Border’ on Soundcloud and pre-order via Bandcamp. It comes in Dolby 7.1 Channel original version.

Few artists match Deles’ ability to blend electronic and organic sources while securing a delicate balance between textural soundscapes and melodic structures. Thoughtfully arranged and bonded in a marvelous aesthetic, ‘The Inner Border‘ continues LUNT’s exploration of states of consciousness.

With ‘The Inner Border,’ LUNT explores electro-acoustic spaces to create an immersive sound that transcends notions of musical language, forms, ambient, electro, drone, and other categories in music. The record is not only about soundscapes but redolent meditations capable of disinterring a long-forgotten memory or inducing a nostalgic reverie, somehow gravitating toward themes that contemplate the meaning of life.

Fans of LUNT’s work will find ‘The Inner Border’ deeply rewarding, while new listeners will doubtfully find themselves motivated to reach back into his catalog for more.

Credits:

Stromboli Volcano Sound Take by Clovis Tisserand
Cover photo by Lionel Maraval
Anna Akhmatova reading by Inese Vēliņa.
Lyrics, sound takes, instruments, arrangements, mix, mastering: Gilles Deles-Velins
Saxophone: Jérôme Gilet
Asari vocal ensemble directed by Artūrs Oskars Mitrevics
Soprano: Laura Štoma
Altos: Māra Delesa-Vēlina, Agnese Osīte-Slava, Ilze Ārniece
Bass: Oskars Krūklis, Artūrs Oskars Mitrevics

Electronic music producer Mickeen (Miks Pinzulis) in collaboration with rapper Goča (Gatis Orniņš) releases the first album single from Mickeen’s upcoming debut album.

goča about the song: “The song is written about the metamorphosis of the personality, which is connected with a drastic change of values and looking through a completely new prism – the song was written at a point when the author has abandoned the previous values and looks into the new expanse that opens up in front of him. although it is not known what the path to follow, it is clear which one you should definitely not choose again”

Mickeen: ”Katrā dziesmā ko rakstu ielieku spēcīgas emocijas un tās nolasīt dodu māksliniekam ar ko sadarbojos. goča, manuprāt, to spēja ideāli interpretēt – neizmainot dziesmas noskaņu.”

Mickeen: ‘In every song I like to put strong emotions which then I give to other artists to interpret. goča, in my opinion, was able to interpret it perfectly – without changing the mood of the song”

The producer association YDJ has released a new song “Netālu no Esplanādes”, featuring musician Oskars Deigelis. The song was sung by Liene Greifāne. Two remixes have also been made for the song.