Category: News

Indie rock band “audrú” announces their debut EP “the lighthouse trilogy” and, along with it, a single – “underworld”.

“audrú” is a bunch of friends who share a taste for alternative music – besides the rock music influences their work contains characteristics of folk and pop music as well. The debut EP “the lighthouse trilogy” includes a three-part story – a journey into the waters of the subconscious, where memorable, sonic lines of melody wind through different forms of music. The recording was done in “Hodila Records” studio. Along with the album, the single “underworld” begins its journey to radio stations, the sound of which includes intrigue and unexpected melodic turns.

The EP’s “the lighthouse trilogy” will be released in a special DIY way to honor the nostalgia for early 2000’s, when the band members were gaining their first musical experience and people were still actively listening to music on CDs. The idea came to life through a “Zero Waste” campaign in which they invited people to donate blank CD covers. The limited edition CDs were printed professionally, but afterwards signed with a permanent marker, as it used to be done in the early 2000’s. The band has also given their merchandise – second hand t-shirts and sweaters – a chance to live another life by screen-printing them with special “audrú” designs.

“audrú” has been playing together since 2017. So far, they have performed in several Latvian cities, participated in festivals – “Bildes”, “Vegan Festival”, “VegFest Lt”, “Give & Get” and more. Their music can be heard on several radio stations around Latvia. Previously, “audrú” has recorded and released 4 songs with music videos. All songs are available to listeners both on the video platform “Youtube” and on all the most popular streaming sites.

Working with London-based producer Kristofer Harris (Bears Den, Belle and Sebastian, Ghostpoet etc.), Chris Noah delivers big choruses, vaporwave influenced synths, thrilling falsettos and fine melodic hooks. The single, accompanied by an official music video, comes out on 23rd October. It’s part of an upcoming EP Distance Deluxe, coming out on 6th November.

This Is The Night is inspired by an observation of a paradox that is somewhat common these days – when one person in a relationship is too career-focused and both know that because of this, the relationship is destined to failure. Yet the relationship is maintained artificially, as it’s easier to stay together than to say goodbye.

With a huge chorus, gripping melodies and Noah’s authentic voice, This Is The Night might be his most all-out-pop track to date. As he puts it: “Although I’m not trying to be tied down to one specific genre, especially in the writing process, it did take some convincing from Kristofer to take the track in this direction rather than in a more alternative/indie one. I truly think that we got the best out of the song.” The song was written at the RIGaLIVE songwriting camp and is released via “Made in Baltics”/”Sony Music Entertainment”.

In the bridge, Noah takes listeners through a different sonic scenery, flexing his falsetto where momentarily you can even hear a Bon Iver influence, before it comes back to the big chorus, repeating the phrase that will remain stuck in your head long after.

Listen to “This Is The Night”

Chris Noah first gained attention with self-released singles River and Fall Through – receiving praise for his distinctive vocals, relatable lyrics and strong sense of melody from a variety of blogs including: Indie Air, AlexRainBirdMusic, Uranium Waves, Comeherefloyd, Aofd3, Mystic Sons, York Calling, Wolf in a Suit and many others.

On 6th December, despite the ongoing situation in the world, Chris Noah is playing two shows in one of the most beautiful cinemas in Latvia – Splendid Palace – showcasing his talent to his rapidly growing fanbase in his homeland, whilst taking all the necessary precautions to stay safe.

London-based singer ELIZZA releases her third single this year called “London Eyes”. Edgy pop beats, poetic, honest lyrics, and soaring vocals fused to create something that’s “not just pop and not just R&B.

Her latest single and music video for “London Eyes”, is out now, released on 23rd October 2020. Listen to it now on all streaming platforms and watch the video on YouTube.

Singer-songwriter ELIZZA, is saying her goodbyes to the summer of 2020 with her new single “London Eyes”. Co-written by Mars Today, an LA-based producer with whom ELIZZA met and collaborated with in 2019. No boundaries, no rules, no frames, unpredictable – is how she describes her music and the new single.

