Category: News

“The end is the beginning” – with this motto S M O K E XII (Emīls Jānis Dūmiņš) begins his creative path releasing a new single “Late Night Thoughts”. That is one of the most expressive S M O K E XII’s compositions at the moment, which was made in a professional studio and in the creation also participated Gints Stankevics, a well-known producer in Europe and Latvia.

The single also has a video version of the lyrics, created in collaboration with Lihtorovich. S M O K E XII (a pseudonym derived from the surname Dūmiņš) is typical of the Z generation(Gen Z). As you know, they are recognized as the most iconic of all time, the most flexible, politically motivated, avant-garde and opened generation. That everything also characterizes S M O K E XII. He started music at the age of 10,  learning drums and guitar. Until now, hip-hop culture has been the only one in Latvia marginal current of popular music, so S M O K E XII’s musical taste has developed under the influence of world hip-hop experience and idols, which does not leave indifferent peers either. Quickly mastering music processing technologies, the first compositions are created in the home studio, which are published on the website “Soundcloud”.

The number of plays are currently around 20,000. The author of songs and lyrics for his compositions is himself S M O K E XII. The songs are based on current issues in life and young people’s vision for them, as well as efforts to seek answers to questions that are not always meant to be answered. S M O K E XII tries harshly but truly to express his point of view and explain their attitudes towards global challenges as well as people’s internal, personal and often very intimate issues such as love and the emotions it creates. The artist expresses his opinion about the everyday relationship problems, existential issues, as well as the very topical issues about drug use among young people. Frequently mentioned death in S M O K E XII’s vision is like the end here, the end of our physical bodies, but the continuation in a further, larger event, or path. Currently, S M O K E XII is actively developing his vocal skills at the best Latvian teachers and creatively collaborates with several artists from Latvia, Lithuania and the USA. The most famous artist with which he have collaborated is K!DDXO

On November 8, the digital album of the choral music opus “Overwhelmed on the Shore” by Kristaps Krievkalns and Kārlis Kazāks is made available for the audience on the Spotify and other most popular streaming platforms. In addition, on November 10 the concert film “Overwhelmed on the Shore” is going to be released, including parts of the live performance that took place this summer on Saulkrasti beach along with some artistic intermedia. The film will be broadcasted on LMT smart TV, app LMT Straume, as well as on the webpage straume.lmt.lv.

“This is a contemporary addition to the Latvian choral music tradition, where in one opus consisting of 13 parts, the traditional a cappella singing is combined with some powerful pieces of music with its roots in the popular and world music; it is written for mixed choir, instrumental group and electronics. We spent almost two years working on this album”, tells Laura Leontjeva, the artistic director and conductor of the choir ANIMA.

It is a first-ever original choral music composition created by the composer Kristaps Krievkalns, while writing the lyrics for this choral music opus was, as Kārlis Kazāks admits himself, a completely new experience.

The main musical component of the film is the audio-visual concert “Overwhelmed on the Shore” which had its premiere night on Saulkrasti beach on July 9 this year. It is a journey from a total tranquillity to energetically loaded experience, looking for and finding some answers to the great mysteries of life. Running away from the city lights and finding oneself on the seashore, it leads the listener into a daydream revealing the love in all kind of shades – the ones taking you up to the sky, as well as the deeply transformative ones.

The director of the concert film “Overwhelmed on the Shore” is Valters Mirkšs, who is a Latvian living and working in the United States and was visiting Latvia during the production of the film.

“This film was a great challenge for me demanding switching from making short films and regular films to a new genre – a concert film. I wanted to integrate some elements from the classical filmmaking thus the idea of short, artistic intermedia bringing together all parts of the musical opus”, explains Valters Mirkšs.

The concert film “Overwhelmed on the Shore” will premiere on November 10 on LMT smart TV and app LMT Straume thus leading into the festive week of the national celebrations and adding to the various cultural events provided for the broad audience by LMT.

“Being a Latvian can mean many different things. In this musical opus and the concert film we can witness the new generation of the latvianship – strong, creative and in close relationship with the nature, but at the same time is modern and strongly linked to the technological development and innovations. We believe that this premiere will make the Latvian Independence Day a very special event, unfolding something new to each and everyone. It will also remind us all, that we are wealthier than ever with the new creative ideas and technological possibilities supplementing the centuries of experience”, emphasizes Juris Binde, CEO of LMT.

The concert film “Overwhelmed on the Shore” is a musical piece where music, movement and art all come together. The singers from the mixed choir ANIMA are playing the leading parts along with the actor Gints Grāvelis and dancer Liene Stepena, while actor Andris Keišs is the voice behind the scenes.

The sound directors are Mārtiņš Porters and Armands Treilihs, the lighting artist is Pāvels Armanis. The visual identity of “Overwhelmed on the Shore” is an original artwork by Mareks Gureckis and it is presented in the costumes of the performers, all together creating a living canvas painting. Choreographer Inga Krasovska reveals through the movement the diversity of images and characters. The producer, conductor and artistic director of the “Overwhelmed on the Shore” is Laura Leontjeva.

The project was supported by the Council of Saulkrasti Municipality, SIA “Latvijas Mobilais Telefons” and the State Culture Capital Foundation (VKKF).

The digital album “Overwhelmed on the Shore” was produced with the participation of Saulkrastu mixed choir ANIMA (conductor Matīss Tučs, vocal coach Elīna Ose), Kristaps Krievkalns (keyboards), Kristjāns Krievkalns (electronics), Miķelis Vīte (percussion), Armands Treilihs (bass guitar), Andis Klučnieks (flute and Irish pipes). The artistic director, conductor and producer – Laura Leontjeva, sound director – Kaspars Barbals, studio “Lauska”.

