Category: News

In honor of the 25th anniversary of “Kremerata Baltica” chamber orchestra, SKANi releases an album by the orchestra led by Gidon Kremer called “ppp”. The name contains abbreviations of the surnames of the three prominent Latvian composers Pēteris Plakidis, Kristaps Pētersons and Georgs Pelēcis. The subtlety of chamber music and the love towards detail by Pēteris Plakidis, mathematical precision and composure along with transcendent and mystical images by Kristaps Pētersons and naive, cheerful, brave characters alongside a melancholic reverie by Georgs Pelēcis make this release a bright example of the Latvian contemporary music. The album (CD, streaming and download format) will be released on June 17, 2022.

“My ideal is to serve music. In whatever form that may be, I take great joy in being a servant to this lady”

Pēteris Plakidis

Pēteris Plakidis (1947–2017) is the greatest poet and interpreter of music among Latvian composers. According to his biography, he was also the “most academic”, because once he began his studies at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, he never left the school. Studies in composition were followed by an assistantship and then a professorship. He also had the most typical path of a Latvian composer regarding education and career: the Emīls Dārziņš Music School, the conservatory, head of the music department at the Latvian National Theatre, a popular composer of film music, also a co-creator of wonderful animated films. He embodied the bonds of artistic fraternity between composer and performer, between members of a chamber ensemble, between poetry and music, between poets and musicians. These bonds were stronger than any external conditions; Plakidis belonged to an age of musical “insiders” where only talent and insight mattered. The Little Concerto for two violins (1991) premiered on August 18, 1991, in the Wagner Hall in Riga. It was performed by Aīda Grieze and Andris Pauls, to whom it is also dedicated. Precisely thirty years later, Gidon Kremer and Madara Pētersone recorded the concerto specially for this album.

Kristaps Pētersons (1982) holds a bachelor’s degree with highest honors in double bass and composition (2005) and a master’s degree in composition (2007) from the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. For outstanding accomplishments during his studies, he received the Arnolds Šturms Award and the Tālivaldis Ķeniņš Award. Pētersons has been a musician with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra since 2005 and a musician and soloist with “Kremerata Baltica” since 2015. In 2010, he was awarded first place in the young composers’ category at the UNESCO-organized International Rostrum of Composers competition for his composition Twilight Chants recorded by the Latvian Radio Choir. Ground premiered in 1999, while π = 3.14 for two double basses, percussion and recording was composed specially for this “Kremerata Baltica” album. Pētersons is at times inspired by transcendent, even mystical things, yet at the same time his music possesses a mathematical precision and composure that gives the impression of immediacy and directness. The irrational number π (or pi or P) playfully relates to something as barely determinable to the ear as the tuning of a piano. Music for a Large Ensemble was written specially for the musicians of “Kremerata Lettonica”. It premiered on May 22, 2021, at the Wagner Hall in Riga as part of a concert honoring the centenary of diplomatic relations between Latvia and Germany.

Georgs Pelēcis (1947) is a composer and significant researcher and scholar of the history and theory of counterpoint. He studied at the Emīls Dārziņš Music High School in Riga and, encouraged by his classmate Gidon Kremer, continued his education at the Pyotr Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory, where he studied composition under Aram Khachaturian, graduating in 1970. Seven years later at the same institution, he completed graduate studies in music theory under Vladimir Protopopov. Pelēcis began teaching polyphony at the Latvian State Conservatory (later, the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music) in 1970 and became a professor there in 1990. Pelēcis is a unique phenomenon in the cultural scene of the 20th/21st century. His ideal is euphony and harmony. His music is dominated by naive, cheerful and brave characters that exist alongside a melancholic reverie. Violinist Gidon Kremer – a friend since their youth – has proven to be a remarkable interpreter of Pelēcis’ music and an ambassador of his work. The Fiori Musicali collection of compositions is like a follow-up by Georgs Pelēcis to Flowering Jasmine, an opus he wrote in 2007 for Gidon Kremer. Pelēcis named this blooming garden Fiori Musicali after Girolamo Frescobaldi’s collection of liturgical organ music from the 17th century.

