Category: News

DJ duo “SKRAPNESHI” (DJ Monsta & DJ PM2THEAM) release their brand new single “Feel That”, featuring Latvian musician, comedian and activist Ralfs Eilands. “Feel That” is a single from the “SKRAPNESHI” upcoming debut album, which will be available this winter.

“This tune is about our inner and external freedom. I think that freedom, especially in the country that we live in – Latvia – is a hot topic. One of the things that we can do is to exercise our freedom within on a daily basis. It is quite symbolic that the featured artist on this tune is Ralfs Eilands – a person who has actively shown his support for Ukraine and also has been awarded the Certificate of Merit by Latvia’s president Egils Levits,” says DJ Monsta.

DJ PM2THEAM adds, “Finding your inner freedom is an adventure! I think that this song represents the journey to your inner freedom. I hope that “Feel That” will inspire our listeners to never give up on their dreams.”

Ralfs Eilands, who also wrote the lyrics of the song, says, “The melody and lyrics came to me in a heart beat. Freedom, in my opinion, is the hottest topic right now. At least in Latvia. It is up to us how we choose to exercise our freedom.”

“SKRAPNESHI” is a group formed by 2 well known Latvian DJ’s and producers – DJ Monsta and DJ PM2THEAM. Their weapon of choice is turntables, with which they express the main idea of “SKRAPNESHI” – freedom and happiness. As fans of old school, they often quote hip hop legends, legendary speeches, movie quotes and more.

“Feel That” is available on all major streaming services.

Artwork by Zahars Ze – zaharsze.com

EZIA, an up-an-coming Latvian singer from New York – on October 14th will release her
new single “Head High”. The song will be available on all music platforms.
The sound of the song combines pop, trap and R&B characteristic sound with influences from 2000s pop songs creating a nostalgic and inspirational tune.

“”Head High” talks about never giving up and keeping on keeping on even when we don’t feel like it. It came to me very quickly and I feel like I had had these emotions and unconsciously wrote it to myself,” says EZIA.

EZIA, a Latvian born singer and songwriter, moved to New York in 2018 and has been traveling around for the past years. Her debut album “Cycles” which was released in the end of March 2022 gained very positive music critic reviews and was featured on music blogs such as Stereofox and more.

Aivo Oskis publishes his debut album called “Suvenīrs” along with the title single. Ten songs total on the album, including both romantic ballads and rhythmic pop tunes, to sing and dance along to. The song “Suvenīrs” is about treasured memories we will always hold close to our hearts. Several songwriters, including Kaspars Ansons, Liene Atvara, Oskars Deigelis, and Jānis Driksna, worked together to write this song.

Aivo has also released a music video for the single, which illustrates a romance between two people who are no longer together. The events and memories made, however, cannot be taken away. The focus is not on the pain and goodbyes, but rather on the necessity of learning how to obtain these mementos.

On October 20, rock trio B OPTIMIST release their third single „Tie būsim mēs”. It is a song from their upcoming fifth studio album which is planned to be released this late autumn. A music video for the song „Tie būsim mēs” is also out now – it is the 15th video in the band’s history.

The main idea of the song and video is the passage of time – about the way that life is rapidly passing before our eyes, and only by stopping for a moment and looking back, we can appreciate how much time, the world, and ourselves are changing. The video alternates between shots of the band members today and many years ago. The oldest shot used in this music video is from 2004. “Tie bijām mēs, tie būsim mēs” is another reminder to appreciate what we have and where we are going.

Song: https://open.spotify.com/album/5nY4sBHUj0tW3jVlXw3s3h

Music and lyrics: B OPTIMIST. Video: Valters Levins, Kristaps Bērziņš, Gatis Levins, Roberts Levins. Special thanks to Rihards Vecvagars. The song is available on music streaming platforms from October 20. The band is planning to play concerts at the beginning of next year, which will also coincide with the group’s 10th anniversary.

B OPTIMIST play energetic and emotional rock music in Latvian since 2013. So far B OPTIMIST have released two singles – “Akvareļos” and “Mēles” – from their upcoming fifth studio album. Before that the band released their album “Visur skan”, an acoustic album “Turpinies!” with Latvian folk song lyrics. The debut album “B OPTIMIST” was released seven years ago. It was then followed by the EP “KOPĀ”. B OPTIMIST is Valters Levins, Roberts Levins, Linards Liepa. Their music is available on Spotify, Bandcamp, iTunes, Youtube, etc.