To many, it might sound like a romantic story based on ELIZZA’s personal experiences, such as her previous releases – “Habit”, “Want to Keep” and “Can’t Quit”, but this time “London Eyes” is a love letter to all the memories, the experiences she has had in this city, the place that she calls home – London!

“The story is about my love and “sometimes” hate relationship with London. Since I moved here, I have been falling deeply in love with it but also find myself struggling to accept all that is London. “London Eyes” talks about how I feel the city is “keeping eyes” on me and not letting me go.

In one way, I like this constant pull, but I also realize that there are so many times I find it tough. It can be expensive but also presents opportunities, it’s been a lot of years of working very hard to enjoy the best of this city. And then London has all the temptations you can imagine and more, you get addicted. It’s fast-paced, so “luxurious” but so “hood” at the same time. At the end of the day, it’s home and I love it,” says ELIZZA.

The singer’s versatility has already been shown in previous releases but “London Eyes” is introducing a new, unheard-of twist on pop music that ELIZZA is delivering with her new single.

Her process of songwriting is usually “spontaneous” but it goes deep and holds a meaning – both in lyrics that are more poetry and in melodies that ELIZZA chooses to vocalize.

Speaking about the creative process of writing “London Eyes” she says: It was my second trip to Los Angeles and I had a session arranged with Mars Today. I definitely didn’t think I will walk outside the studio that day, with a song like this. Mars Today wanted to challenge me and I took it on, and when we were talking about our musical influences and what’s happening in my life at that time, somehow the conversation was getting deeper about London as I was sharing with him more about me and who I am.
All this conversation and jamming, led us to writing this song in which London represents a “person” and how my personal experiences, my relationships, my ups and downs over the past 10 years in this city and with this city, have shaped my life.

ELIZZA’s first love and medium is music and we can clearly see her dedication and authenticity with every single she is releasing, breaking boundaries and growing her international fanbase. There is a new-found self-assuredness we are hearing and how it’s propelling ELIZZA to pull on big dreams in her career.

“These are songs of lightness, they are perfect for moments when you just want to relax laying in the sand by the sea or on freshly cut grass somewhere in the countryside. When you want to do nothing and allow the time to flow, ” Edvards writes about his EP Songs Of Niceness.

This record contains 6 songs, the ideas of which originated over a long period of time, but acquired a more serious outline this winter and were completed during the pandemic.

“I would like this recording to serve as a kind of portfolio for me as a composer and arranger, but most of all as a producer and recording engineer. This is what a couple of people can do in 2-3 months in a studio in Riga with the most beautiful surroundings. ”

Edvards Broders is a musician, composer and producer who’s currently playing in a band called The Bad Tones and has written the soundtrack for the films Despair, Overturned Moon, etc.

The songs of this EP were created alone, but musicians Toms Valmiers, Kalvis Sležis, Alise Golovacka and Teodors Kerimovs also took part in the recording process. The EP was fully recorded and mixed in Riga, in Red House studio, but mastered by Jasper Ras, De Gheijn Music studio in The Hague, the Netherlands.

On the 21st of March, jazz-funk band “Very Cool People” together with MC’s Edavardi, Ansis and the Latvian soul music diva Kristine Prauliņa are releasing a new album – “Koncertprogramma Pa Apli”.

In Tamsta VCP will perform music from their new album, as well as tracks from their previously released albums “Caution! Contains Words”(2019) & “Heya Some Kind Of Fish!…”(2017). In October 2019, the last time Very Cool People played in Tamsta, the club was packed &  there were 9 musicians on stage at once, but this time there will be 13 musicians on Tamsta’s stage: Edavārdi – MC, vocal;  Ansis – MC, vocal;  Kristīne Prauliņa – vocal;  Elvijs Grafcovs – guitar;  Māris Jēkabsons – tenor sax;  Kristaps Lubovs – bariton sax;  Laura Rozenberga – trombone;  Oskars Ozoliņš – Trumpet;  Māris Vitkus – keyboards;  Andris Kauliņš – keyboards;  Jānis Olekšs – bass; Andris Buiķis – drums & special guest MC – Jama (Lithuania).

