Category: News

On 16 March, pianist Andrejs Osokins will launch his new concert programme “Osokins – to Liszt”, which will continue until the end of the year in various venues across Latvia. Alongside the concert programme, a new fundraising campaign for Ukraine has been announced. 

The concert programme “Osokins – to Liszt” is a tribute to one of the most important piano composers and virtuosos of the 19th century – Franz Liszt – his creative work, personality, and life. Liszt – virtuoso, lover, philosopher, monk, priest, thinker, romantic and tragic hero – these are just some of the aspects of his personality that characterise the great composer’s complicated life of and permeate his music. Like Liszt’s life, which began in Hungary but took him to countless places in Europe, his work is interwoven by the theme of wandering, which is also one of the cornerstones of Andrejs Osokins concert programme. The pianist believes that the diversity of Liszt’s life resonates strongly with our times, when everything in the world is changing rapidly and everyone must be able to adapt to these changes.

The new concert programme will also feature Liszt’s Petrarch Sonnet No. 104 from the cycle “Years of Wandering”.

Currently, ten concerts of the “Osokins – to Liszt” concert programme have been announced:

• 16 March at the Daugavpils Unity House,
• 19 March at the Sēja Culture House,
• 1 April at the Mazmežotne Manor,
• 16 April at the Jelgava Culture House,
• 21 April at the Dobele Concert Hall ZINTA,
• 29 April at ZEIT in Līgatne,
• 10 May at the Lielvārde Culture House,
• 7 July at Veselava Manor,
• 14 October at Madona Culture House,
• 8 December at the Krustpils Culture House in Jēkabpils.

Tickets for the concerts are available at the “Biļešu paradīze” box office and online at www.bilesuparadize.lv and www.ekase.lv (concert in Loja).

In cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine in Latvia and the charity fund Ziedot.lv, a new fundraising campaign initiated by Andrejs Osokins, “Strength Dose for Victory!”, has been launched, during which people are invited to donate for the purchase of universal meal kits, which will be delivered to Ukrainian soldiers at the front in cooperation with the Confederation of Ukrainian Societies “Viche”. Andrejs Osokins has launched the campaign in preparation for his new concert tour, because it is important for him as a musician not only to inspire the audience with excellent compositions and convey a message of peace, unity and hope, but also to encourage everyone to continue helping Ukraine.

“The brutal war in Ukraine is now a year old, which seems absolutely unbelievable. Our support gives Ukrainians not only much-needed resources to continue their fight against evil, but also inspiration and reassurance that they are not alone in this madness. That is why it is extremely important to continue helping Ukraine and its army, because it is this army that is the main force saving Europe and Latvia from the threats and darkness that Putin’s Russian troops are bringing to the whole world. Together we can bring the victory of light closer and thus the peaceful future of Latvia,” says Andrejs Osokins on why he continues to carry out various support actions for Ukraine.

In the campaign “Strength dose for Victory!”, funds are raised for meal kits, which include a complete meal, a bag of reagent that heats up in response to 50 ml of cold water and makes it possible to heat up this meal in frontline conditions without electricity or fire, as well as chocolate and muesli bars, a nut and raisin mix, a portion of oatmeal, bread, candy, tea, coffee, chocolate drink, antibacterial and plain napkins, and a spoon.

You can donate for the meal kit purchase here: https://www.ziedot.lv/maltisu-komplekti-ukrainu-karaviriem-fronte-4479.

This campaign is a continuation of the “Hot Meals for Ukrainian Soldiers at the Front” campaign launched by Andrejs Osokins on Ziedot.lv last October, which is still ongoing and has already raised more than EUR 100 000, enabling 20 000 hot meal kits to be delivered to the front in Ukraine.

On February 25 of this year, the band “The Bad Tones” released three songs, or “tringles” with the name “i”. This is a precursor to three more such tracks that the group will release during 2023.

“Some time ago I started thinking about a concept where we try to encapsulate a time in which a song comes together. My theory is that working on something creative during winter or summer influences the result and what you get in the end is completely different, that’s why I suggested implementing this idea in an album format, respectively three songs in each season. Somehow it also resonated well with Alberts and Rūdolfs idea that it would be nice to release more singles, to work less on something big, which can be tiring and begins to restrict with too much freedom at the beginning and too much stress at the end.Without hiding behind any purist motives, we have already recorded a large part of the songs live last summer at the former festival “Zvērā” territory in the “prieka māja”, but the process in which we decide the direction of the particular song, we leave to the mood of each season.” tells one of the band members, Edvards.

The Bad Tones released an EP last year called “Back Together Forever” alongside all other albums of the group have been nominated for the “Zelta Mikrofons 2022” award.