Contemporary psychedelic blues rock band So Lucid Electric Feel has released its second album Social Mindscream.

As the title of the new longplayer suggests, the album conjures up scenes in which a mind hungry for love and society manifests itself in different ways and characteristics.

“The album includes both sides – fantasy and reality, without giving up the opportunity to create your own artistic signature,” says the band’s vocalist and guitarist Uvis Gailis. “The story of the pieces winds through the labyrinths of motivation and routine, yet it is able to reproduce several emotions. Our songs give free rein to everyone’s imagination and provide the opportunity to find multiple identities.”

The album was made in Siguldas Skaņu Studija in cooperation with Latvian Blues Band bassist Mārcis Kalniņš, who is also the sound engineer of the new musical material, as well as the creator of the final mix and master version.

So Lucid Electric Feel is a trio founded in Sigulda, Latvia, in 2015, in which vocalist and guitarist Uvis Gailis, bassist Kristaps Sproģis and drummer Raitis Kalniņš have combined their musical skills. A couple of years ago, the band released their debut album We’re All Connected.

The new album Social Mindscream can be heard on major music streaming platforms.

Album in YouTube

The annual Latvian music record award “Zelta Mikrofons’ 23” take place on February 18, 2023 at the Ķīpsala International Exhibition Center, Rīga. The winner of each category receives two prizes – physical statuette and digital NFT, designed by world known Latvian artist KIWIE.

“Zelta Mikrofons” is one of the oldest and most important awards of Latvian music industry, summing up the excellence of Latvian music industry for 27 years. The past years the ceremony was broadcasted in TV channel TV3. For the first time at “Zelta Mikrofons’ 23” the audience will have a chance to celebrate with the musicians and enjoy the red carpet event. A limited number of tickets are available to the ceremony.

Latvian artist KIWIE is best known for the colorful street art, design and his secret, witty “grand dad” identity. KIWIE gained international recognition for his “Fat Monster” graffities. He comments on the collaboration with “Zelta Mikrofons”: “The time is changing and so does “Zelta Mikrofons ”. It might be the first time in Europe and even the world when a music award will gratify the winners with two prizes. One is the traditional physical statuette the other one – NFT that certifies the ownership of the microphone by the particular prize winner. Each nomination’s NFT will look slightly different, based on the specific style of the nomination. ”

“Zelta Mikrofons 23 ” will open a nomination for the most streamed Latvian recording in 2022. The data collection will be provided by “Ranger computers” (UK) and supported by Association of Latvian Sound Recording Producers, Publishers and Distributors (LaMPA), Association of Latvian Performers and Producers (LaIPA). The nomination will be represented by the brand Elektrum.

More information: http://www.zeltamikrofons.lv/

The 15th edition of the international new music festival Tallinn Music Week (TMW) will take place in Tallinn, Estonia from 10th to 14th May 2023. The submission call for musicians wishing to perform at the upcoming event is open until 12th December 2022 via TMW homepage.

TMW 2023 welcomes artists from various genres across the globe. All applications will be reviewed by the TMW programming team, which includes representatives of both Estonian and international music organisations and experts on various genres and scenes. A confirmed line-up of around 150 artists will be announced from February to March 2023.

As the leading showcase of “tomorrow’s music, arts and ideas” in the Baltic-Nordic region, TMW has been presenting distinctive talent from both its homeland and across Europe since 2009. TMW is valued internationally for its diverse programme, a vast variety of genres and high artistic level, as well as the strong representation of the international music industry. TMW’s music festival is attended by an audience of about 15,000 people and its PRO programme, attended by 1,000 delegates, connects artists with industry experts via a programme of discussion panels, workshops and mentoring sessions.

Reviews in international media have recognised TMW as an influential event that opens up distinctive talent to wider recognition and audiences. The last edition of the festival which took place from 4th to 8th May 2022 has been featured in music and culture publications like MOJO, The Line of Best Fit, The Quietus, Loud & Quiet and The Clash, as well as in public broadcasting channels from BBC Radio 4 to Deutsche Welle.

