New album “Heya Some Kind of Fish!” by Latvian jazzfunk band “Very Cool People”

Very Cool People, one of the best Latvian jazzfunk bands, releases their new album Heya Some Kind of Fish! We Don’t Know The Name Of This Fish In English, But In Latvian It Is Vimbas on the 30th of April.

Heya Some Kind Of Fish… represents pieces of a symbiosis between the different allied music styles – funk, soul, jazz, klezmer, Balkan & Latvian folk music. The album includes eight new tracks and a re-arranged version of the already well-known tune Hugo which had remained outside the group’s albums until now. “This to ourselves is a very interesting album where we mixed a wide range of musical influences. Just as Latvian geographic location is between Eastern and Western Europe, this album’s music is located in the middle of the different impacts”, say the members of the band. Heya Some Kind Of Fish… was recorded from the 25th to the 27th of July and from the 23rd to the 25th of October 2016 by Ivars Ozols at Sound Division Studio, Riga, Latvia. Mixed by Jon Evans at Brick Hill Studio, Orleans, MA, USA, and mastered by Don Grossinger at Don Grossinger Mastering, New York, NY, USA

This is VCP’s fourth album so far. In June 2009 the band released their self-titled debut album. In 2012 the group released their second instrumental album Cruising In The Trolley and in September 2015 they released their third album Funkology which also features guest artists – fantastic soul & jazz singers from Latvia.

“Carnival Youth” releases new single “Youth Is Gold” and sets off to SXSW.

One of the most successful bands from Latvia – Carnival Youth –have unveiled 4th and final single from their latest album “Propeller” called “Youth Is Gold”. It comes with a freshly recorded b-side “Lots Of Nobodies”.

The director of the video is Steve Spencer, camera – Kritaps Dzenis, producer – Ieva Karpoviča. The main character of the video is played by Eva Bērziņa.

In February the second album of Carnival Youth – “Propeller” – was awarded both as the best alternative/indie-pop album and album of the year at the annual Latvian Music awards ceremony.

The release of this single marks one of the most important steps of their career so far – partition in the world’s biggest music conference South by Southwest a.k.a. SXSW. Latvian four-piece will play the official showcase, Hotel Second Play and also the Balcony TV sessions in Austin, TX.

Later this March the bend will play several shows in Germany (Munich, Hanover, Berlin) and there are a few festival appearances planned for this year as well.

Last year their latest album “Propeller” was presented with more than 50 concerts in Europe and USA.  It also made the TOP 80 at the USA and Canada CMJ Music Chart.

“Židrūns” – “Židrūns un tas, ko nevar nest” (I Love You Records) is nominated for best independent album of the year in Europe

 IMPALA has now revealed its shortlist of nominees for the seventh edition of the IMPALA Album of the Year Award. Once again the selection underlines the diversity and quality of independent labels from all over Europe. 25 albums are nominated and nineteen countries are represented this year.

Artists from every genre and generation are featured, from legendary UK act Radiohead to Swiss krautpop band One Sentence. Supervisor, Swedish progressive metal pioneers Meshuggah, Dutch rapper Boef and the new face of Italian disco Jolly Mare.

The voting is currently taking place to decide who will succeed to Jose Gonzalez’s acclaimed album Vestiges & Claws. The winner will be announced at the end of February.

Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool and Blood Orange’s Freetown Sound have been cited two times and Agnes Obel’s Citizen of Glass three times. Brussels-based label [PIAS] has two nominees: Dubioza Kolektiv and Agnes Obel. 

Helen Smith, Executive Chair, IMPALA commented: “The essence of this prize is to put the spotlight on the most exceptional album of the year. It’s a great shortlist again with both new faces and well-established independent artists. The jury will now decide which album they believe was the best in 2016”.

A full album playlist – IMPALA Album of the Year Award nominees 2016 (albums) – as well as a short playlist – IMPALA Album of the Year Award nominees 2016 (singles) – are available on Spotify to allow you to judge for yourself in advance of the winner’s announcement.

The “European Independent Album of The Year” award was launched in 2011, together with the annual “Outstanding Contribution to European Music” award, to mark the 10th anniversary of IMPALA. This award showcases the breadth and diversity of independent talent across Europe. The winner is selected on the basis of completely open criteria from a shortlist compiling national and non-national album nominations from territories across Europe put forward for their musical, artistic or other exceptional quality. Nominated albums were required to have been released on a European independent label between January and December 2014. Previous winners of the Award are Efterklang, Adele, The xx and Guadalupe Plata.

Aleponija will host the opening performance from the program ”Sieviete Te”.

On November 23 the opening event from the program ”Sieviete Te”, dedicated to gender equality, will take place at Aleponija –Birznieka Upīša iela 22. Musicians Elizabete Balčus and Evija Vebere will make an special anniversary performance for the opening night. The program, that aims to identify and highlight the role of women in performing arts, will continue to be organized monthly.

”Sieviete te” is planned as a cycle of alternative music and art events with the purpose of emphasizing the role of women in music. The line up for November 23 is composed by independent music performers who, in their creative search, are not afraid to challenge gender roles with a deep personal vision and strong stage presence.

