Category: News

 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.

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.

On the 8th of March the most popular Latvian jazz-funk band Very Cool People is releasing a new single & video named “Spiediens”. This amusing & magnificent video is created in collaboration with actors from Latvian improvisation show named “Spiediens” & “Kaņepes…

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.

The bright local indie pop band “Franco Franco” unveils the video for the song “Up”, with which they will participate in the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest “Supernova 2017”. The song is the second single from the EP “Moon + Light”, which is nominated for the award “Zelta Mikrofons” (Golden Microphone) as the best alternative or indie pop record.

“The story of the song “Up” is about a choice we are facing every day — whether to dwell on the past or to overcome difficulties and head forward or up,” the band’s lead singer Elizabete Vētra reveals, adding that the difficult moments in life build up a person’s character.

The director of the video Reinis Spaile (“Steve Spencer Production”) has created „Up” as a short film, referencing the 90s cinema. “The story is about a teenage love — a time when the feelings are vivid and unequivocal. Similarly to the message of the song the story also ends upliftingly with a head-spinning flight,” Spaile reveals.

The video of “Up” was filmed on the Ādaži airfield and in the premises of Cēsis State Gymnasium, where three of the band’s members have studied. The current and former students of the gymnasium were also involved in the creation of the video, fitting into their roles excellently. The cameraman of the video is Jānis Šēnbergs, and the creative director is Zane Priede. The video was created in collaboration with the Cēsis Municipality.

The band will take the national selection’s for the Eurovision Song Contest “Supernova 2017” stage with the song “Up” this Sunday. “Up” is the second single from the EP “Moon + Light”, which is nominated for the award “Zelta Mikrofons” (Golden Microphone) as the best alternative or indie pop record. The producer of the album Reinis Sējāns (“Instrumenti”, “Reynsi”) has received the special award as the best studio producer of 2016.

The song “Up” can be heard on the streaming platform Spotify, online store iTunes and other channels for digital music distribution.

 “Franco Franco” has been active since 2010. In 2013 the band released its debut EP “Color me”. In 2016 it returned with the second EP “Moon + Light” and the album presentation concert, actively performing in such festivals as “Playground Festival”, “Fono Cēsis”, “Piens Fest”.

With a shout-out to pop/punk true-believers, Double Faced Eels relesed a new single and video titled “You and I”.

The song is about relationships and how any problems you run into are just another challenge to figure out, when you’re in that relationship with someone worth the effort. The lyrics „I’ll do that thing that you want, I’ll get it right. If you can look past all the other times” capture the perpetual compromise which the author of the song, Reinis Straume, wanted to talk about in the song.

The band also posted a brand new cover to their YouTube channel. This time, it’s Bebe Rexha’s “I Got You”.

On 19th of January workshop „Youtube – one of the marketing tools” will take place in Riga –organised by Latvian Music Development Association / Latvian Music Export Office along with Investment and Development Agency of Latvia.

Video-sharing website Youtube is not only one of the most popular websites of all time, it’s also one of the most important tools for every musician. Even if some artists doesn’t focus on making splendid music videos, it’s still one of the most common platforms to access music with.

The workshop will be led by a sertified Youtube expert – András Bozán Bodrogi from Google Ground Budapest. Main subject – the best way to use Youtube in order to reach the best audience. Bodrogi will also share his knowledge on how to increase the amount of Youtube subscribers, how to atjust content for specific audience along with some practical tips and tricks.

It will take place from 10 am till 1 pm at the headquarters of Investment and Development Agency of Latvia – Riga, Perses street 2, conference hall on the second floor. The workshop will be held in English. Registration – http://bit.ly/seminars-youtube.

The new album “Seasons. Winter. Piano” of new series of Latvian instrumental music “Seasons” has been released.