TMW 2023 artist application is open until 23.59 (CET) on 12th December 2022 via TMW homepage.

TMW 2023 takes place from 10th to 14th May 2023. TMW 2023 passes are on sale at the TMW webshop. Until the end of May, the Festival Pass and PRO Pass are available at Early Bird prices of 35 euros and 100 euros respectively.

TMW 2022 conference panel recordings are available for viewing for TMW PRO and DigiPRO clients via TMW PRO platform until the upcoming festival edition.

TMW is organised by Shiftworks in cooperation with several partners and co-curators. TMW’s strategic partner in the field of music is the national music export office Music Estonia.
Tallinn Music Week 2022 in numbers

• 192 music festival performers from 28 countries
• 974 PRO delegates/music industry representatives
• 103 conference speakers
• 30 music showcase events
• 229 team members and volunteers in Tallinn
• 17,425 festival visits

Today, on June 1, Latvian band “The Bad Tones” published a new single “Sunny Side” from their homecoming EP “Back Together Forever”, which will see the light of day in late June.

The lyrics of the song speak about reflections that for a moment arise when we tend to be just so happy that various everyday obstacles seem insignificant and sometimes it’s even hard to believe in their existence. The message of the song is a wish to get into such moments more often and to find joy in simple everyday things. “Walking on the sunny side of the street, especially towards the sun, literally makes me smile. I narrow my eyelids and for some reason my teeth show and make a little weird smile. I wish having sunglasses would be more convenient for me, because I wear optics already,” Kalvis imaginatively shares his feeling about the single.

The first sketches for the single were captured during the band’s annual creative camp and was later recorded at the “Red House” studio in Riga, Latvia. Keyboardist Teodors Kerimovs also took part in the recording. The song was produced and mixed by Jaspers Ras and mastered by Rengert Eggink, who are the band’s friends and partners from their study time in the Netherlands.

“Sunny Side” is one of the five compositions included in the upcoming EP “Back Together Forever”, which will be out on June 29. “The EP’s title “Back Together Forever” speaks for itself. We see it as a turning point in the band’s history. Probably not in terms of sound or any other musical expression, but definitely in the dynamics of the band. This is the first recording made while all of us were in one country, one city, one studio. And here it is important to add that we met ten years ago,” tells Edvards.

Nature and blues inspired union was formed in 2012 and was named “The Bad Tones” in 2017. It is represented by Edvards Broders (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Rudolfs Ozols (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Alberts Levics (vocals, bass guitar) and Kalvis Slezis-Zalkalns (vocals, drums). Up until now “The Bad Tones” has released EP “Bad Tunes” (2018), studio album “Is It Good Enough?” (2019), live album “Ezera Skaņas” (2020), as well as the song “Nest”, which is also included in the upcoming EP.

Alternative pop band Podruga has just released the single “Don’t Let Me Down” from their upcoming album “Sextasy” coming out in September. 

The melancholic dance track is inspired by the 90’s indie electronica. Airy and liberating, it makes you tempted to follow the White Rabbit and find your own Wonderland. The first draft of the song was written by the band’s vocalist Alise, when she took all of her music equipment and went to a music writing camp in Lithuania all by herself, instinctively recording the feelings of the moment. “Then I realized I’m chasing my own White Rabbit and trusting it to lead me to a better place,” says Alise. 

The music video follows Alise’s journey to a kinky Wonderland. It features some of the brightest names in today’s Latvian art world, such as performance artist Evelīna Baha, audiovisual artist Marss The Person, and drag queen Vencheska Baltique. 

The single was recorded and produced by Edvards Broders (“The Bad Tones”) at the “Red House” studio in Riga, and mastered by Alberts Levics (“The Bad Tones”). 

“Podruga” is: Alise Stefanoviča (vocals, keyboards, flute), Ričards Dauksts (guitar, keyboards), Jana Petkus (bass guitar) and Kārlis Lazdovskis (drums). The band was formed in 2016. So far, Podruga has released five singles and EP “YPA!”, which was highly acclaimed by the Polish radio station Radio Centrum.