KREMERATA BALTICA is considered by music experts to be one of the best international chamber orchestras in the world, and with performances at important venues across the globe, it has secured an excellent reputation. In addition to regular concert tours throughout Europe, Kremerata Baltica has also performed at most of the major centres in Asia, Australia and North and South America. Kremerata Baltica has released several dozen albums, including recordings of music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giya Kancheli, Leonid Desyatnikov, Astor Piazzolla, Raminta Šerkšnytė, Arvo Pärt, Pēteris Vasks and Georgs Pelēcis. It has received several prestigious awards, including a Grammy and Echo Award in 2002 and the Praemium Imperiale grant for young artists in 2009. The orchestra’s albums of works by Georges Enescu and Mieczysław Weinberg were both nominated for the Grammy Award, and its recording of Shostakovich’s piano concertos with Anna Vinnitskaya won the Echo Klassik award in 2016 for best concert recording (20th/21st-century music). It has received several nominations for the Latvian Grand Music Award and won Latvia’s highest state award in music in 1999 for outstanding artistic qualities in concert programmes in Latvia and popularizing Baltic composers worldwide. It also won the Latvian Grand Music Award in 2004 for the Shostakovich and Schnittke: Unfinished Century festival.

Violinist Gidon Kremer founded Kremerata Baltica in 1997 at the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival as a 50th birthday present to himself. The orchestra consists of musicians from the three Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. One of its main aims is to inspire and promote musical growth in the Baltic region as well as encourage innovative programming and performance that is open to experimentation and poses bold challenges to the status quo. Kremerata Baltica has held its own, eponymous festival in Latvia since 2003. Since the orchestra’s inception, it has regularly collaborated with world-renowned musicians and conductors. In addition to Kremer himself, soloists have included violinists Vadim Repin, Lisa Batiashvili, Thomas Zehetmair, Baiba Skride and Kristīne Balanas; cellists Mischa Maisky, Mario Brunello and Yo-Yo Ma; singer Jessye Norman; pianists Mikhail Pletnev, Martha Argerich, Khatia Buniatishvili, Katia Skanavi and Reinis Zariņš; and accordionist Ksenija Sidorova. Guest conductors have included Saulius Sondeckis, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Simon Rattle, Heinz Holliger, Ainārs Rubiķis and Andris Poga.

SKANi is a division of the Latvian Music Information Centre (LMIC). Funded by the Latvian Ministry of Culture, its goal is to produce high quality recordings of Latvian classical music performed by both emerging and established Latvian musicians and promote Latvia’s classical music heritage through its distinctive and varied programming. Founded in 2014, it has released around 100 recordings and is managed by a Latvian clarinetist Egīls Šēfers, who is also a Director of the Latvian Music Information Centre and Chairman of the Latvian Music Council. It has longstanding relationships with the Latvian Radio Choir, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, State Choir “Latvia”, Sinfonietta Riga, Liepāja Symphony Orchestra and many other soloists and chamber music groups.  

TRACK LIST:

Pēteris Plakidis: Little Concerto for two violins

1. I. Singing Together 3:21
2. II. Evening Music 7:34
3. III. The Road 5:50

Kristaps Pētersons

4. Ground for double bass solo 4:44
5. π = 3,14 for two double basses, percussion, and recording 8:46

Music for a Large Ensemble

6. I. ♪ = 124 0:52
7. II. ♪ = 82 2:29
8. III. ♪ = 124 5:35

Georgs Pelēcis: Three pieces from Fiori Musicali

9. The Lone Calla 4:41
10. Dance of the Peonies 5:44
11. Cosmea Melancholy 4:17

TT: 54:22

Gidon Kremer, violin (1-3, 11)

Madara Pētersone, violin (1-3)

Kristaps Pētersons, double bass (4, 5)

Iurii Gavrilyuk, double bass (5)

Andrei Pushkarev, vibraphone (5, 9, 11)

Kremerata Baltica (9-11)

Kremerata Lettonica (6-8)

Recorded in: Riga Recording Studio, Latvian Radio Studio 1, 2021 & 2022

Recording producer, editing, mixing, mastering: Varis Kurmiņš

Booklet text: Ingrīda Zemzare

English translation: Amanda Zaeska

Photos: Jevgeņija Frolova, Edmunds mickus, Maksims Novikovs, Angie Kremer

Design: Kirils Šmeļkovs

Executive producer: Ingrīda Zemzare, Egīls Šēfers

℗ Kremerata Baltica, 2022

© Kremerata Baltica & LMIC/SKANi 139, 2022

Latvian group Sub Scriptum and Ukrainian singer Anastasia Vasilenko have published the single “Зійде сонце” (Ziyde sonce) and its video. The musicians met during the third Osokins’ Freedom Festvial for Ukraine, creating songs for the festival’s closing concert, which was attended by many newly formed associations of Latvian and Ukrainian musicians, together expressing support for Ukraine in the fight against Russia’s brutal military aggression. The collaboration between Sub Scriptum and Anastasia Vasilenko was so successful that it was decided to develop and continue it. 