New album is the compilation of romantic melodies of 12 well-known Latvian composers on piano. You will come across compositions of Raimonds Pauls, Imants Kalniņš, Mārtiņš Brauns, Uldis Stabulnieks and Jānis Lusens, as well as works composed by Dons, Mārtiņš Freimanis, Lauris Reiniks, Gints Stankevičs and Aigars Voitišķis. The pianist Normunds Kalniņš has recorded them all in his interpretation. Mixing and sound editing was done by producer Gints Stankevičs. You will only hear the piano in the record and it is the most popular way of recording popular song arrangements emphasizing the melodies thereof. Compositions complement each other and this album will serve as excellent background music in different situations – in cafes, saloons, shops or at home next to the fireplace. All compositions included in the album are well known songs of popular Latvian singers and different groups of singers, but it is the first time they are all available in one instrumental version. Here are the titles of compositions and the authors thereof:

The design of the album was created by Artūrs Tigulis, but the design of new series is based on artworks, painted by Līga Ķempe especially for this purpose. The paintings for spring, summer and autumn editions are already painted. Currently there are four albums planned to be in the series of instrumental music “Seasons” – “Seasons. Winter. Piano” available in stores this week, as well as the ones planned next year “Seasons. Spring. Guitar”, “Seasons. Summer. Strings” and “Seasons. Autumn. Percussions”. There will be melodies of well-known Latvian composers and bands recorded in these albums as well; just the main instruments will change.

CD’s are available for ordering on web site of MicRec www.micrec.lv and for purchase in bookstores “Jānis Roze” bookstores and in music stores. The digital version of the album is already available on platforms iTunes and Spotify.

Mārcis Judzis, the founder and songwriter of Ryga, has been nominated for his second prestigious Spēlmaņu nakts theatre award in the category Musical Score of the Year.

In 2014, Mārcis won the prize for his music in Oskars Koršunovs’ staging of Banishment at the Daile Theatre, but this year he is nominated for his music in Dž.Dž. Džilindžers’ production of Nick Cave’s book The Death of Bunny Munro at the Daile Theatre. Ryga, which has recently released its debut album Catch Her Groove including songs from both plays, participated in both of them.

In light of these happy news, the band has released a new video for the song starring actors Artūrs Skrastiņš and Ieva Segliņa from The Death of Bunny Munro. The video has been filmed and edited by the director Artis Dzērve. Keep an ear out for “Bunny Munro Waltz” on the new album Catch Her Groove, as well as in the play. Mārcis says: “I would like to say a big thank you to the Daile Theatre, the actors and Džilindžers for the honour to work on this play. I really appreciate it. Without this play there would be no song, nor this terrific short film, a special thanks for which goes to the theatre, actors and Artis Dzērve.”

Mārcis sets the scene for the song: “This is my first waltz. When I wrote this song, I was thinking of two worlds: the first one has an overwhelming amount of sex, drugs and rock & roll. It’s clear that it will all come to an abrupt end, and one will be flying, hopefully, towards the sky, because this kind of lifestyle can only have one outcome. It’s the highest concentration of egoism when nothing is an obstacle, because there are pleasures one cannot miss out on. Meanwhile, the other side is hysterically screaming: “Hey! I’m right here. I love you! Everything will be alright! I miss you! Love you … You tricked me again, Bunny!” These are the two worlds that are not meant to align.”

The album Catch Her Groove will soon be released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in cooperation with Gordeon Music and Rough Trade.

Latvian band The Coco’nuts recently released their new single called “Fading slowly” from the new material.

Right after having their first debut album “Amid opposites” in the beginning of this summer The Coco’nuts had a creative camp in Ēvele, where they already started working on new program. It has been presented in several wonderfull concerts during past three months. All new songs are made with completely new inspirations, that’s why they are quite different from usual sounds of The Coco’nuts. Compositions are flowing, they take listener in the world of reflections and toughts.

Band  releases song “Falling slowly” as the first because it tells about changes – just like new material – about new beginning, about new path in our lives, that changes are not always easy to realise in the moment, until at one point you lose control over everything so you just want to dissapear or fade out for a second until it all starts from the beginning and the unstoppable flow of life keeps going.

Live performance you’ll be able to hear on 16th of December in jazz bar “Trompete”. For more information you can follow band on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/thecoconuti/