“As we are the two last nations from the Baltic Language group we should start to understand each other better & I believe it can be best achieved through music. In this concert you will hear Latvian, Lithuanian, English & most likely some Spanish coming from the stage & the most important unification tool – music! Currently, hip hop in national languages is on its way to conquer Europe. Good examples include the Ukrainian hip hop queen Alyona Alyon and the all-female Icelandic band Reykjavíkurdætur.”, says Elvijs about the upcoming concert.

With a solid backbone in jazz, funk and soul, incorporating influences from surf, klezmer, rock and hip-hop, Very Cool People have been putting jazz & funk back on the dancefloor since 2007. Hailing from Riga, Latvia, the band has lit up clubs and festivals from Estonia to Romania, from Spain to South Korea. Always open to new experiments, Very Cool People have collaborated with plenty of guest artists from a bunch of countries. Even if they are a live band more than anything else, they have six studio albums behind their belt, well-received critically and nominated for awards as well.

The band will present the album in Riga on the 28th of March with a grand concert in Riga’s new hottest concert hall “Hanzas Perons”. A special guest from Lithuania – MC Jama – will join VCP in Riga, so the Latvian audience will get a chance to hear hip-hop in Lithuanian as well. A performance by the scratch master DJ Aspirins will be VCP’s opening act in Riga.

The experienced Latvian music producers Lotars Lodzins, Janis Kalve, and Karlis Indrisonoks (Labo ierakstu studija), in association with English musician and songwriter Ky Ismet, have joined forces under the name YDJ and invited the lead singer of the English supergroup of the 90’s Soul II Soul, Charlotte Kelly, to jointly create a new song, the main theme of which was created by the legendary Latvian trumpeter and arranger Gunars Rozenbergs. This Time It’s For Real is published and released by MicRec.

The talks with the Soul II Soul lead vocalist were short, as Charlotte immediately agreed to cooperate after listening to the prepared demo.

Wessel van Diepen, host of the Global Dance Chart show of the popular Dutch radio station Radio 538, says: “An inspiring song. Very well done, great job!” The famous Swedish DJ and record producer StoneBridge commented after listening to the song: “High-quality composition, well-produced and with a very eye-catching lyric video.”

This Time It’s For Real is a modern house music track with a fresh and trendy vibe. Lyric video was created by Dween Production.

25-year-old Latvian artist Chris Noah, who gracefully combines indie-rock with catchy pop, released a new EP “Distance”. His silky timbre, gripping melodies and relatable lyrics have made him highly popular in his homeland, but now he is ready to conquer the world.

Chris has been surrounded by music from an early age – his father is a musician and mother a singing tutor. One could say his future was set in stone before he could even walk. But when Noah was younger he didn’t care much for music, and focused more on sports. At the age of 17 he re-discovered the guitar.

By the time he was 20, Chris and his brother had recorded his first single “Had It All”, which became an instant hit on the Latvian radios. A year later, his second single “You” won an award from Latvian Authors Society for one of the most played tracks of 2016.

Today, Chris Noah released his new EP “Distance”. It contains four tracks, produced in collaboration with London-based producer Kristofer Harris. According to Chris this album is special: “For the first time, not all the songs are about my own life, I have observed more – my friends and other people surrounding me”, he explains.

“When we had the basic production done for the tracks, Kristofer flew to Riga and we started to record and finalize the songs. I was writing lyrics as we were producing the tracks, and it was the most challenging thing I’ve done in my career so far. We recorded four tracks in 11 days, and I am also really glad that all my bandmates have played on this EP,” Noah adds.

The first single off the new EP, “The Line”, was released on January 17th and got an  impressive radio airplay in Latvia. The song was written together with Noah’s keyboardist Marcis Jukumsons-Jukumnieks, whose partnership Chris greatly appreciates: “Marcis has a completely different approach to creating harmonies than I do. It’s a very creative process when his harmonies meet mine.”