The leader of the group, Kristers Rudzītis, says: “Since the beginning of the war, we have been actively involved in various concerts and projects in support of Ukraine, because music is our biggest weapon to express support to the Ukrainians. With this achievement, we want to show our position that there is no place for war and cruelty in the 21st century. Music is the best language in the world – with these words we started working with Anastasia and they have united us all this time.” 

The first version of “Зійде сонце” entitled “Tas notiek naktīs” can be found in the group’s album “21. gs. mode” (2020). The new song is in Latvian and Ukrainian, with music and lyrics by Kristers Rudzītis and Anastasia Vasilenko.

“With this song, we want to support the Ukrainians, tell them that all the horrors that are happening in Ukraine will end soon and that the sun will rise again. That’s why the chorus of the song I created in Ukrainian starts with the words “I want to believe that the wind will calm down and the sun will rise”. I am very happy to work with Sub Scriptum – the band brings together not only very talented musicians including the lead vocalist Kristers, who writes deep and beautiful music, but also wonderful people. All this time, they have wholeheartedly supported me and Ukraine,” says Anastasia Vasilenko.

Author of the video – Elvis Lācis. It was created with the support of the recreation center “Gandrs”. The special atmosphere of the video was created by “BB Rental”. Make-up artist – Ieva Iraida.

The producer of the song is Alexander Buryi (Ukraine), who has worked with the groups “Смысловые галлюцинации”, “Чичерина”, “Мураками” and others. Mix and mastering – Armands Varslavāns.

Several festivals and concerts with the participation of Sub Scriptum are expected, in which the song “Зійде сонце” will be performed together with Anastasia Vasilenko. The group invites other Latvian musicians to collaborate with Ukrainian artists, as their culture is currently under threat, and it is very important to give musicians who have taken refuge in Latvia the opportunity to continue performing.

The band Sub Scriptum, which originated in 2017, has also previously focused on current topics in its music. The band’s single “Kādā Krāsā” (2020) and its video which tells about political correctness and its exaggeration in today’s world was noticed by the “Baltic Film Festival”. Furthermore, the debut album “21. gs. mode” (2020) spoke about the modern and not always understandable lifestyle. The group’s leader Kristers Rudzītis is also known as a young poet with success in Latvian competitions and his publications of poetry and prose, which gives Sub Scriptum a different taste in music.

The group actively performs at festivals and concerts, their upcoming concerts will be held in “Gypsy Camp”, Liepaja, on July 9, Sigulda Castle Pavilion July 23 and Summer Sound Festival in Liepaja on July 29.

The song “Зійде сонце” is available on major music streaming sites: https://fanlink.to/SubScriptumAnastasijaVasilenko, including Spotify: https://spoti.fi/39Fnrwu.

Photographer Šeila Orlova.

Latvian singer/songwriter Patriks has released the last single of his upcoming debut album “PENUMBRA”, which will be out on 25th of May! ‘GIVING UP’ is the fourth single of ‘PENUMBRA’, it has a retro SynthPop sound and a vintage music video shot on analog 16mm film.

‘GIVING UP’ is about holding down that thought that You are not enough in any way and running through all the doubtful emotions and experiences to tell Yourself that there will be a day You’ll find your way. The energetic 80’s synth sound gives it a lot of  drive and it works as a reminder to always look forward, even when times get tough.

As Patriks says, the upcoming debut album “PENUMBRA” is finished and it contains of 10 songs, which will  bring the listeners through an emotional rollercoaster based on a touching story from the songwriters’ personal life.

Patriks identifies with such genres as: R&B/Soul, Alternative Pop, Singer/Songwriter, Bedroom Pop, Neo Soul and others.