The Bad Tones is a band inspired by nature and blues that was formed in 2012, but took the name “The Bad Tones” in 2017. It is represented by Edvards Broders (voice, guitar, keyboards), Rūdolfs Ozols (voice, guitar, keyboards), Alberts Levics (voice, bass guitar) and Kalvis Sležis-Zaļkalns (voice, drums). So far “The Bad Tones” have released an EP “Bad Tunes” (2018), studio album “Is It Good Enough?” (2019), the live album “Ezera Skaņas” (2020) and another EP “Back Together Forever” (2022).

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“Angelic Mimetics” explores how different creations, before defined in more specific categories, have all merged in the infinite white light of the feed and become content. In this angelic light, there is no longer any observable border between craftsman, artist or master of other discipline, all are content creators, all are content consumers. What happens when content becomes so beautiful and perfect that it threatens the conditions of art themselves?

The video for “Angelic Mimetics” was filmed in a Riga dance club, “ONE ONE”, produced and directed by Alberts Levics and Alise Golovacka. The band would also like to say a massive thank you to Maksimilians Kotovičs, Harijs Aizups, Elza Krasta and Kristiāns Laizāns, all of whom participated in the making of the video.

The core of “Perestroika” is Leo Novus and Rūdolfs Ozols, who started their creative collaboration journey in 2020 in Amsterdam. In live shows, the duo is joined on stage by Aleksandrs Barons, Alise Golovacka and Dāvis Mazurenko. Although self-described as belonging to the art-rock genre, “Perestroika” refrains from limiting itself to the restrictions of any specific genre. In the creative process, the primary directive is the context/message of the song, while elements from different genres and styles are chosen to enhance it and to morph space accordingly.

The band’s first album “memorial server” was released on October 22 of last year and was nominated for the Latvian annual award for music recordings “Golden Microphone 2023” in categories “Best debut Album of the Year” and “Best Indie or Alternative Music Album”.

Single comes out just a few days before Valentine’s day and is dedicated to so-called “ghosting”. Ghosted is the third single of BAIBAS upcoming EP ‘Compulsive’ which will be released this spring.

In her latest song, the Latvian electro-pop artist BAIBA, who lives in Austria, tells about various experiences in the search for the other half – both joys and unpleasant moments, through humor and satire. Song is about “ghosting” – when one person decides to end the relationship without notifying the other.

Through a good dose of self-irony, catchy and rhythmic tunes, the musician has turned this phenomenon into a powerful manifesto for everyone who has ever encountered it – it is not worth looking for the culprits, but it is important to say goodbye with respect.

“Making this piece of music and video for it has changed my perspective on the topic a lot,” says Baiba, “Speaking with people that both have been ghosted and/or have ghosted someone, the only true reminder is – as unpleasant as it may be – a little communication goes a long way and can save one feelings of guilt and anxiety and for the other party sleepless nights of self doubt and insecurities. It’s a matter of respect for the time spent together.”

Song on Spotify

About BAIBA:
BAIBA [real name Baiba Dēķena] is a Latvian electro-pop solo artist living in Austria. She actively produces music, performs and teaches music production master classes for girls.

After releasing two albums in 2017 and 2021, she is currently working on a new EP

“Compulsive”, which will be released in the spring of 2023. “Compulsive” will be a satirical, direct and multi-faceted work. It is known that at the beginning of August, BAIBA will finally perform in Latvia, at the music and art festival “LABA DABA”.

Musician Zelma Jēgere (VIŅA) has released her third solo album “Diamond dust” on March 1st, but this time with a new sound and stage name – Zelma. The album “Diamond dust” consists of 7 songs written in English over the last 3 years. Many different musicians were involved in the making of the album, each with their own style and sound – Oriole, Kashuks, Arturs Liede, Andis Ansons, Andrjus Jaņuns, Kapteinis Reinis, Andris Buiķis, Oskars Ozoliņš, Erna Daugaviete, Matthias Herberg and Marvin Langner from Germany, Rūdolfs Ozols, Valters Sprūdžs and Ralfs Eilands. The songs on the album sometimes contrast with each other, which is a characteristic feature of Zelma’s previous solo albums.

“The time during which this album was created, to tell the truth, was full of painful experiences . Almost throughout 2021, I had to focus more on my mental health and well-being, so there was very little time and motivation for music. The very first songs that were written (“Blue”, “How”) are quite gloomy and depressive. I was quite sure that the whole album would be in similar tones, but slowly, as I regained my joy of life and passion, a few songs also gained some positive tones. I am extremely grateful to all the people who have been part of my support team both musically and emotionally in the process of creating this album. I know that many of my listeners have been longing for a new album from VIŅA in Latvian, and I can whisper that I have already started working on it in parallel.” That’s what Zelma says about the album.

The visual design of the album was created by artist Sandis Mūrnieks using charcoal on canvas. The album is available on all streaming platforms starting from March 1st.”

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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.

While “Sudden Lights” is actively preparing for the international Eurovision Song Contest, and ZeBrene is dreaming up his next hits, the producer association YDJ, teaming up with producer and DJ Rodion Gordin, has created a remix version of the duo’s song “Pasaule trīc”. 

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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.”