ELIZABETE BALČUS creates a neo-psychedelic dream pop collage that is melodic and experimental at the same time. In her theatrical-musical cosmos, everything is allowed: transcendental vocals, free flute improvisations, electro pop beats, chamber music elements and glitch-style loop effects. Real fruits and vegetables are used as synthesizers. Elizabete’s performance is just as stunning as it is captivating. EVIJA VĒBERE is a soundscape artist that is now enthusiastic about electronics. In her performance, she uses both synthesizers and acoustic instruments to create a sound forest ambient, which is transmitted by the original and evocative voice of Evija. The different sound atmospheres range from playful easy going dance to schizophrenic existential cantatas. Studying in Holland, Evija and the Serbian drummer Lav Kovač created the avant-pop duo Howling Owl. The band toured Europe for about two years and released the EP  “Dance for Common Sense” (2015).

Original idea for ”Sieviete Te” comes from Maria Llanderas, co-owner and program manager of Aleponija, because she thinks it haven’t been enough discussion about the role of women on stage. The realization and implementation of the idea involved the concert agency MOO manager Lena Sme, marketing specialist Una Rozembauma and artist Marija Luīze Meļķe.

Offering high quality music performances based on an all-female lineup and creative team will help to break  stereotypes about gender roles in the performing arts environment. The program aims to create a platform where young women professionals  meet to build new contacts, share experiences, encourage each other and co-operate.

Event organizers believe that it is necessary to critically evaluate the experience of women working in the arts field in order to highlight the challenges and difficulties they are facing and to encourage dialogue to improve the situation, making it possible for all women involved to engage in their profession.

Latvian music band “Catalyst” has released a video for their first single “Howl”.

The song is the first messenger of the upcoming debut album, which is going to be released later this year. The video storyline is based on wild, primal feelings and the inner struggle within us. Actors in it are the band members themselves – Kārlis Boreiša-Visockis, Ronalds Briežkalns and Zane Bratuskina, and the video was filmed by Reinis Janulis.

Sex, trample down of the SRS building and actual global problems of 2016 – all in the video of new song of the band RYGA.

Members of the band RYGA are in continued incomprehension on what is going on in the world and in their own houses. Is this really what people would like place under the Christmas tree these Christmas?

The band is offering their option – to live in peace, share love and not to destroy this world. “If children are usually told that they will get coal for Christmas, then what makes the world’s mighty ones, politicians and managers of large concerns better?” – ask members of the band. This does not appear to be a secret that there are demographical problems in Latvia and lots of people choose to emigrate abroad. Maybe the reasons thereof are to be looked for in the attitude to work assigned?  Incomprehensible purchase of the SRS building with the overpayment of quite a few millions, corruption involving officials etc. Unfortunately the services of the Panama offshores are chosen by politicians and significant business people as well and this has a direct impact to Latvia and tax collection, as well as many other problems pictured in the video.  

The band RYGA picture improvised workshop of Santa Claus in their new video, where Santa Claus hears out the wishes of many countries and organizations on what they would like to get these Christmas. And it turns out that no one needs the presents prepared by dwarfs (renewable energy, homes, love and mutual patience). Upon hearing these mad wishes, Santa Claus and the team of dwarfs with Snow White fail to resist the pressure and cast off.  Santa Claus and Snow White get to the improvement of demography, but in order to do it, the system in the shape of SRS building must be destroyed.

Nowadays it has become very common to simplify the image of woman down to the sex object and lots of women are gladly fine with that. Is this the standard of this era?!  Are the minds

With this provocative video the band RYGA is not afraid to show, what is actually continuing to go on in this world and they promise not to go away from hard and uncomfortable subjects in the debut album of the band RYGA, coming spring next year.

Two songs of the band RYGA (Candyman and Summerfest) have gone into the voting of first selection of Grammy awards and are still fighting for the nomination. At the same time the song of the band Candyman is played on playlists of quite a few radio stations in Germany is getting to be known in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In order to introduce listeners to the material of the new album, the band is planning to go on European concert tour in the middle of April.

Music industry representatives from Latvia and Poland meet in Warsaw.

Latvian delegation has just returned from Poland, where from 24th to 27th of November they took part at the conference ”6. Europejskie Targi Muzyczne Co Jest Grane 24 2016”, bringing home new impressions and contacts. The trade mission organized by Latvian Music Export Latvia (Latvijas Mūzikas attīstības biedrība / Latvijas Mūzikas eksports) was implemented with the support of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA).

In cooperation with their Polish colleagues Latvian music industry professionals were offered a rich and saturated program: insight in the specifics of media and the nature of concert organisation in Poland, meetings with journalists, publishing and PR agency representatives, a tour around Warsaw music clubs, as well as a panel discussion on Latvian, Lithuanian and Polish cooperation so far and in the future.

The participants of the event concluded that all the parties are keen to establish stronger ties in the field of music business with good music as the main prerequisite, followed by the ability to perform it at high-quality concerts and the desire to discover their talents anew across our national borders.

After the Conference, the delegates had the chance to get a fresh glimpse of new Polish music and introduce the shows of their own artists as part of several concerts. This time the choice of the event organisers fell upon Alise Joste, who performed at Sunday night showcase program. 

At the conference, Latvia was represented by Agnese Cimuška – head of Latvian Music Evolution Society / Latvian Music Export, Ieva Liepa – Brainstorm Management representative, Dace Volfa from the I Love You Records label, Dita Ābola – head of Biedrība HI (representing Manta, Sigma and other acts), Jeļena Rantiņa (DaGamba project manager) and Jeļena Smelova (MOO / Music Observation Organization).

“Double Faced Eels” released new single and video – “Can You Hear Me Now?”

The song’s lyrical self speaks about how sad and pitiful their life was and how that all changed after meeting their significant other. “Can You Hear Me Now?” is one of the more serious and heavy tracks from Double Faced Eels’ upcoming album and the band feel that it, to some measure, captures the way many people feel right now.