Besides the two previously released singles “Tiešām Neatceros” (“I really cannot remember”) and “Kā Tev Šodien Gāja?” (“How was Your Day?”) the album is complemented by three more compositions.

“Neko darīt. Kā ir, tā jādzīvo.” (“Life, accept it as it is and live on.”) is a story about the impact of changes in mental status on human life. More specifically about the downside when feelings (both emotional and physical) are long-lasting and do not intend to back down.

It is difficult to see why this is happening at all. It’s even harder to understand why this is happening to me when it seems that everyone around me is doing great. But the hardest part is accepting that you will most likely have to live with those feelings for the rest of your life.

The album is about a phase in my life where I refused to accept these changes and I didn’t even tried to realize what could have made them happen in the first place. When I allowed myself to believe everything I felt, read on the internet and all the thoughts that came to mind. The main one being that I might be terribly ill because I felt the unexplained physical pain, which means that I would soon have to die. Sounds funny, doesn’t it? But, unfortunately, it was and sometimes still is my reality.

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/2p6UgXY69YpKCDlv4LIjnJ

Also, a music video for the song “Here and now” has been filmed. This time I did both video filming and editing myself, but in the future I would definitely be happy to cooperate with industry professionals.

In addition to the music, in-depth stories have been published about each of the songs. They are published on my social media profiles. As the topic discussed in the project is very broad and complex, it seemed necessary to tell more about what was really hidden under the lyrics. It is difficult to fit in three minutes what has been and still is going on in my head for almost two years now.

I invite everyone to listen to the album and those who find the topic relevant, be sure to check out the in-depth stories about the songs in my social media profiles.

 

Latvian heavy/thrash metla band Iron Wings have release new album “Ritual of Rage”. Album includes the song “Devil`s Lullaby” released last year and two songs that were released this year as the forerunners of the new album – “Apathy” and “Angel”.

Group about the album – “The album was created by referring to and updating the art direction – symbolism, which developed in the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century – in literature, music, painting, sculpture. The origins of symbolism in French poetry can be traced back to the work of Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867), especially in the collection “Flowers of Evil” (1857), where sexuality, death, sin and other themes that are also relevant to Iron Wings’ album “Ritual of Rage.” In the music and lyrics you can find quotations from famous artists, mythologies, paraphrases, various symbols that have entered history and their indirect meaning. Denial of the current real situation, the new normal.”

Album was recorded in 2021 and released in 02.May 2022. Album includes 11 songs. Iron Wings new release also available in digital and physical format via Bandcamp profile.

Today, on June 29, local band “The Bad Tones” released their homecoming EP “Back Together Forever”, which consists of 5 compositions, including recently released singles “Nest” and “Sunny Side”. In honor of this event, on the evening of July 10, the band is organizing an album presentation at the “M/Darbnīca” venue.

Edvards Broders, a member of “The Bad Tones” band, shares his feeling about the minialbum: “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!”

The first sketches and demo recordings of the new compositions were captured during the band’s annual creative camp and later recorded at the “Red House” studio, forming an EP consisting of 5 songs. Keyboardist Teodors Kerimovs also took part in the recording. The EP was produced and mixed by Jasper Ras and mastered by Rengert Eggink, who are the band’s friends and partners from their study time in the Netherlands.

On the evening of Sunday, July 10, an album presentation event will take place at the cultural venue “M/Darbnīca”, during which the live premiere of the EP “Back Together Forever” will be held, as well as talk about EP’s recording process with the members of “The Bad Tones” band. More information about the event is available on the profiles of the band’s social networks “Facebook”, “Instagram” and “Twitter”.

Spotify

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), and live album “Ezera Skaņas” (2020).

The third Freedom Festival by Andrejs Osokins will be held in Riga from May 25 until June 8. As a reaction to Russia‘s military aggression, this year’s festival is dedicated to Ukraine. Currently six concerts are being announced, taking place at these venues: the Black Heads House (Melngalvju nams), Hanzas perons, Piano salon @152 and the Anglican Church. A multitude of artists, well-known both in Latvia and globally, will come together for this festival, among them are Dita Lūriņa, Chulpan Khamatova, Ģirts Krūmiņš, Ralfs Eilands, Georgijs Osokins, Raimonds Tiguls, Žoržs Siksna, Katrīna Dimanta, Roberto Meloni, Katrina Gupalo and Andrejs Osokins himself as well as musicians and actors from Ukraine who came to Latvia seeking shelter from the horrors of war. In cooperation with “Biļešu paradīze” and the Ziedot.lv foundation all proceeds from ticket sales will be donated for the support of the Ukrainian people.                                                                                                       