A cappella vocal group “Latvian Voices” delights their listeners with a new video of Imants Kalniņš “Buramdziesmiņa”. The author of the arrangement is Laura Jēkabsone.

Although both the interpretation and message of the song might be translated in various ways, Latvian Voices consider the song to be not only a confession of friendship and faithfulness but also a magical and unreachable notion. At the same time, it can encompass the reality and the elusiveness of our world. The rock will grow forever, but the snails will never run… “Who would have thought that the day will come when a hug will become valuable and almost impossible. We thank Imants Kalniņš and Imants Ziedonis for their work of art that will unequivocally stay topical throughout the ages to come. We can’t belong to each other, but we can coexist in friendship and mutual respect. Simple as that!” says the leader of the group and author of the arrangement Laura Jēkabsone.

The shared vision of “Latvian Voices” for the video was a slow, unhurried, clean, laconic and maximally minimal environment. Even more so enhanced by choice of a ‘black and white’ concept. Essential in creating these feelings were the video artist Kaspars Teilāns and the choreographer of modern dance Katrīna Albuže.

The video of “Buramdziesmiņa” is not only a dedication to Latvian national memorial day and national holidays but also a bearer of peace, compassion and unity.

 

On November 26, the Latvian alternative rock band Cellar Cat released their first EP “Broken Glass” with 6 songs, and their first music video this year.

Coming from an indie rock and britpop background, Cellar Cat have become considerably heavier for the EP. One can hear influences from artists like Foo Fighters, Bring Me The Horizon and Architects. At the same time, the music has not lost the band’s traditional melodiousness.

This is confirmed by the first music video for a song from the EP – “Drag Me Out”. The band wrote the song as a statement of justice, encouraging people to take their lives in their own hands and rely on trustworthy people only. Following a catchy guitar riff, the lyrics tell about a person’s disappointment and anger at the modern world order. The song questions whether the protagonist is the one who failed the world, or it is the rest of the world that failed them. Nothing feels real and honest anymore.

Cellar Cat frontman Alex talks about the EP and music video:

“We are amateur musicians who work at regular day jobs, so we rarely recorded new songs and filmed videos before. Now, being locked up at home during the pandemic, we decided it was time to release something more substantial. We started working on the EP in the beginning of the year, and the work was hampered by restrictions on meetings. We recorded and produced all of the music ourselves, so we often had to make video calls and help each other remotely.

The music video was filmed in August – in the gym of an abandoned factory. What’s interesting is that we had to stop filming at one point, as a tiny bird crawled into the gym through a gap and began smashing against the windows. So we all started running around trying to catch it to let it out from the building. In the end we rescued the bird, so we surely can say that the video was not filmed in vain:)”

On Friday, 3 December, the young musician Patriks Peterson released a new, emotionally saturated song “Can’t Get You Outta My Head”, augmented with a music video. The artist reveals that together with the release of the new single he has fulfilled a long-standing dream.

The song “Can’t Get You Outta My Head” was written by Patriks Peterson himself and produced by Kaspars Ansons.

“For several years now, I have been dreaming of releasing one of the songs for which I have written both the music and the lyrics, and this dream has finally come true,” says Peterson. “The song was actually made at the beginning of this year, in a bright and delightful stage of life. Thus the song is positive – about finding yourself, falling in love, about the joy that the other person brings. I want to pass on these feelings and positive emotions, which I felt while writing the song, to every listener as well,” Patriks reveals.

The music video of the song was directed by Artūrs Streļuks, and the duties of the cinematographer and editor were entrusted to Elvis Lācis. The actress in the clip is Madara Martinkena-Igaune, and the style and make-up was done by Iluta Reinberga.

“Like many things in life, this clip should not be taken literally. Often a time comes in a relationship when one wants to end it, but they don’t know how to tell the other. Often in such moments we break each other and become cold. The feeling of “freedom” comes with the break up. Portrayed is a fictional story with a completely different subtext… This is a story about a young man who, unable to escape from a relationship and in suffering, comes up with the same solution every time – that he has to push it to the end himself,” explains Streļuks, the director of the video.

The piece is about repetitive moments in our daily lives, which very often are taken for granted and are not appreciated. Such as waking up for a new day, seeing thousands of colours or having a refreshing sip of water when You’re thirsty. momentum II sets focus on the big value in these tiny things.

Dainis is an active member of well known crossover, instrumental band DAGAMBA. As a band they perform worldwide including several arena concerts in Baltics and Russia, their albums had won numerous awards. After their debut in Glastonbury festival DAGAMBA has headlined many world known festivals.

As a soloist Dainis has performed with many orchestras, including Sinfonietta Riga, who has been awarded the grammy award. He had won numerous competitions as a classical pianist and has performed in several classical festivals, including Piano aux Jacobins.

The original music of Dainis Tenis is permeated with the sounds of acoustic, prepared pianos and synths. In Dainis’ music, lyrical melodies are enlaced with unusual harmonic solutions that highlight a broad spectrum of emotions from tranquil meditation to technical eruptions of energy.

Waterflower says of the track: “I dream of a future where technology can co-exist with the natural world.  But in reality, it is humankind that is the death of nature. Our world is in mourning for its future before it has  even happened. An oasis is a self-contained eco-system, dramatically different from its surroundings. Humans  need to change to accommodate nature, or else there won’t be anything to save and the oasis, if it exists, will  cease to be.

Music Video Info
The music video is a short film that was directed by Ērika Daņiloviča. The music video’s concept explores the sadness and struggle of youth to want to live in the autumn of the world around them.
The production was supported by Sony Latvia and Master Photo.