“It is more than obvious that Russia’s military attacks and their military operations in Ukraine will change the world. But in what way – that depends on each one of us. Right now, not only weapons and world leaders hold power but each and every person can influence what is happening – with their voice, be it live or virtually, their actions, their help, their support and their decisions. Ukraine and its courageous people  have been fighting relentlessly for the existence of their country and their people, the future of Europe with its ideals and its freedom. That’s why we must keep up our energy in helping and supporting Ukraine”, says Andrejs Osokins, initiator of the festival.

The first two concerts will take place at the piano salon @152 which the audience already knows from the past two Osokins festivals. On May 25 we will hear Andrejs Osokins, Katrina Gupalo, Žoržs Siksna, Ģirts Krūmiņš and a piano duet by Roksana Tarvide and Kaspars Bumbišs in a very personal setting, a grand and masterful opening of the program. On May 27 pianist Georgijs Osokins will be playing a solo concert at his brother‘s festival for the first time, performing music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Frédéric Chopin, Tōru Takemitsu, Stephen Hough and Alexander Scriabin.

On May 28 Chulpan Khamatova, actress at The New Riga Theatre, and Andrejs Osokins will present their poetic performance at the House of the Black Heads. The performance was created especially for this festival and combines music by Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov, Frédéric Chopin and Volfgangs Dārziņš with poetry by Bulat Okudzhava, Alexander Galich and Osip Mandelstam. During the concert the recently composed piece for piano “Vairs nekad!”, dedicated to Ukraine, by Aivars Kalējs will have its premiere.

Continuing the festival on June 3, Katrina Gupalo, Andrejs Osokins and Roberto Meloni will present a concert program full of temperament and warmth containing French, Spanish and Ukrainian songs, music from movies as well as piano pieces by Gerorge Gershwin and Claude Debussy.

The “Concert of the Soul” on June 4 featuring mezzo-soprano Ieva Parša, pianist Iveta Cālīte and Urkainian bayanist Irina Serotjuk, Katrina Gupalo with a string quartet and a choir and festival initiator Andrejs Osokins will be the first concert at the Anglican Church after its reconstruction. The program will include Latvian and Ukrainian folk music, songs by Katrina Gupalo, Emilis Melngailis and Kristaps Pētersons as well as music by Ukrainian composers Volodymyr Zubytsky and Myroslav Skoryk.

The festival will finish with a special highlight on June 8 when Latvian and Ukrainian musicians and actors will perform together on one stage. During the first part of the concert we will hear Dita Lūriņa, Raimonds Tiguls, Katrīna Gupalo, Ukrainian clarinetist Nazar Hizhyi and Andrejs Osokins. The second part will feature Latvian-Ukrainian duets, trios and groups created especially for this festival, establishing new and artistically fascinating cooperations that might otherwise never have happened. Among the Ukrainian musicians will be singers Larisa Shelest, Anastasiiya Yatsenko, Anastasiiya Vasilenko, Evgeniya Nasonova, violinist Valeriiya Mustafina, pianist Artur Nikulin, Jazz pianist Edgars Vilcāns and more who will be joined by Katrīna Dimanta, Ralfs Eilands, Gints Smukais, Rihards Lībietis and other Latvian artists. The final performance will be the song “Resistance” by the united artists of “Latvia for Ukraine”.

Larisa Shelest, singer and participant of the festival, explains: “My hometown Berdyansk was completely occupied by the Russian army. For almost two month now there has been no gas or heating, they are running out of medicine, food is incredibly expensive and it is exceedingly difficult to buy petrol. It is almost impossible to get out of there due to the active military operations happening close to the borders of the city, many roads are mined or destroyed. Newborns receive Russian citizenship by force. Recently Berdyansk shut down all mobile communications and the internet, so I can‘t contact my parents there anymore. I don‘t know when or if I will ever see my family and friends again. Every single person‘s  support in Latvia or elsewhere in the world helps us to gain freedom, return home and rebuild our country!”

One of the biggest partners of the festival, the shopping center „Spice“, stresses that there is no place for war in our modern world and that we all together need to find ways to support not only the victims of the war but also each other.

“In these challenging times we stand up for peace and freedom. For the people of Ukraine. Therefore we are grateful to the organizers of Andrejs Osokins‘ Freedom Festival for their initiative and are happy to be a part of this event. The guests of the festival will not only help the people of Ukraine but hopefully find some much needed peace of mind thanks to the versatile program and the talented artists,” says Iveta Priedīte, head of the shopping centers „Spice“ and „Spice Home“.

Entry to the festival will be free of charge to all refugees from Ukraine currently living in Latvia. The festival team invites them to send an e-mail in Ukrainian or Russian to edgars_vilc@ukr.net in order to get free tickets.

The festival team is grateful to the artists and partners, thanks to whom all proceeds of the ticket sales can be donated to supporting Ukraine.

The program of the festival and ticket purchase can be found at all “Biļešu paradīze” offices as well as online: https://www.bilesuparadize.lv/lv/custompage/3074. When purchasing tickets for the festival no service fee will be charged. More information about the festival can be found on this website: www.alartists.com.

 

On Tuesday, June 28, Jannsi’s single ‘Perfection Is Gone’ was released, where indie rock sounds are a tribute to attempts, efforts, and struggles, when it is not always possible to achieve a perfect result. 

“The song is about the seeming perfection we see in other people’s lives, social media and stories, which disappears when the cameras are off. About reality, which is not glossy,” says Jannsi.

Previously, Jannsi published a three-song EP “Zilonis” (Elephant) – his manifesto that our prejudices and what we hear from like-minded people should not be the reason why we oppress our neighbors. The song “Brīvību Ukrainai” (Freedom for Ukraine), was a means of maintaining sanity at the time when the Russian army began attacking Ukraine.

In the single, all instruments and vocals were performed by the musician himself, while mixing and mastering were provided by Jānis Locs. “Perfection Is Gone” is available on major music streaming services.

Jannsi, whose real name is Jānis Uplejs, is an indie rock singer from Latvia, who previously played in various groups and compositions. With the group “Riverfall” he once performed together with the great guitarist Armands Alksnis, as well as participated in the TV show “X Factor Latvia”, getting to the “chair challenge”. Jannsi cites Nothing But Thieves, Twenty-One Pilots and The White Stripes as his most important musical influences.

Authors of the music and lyrics: Kristina Morins, Arturs Osipovs, Aleksandrs Solovjovs and Marks Ivanovs. Music Production: Aleksandrs Solovjovs, Sol Recording Studio.

“The work on the song coincided with the start of the pandemic. Uncertainty – could be described as what is happening around,” Arturs says.

“A person easily, and especially at such a time, succumbs to someone else’s influence, forgetting about himself and his true desires. The title of the song is “Ask Yourself”. If you have lost your way or are entangled in the web of other people’s games, just slow down and formulate the main questions for yourself. “Who am I?”

Because sometimes the question itself is more important than any answers.”

From May 11, 2022, the new track “Ask Yourself” is available on all major online streaming services.

At the end of the 2022 midsummer celebration, the group JAUDA released their latest studio album called EPILOG. The new release is a mini-EP with five covers of well-known songs and an electronic experimental “outro” track called Epilogue.

After the second studio album “Under water”, which was released in English, the musicians started to implement an old idea, because working on the third studio album with original songs was a very difficult task in the pandemic conditions, so as such an intermediate stage between the second and third studio album, it was decided to record five songs, which the band believes have created a turning point in the music scene in their time, as well as being close to the band members. The musicians say that more than ten songs were selected in total, but as time went by, only five songs passed the selection, which grew more organically with the band’s sound. In general, the sound of the mini-album includes a synthesis of rock music and electronic music, allowing for experiments with the sound. Mini EP includes songs from bands such as Jumprava, Jauns Mēnes, Aurora and Līvi.

The band members say  big thank you to the songwriters for the powerful songs and collaboration that allowed us to accomplish what we have done..

Currently, the group JAUDA continues to actively perform at festivals in Latvia, as well as in Lithuania and Estonia. To find out more about the upcoming concerts, follow the information on the JAUDA group’s Facebook and Instagram profiles.

The group JAUDA is: Daniels Levickis(drums), Dainis Paeglis (bass), Gatis Pastars (guitar).