Makree and David Harks met during a trip David to Riga in the fall of 2018 in Latvia, instantly striking up a friendship and a deep love of indie dance music as they began testing out some ideas.
Citing the influences of conscientious storytelling house legends Hot Chip, the analogue synth pop elements of Superorganism and the straight ahead maturity of Gorgon City productions, Makree and Harks decided to continue working together - this time Makree visited David in Berlin during one weekend, shutting the door on its busy nightlife, carving out there song - Behind the Blinds .
A foray into lyrically lead melodic house and repetition, Behind the Blinds lays a support to a combination of DIY synth elements and warm bass on an overlay of Makree’s demanding house productions, the songs essence is calmly complimented by David’s chilled and melodic abstract lyricism.
Makree brings as always his signature production style to the singles release with an additional immersively strong rework of the songs original - with his own club remix, aiming to lift the spirits of the listener as well as command a stillness in the lyrical message, Behind the Blinds reveals a strong potential between both of these writers.
While the indie-rock band “Audrú” is working on their debut EP “The Lighthouse Trilogy”, that's set to be released in Fall,a mellow and dreamy composition that won't appear in the record has been brought to listeners attention.
“Fog” is the bands second single and it contemplates moments, when we're on the brink of forgetting ourselves and wish to exchange the reality around us for our individual version of the reality. In a quiet and uninhibited mood, the song carries a story about the need for trust.
“One breath
could be too much right now
I need to
follow something
I can’t see”.
The song is accompanied with a lyric video, which presents sunny meadows and shrubs of Zakusala, all through the eyes of a racing drone. Video-related glitches that can be spotted throughout the video are caused by the disruptions in the analogue signal happening during the flight. Song is recorded and mixed in “Hodila records” studio.
“Audrú” consists of four friends – Ieva, Gita, Jurģis un Artūrs, who have been playing together for two years. Since then the band has crafted their own sound, for which they, jokingly, have coined the term “May-flower Grunge”. It features elements of indie-rock, indie-pop, American folk and vibes from music of the 90's.
“Fog” is soon to be available on most mayor streaming platforms. You can follow “Audrú” on Facebook and Instagram.
The Latvian shoegaze/dreampop collective returns with “Rust and Gold”, their first record in a decade. It will be presented on August 28 at the K. K. fon Stricka Villa in Riga.
This summer the band played their first show after a long break at the music festival Laba Daba.
After the show they released an announcement about the current state of the band, sharing that the singer Ksenija Sundejeva will not be able to participate in live concerts this year due to current health issues.
“We have been in the process of recording the new album and rehearsing for more than two years. As it became clear that Ksenija will not be able to take part in the shows, we had to make a choice - to postpone both, the shows and the new release for indefinite time, - or to let the new tunes play. We chose the latter, especially because that’s what Ksenija wanted. Despite not being present physically, enabled by modern technologies Ksenija remains the voice of Tribes of the City both - on record and live.” - says the band’s statement.
At the presentation show the band will play the songs from their latest release “Rust and Gold”, accompanied by concert visuals created by Ksenija (who is also a visual artist) for this occasion.
Speaking about the new record the band’s musical leader and guitarist Sergei Jaramishian shares what his goals and vision were: “I was attempting to create such a broad interweaving of guitars that could hypnotise and mesmerise. To make the record sound like it comes from the 80s or 90s when albums were commonly listened to in their entirety.”
Ksenija says that the record feels very personal to her, as the song lyrics reflect her own experiences.
For that reason the lyrics are also going to be a central part of the concert visuals.
The album was recorded with Aleksandr Solovjov at ZStudios, Riga, produced by Adam Cooper of Allison’s Halo at Jetpack Studios and mastered by Brian Wenckebach of Electric Blue Studios, Brooklyn, NY.
“Rust and Gold” will be available on vinyl and on all major digital music streaming platforms.
The special guest of the presentation will be the young Latvian experimental artist MNTHA.
Tribes of the City was founded in 2003 and have released three albums: “Running to the Sun” (2004), “For the Sleepy People” (2006) and “Recipe of the Golden Dream” (2009). They have been awarded with multiple Latvian Music Awards and nominated for the MTV European Music Awards and the Best Baltic Act.
“Rust and Gold” will be available on vinyl and all major streaming platforms.
Songwriters, lyricists, producers, musicians, and bands are welcome to join songwriting camp and masterclass RIGaLIVE #5, that will be happening from 15th to 17th of October in Riga.
During this songwriting camp and masterclass, there will be formed up to 10 groups of participants that will collectively write new songs. Nine groups will consist of three participants each - a producer, a songwriter, and a singer, while another group will be formed with an existing band and a producer. Each day each of the groups will work for eight hours, during which they'll create a demo version of a new song that will be evaluated by a professional jury, consisting of international and Latvian music industry professionals. The aim of the camp is to create songs that might be potential hits.
Schedule of the camp:
15/10 - introductions of the participants, masterclass, songwriting session;
16/10 - songwriting session, demo listening, and evaluation session;
17/10 - songwriting session, demo listening, and evaluation session.
Applications must be filed before 02.09.2019, the participants of the camp will be announced by the middle of September.
Participation fee for the selected applicants: 50 EUR.
Carnival Youth release their new album “Good Luck” on the 16th of August. It is available on digital streaming platforms as well as in CD and double vinyl. Limited Edition LP is also available.
As the band describe, the ideas for the new album have been collected over a couple of years of touring and experiencing contrasts within the world and people, at the same time, understanding that we are all united by the same things: “The same lust for human compassion, openness, as well as lust for love and freedom. Whilst writing the material for our new album, we tried to be very open and intimate within our environment, letting freedom flow through various musical experiments.”
Songs were mainly created during creative camps, which are almost always held somewhere close to the Latvian nature, however, the album was recorded in Red Bull Studios in São Paulo, Brazil with producer Gatis Zakis. As Carnival Youth describe: “While we were recording the album, we let the Brazilian air affect our music and writing methods. We gave way to more expressive and passionate rhythms, using local percussions, which in result creates a great balance with a couple of more melancholic compositions.”
The album name “Good Luck” came up during the recording process: “Thus far, the names of our albums have always been thought through and made up after it has been recorded. But this time it was more spontaneous. During one of the days of recording in São Paulo studio, our producer Gatis, whilst sitting behind the sound mixer, after one our recording tries, announced to the three of us via microphone “Ok, let's try that again” and very ironically added “Good luck…”. At that moment something clicked, and we said “Hey, that sounds like a great name for an album”. This phrase can be taken both as a genuine wish for good fortune or figuratively, as it's often used with an ironic smirk, when someone is trying to accomplish something challenging or something that at the moment can seem impossible. In those instances, what can we say? Well...Good Luck…”
The album was mixed by Grammy winning producer Nicolas Verhnes, and the master was done by Greg Calbi at “Sterling Sound” in New York.
The “Good Luck” European tour will begin in September with performances in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Estonia and Latvia. More information and tickets - https://band.link/CarnivalYouth
Latvian indie rock trio Carnival Youth release a new single and video “Only the Moon Can See the Sun” a week before the release of the new album “Good Luck”.
Carnival Youth member Emils Kaupers reveals that the song is about procrastination: “I believe everyone has those little things on their mind that you can’t get rid of and they prevent you from being truly happy. You want to deal with these things and resolve them but it’s easier to put them off again and again. This can drag on forever. It’s difficult to finally take the first step so this song serves as an encouragement to be brave”.
The music video was shot in Aluksne, Latvia by directors Ieva Aleksejeva and Peteris Viksna. Peteris describes the video as follows: “The video plays on the connection between dreams and reality using the lyrics as a point of reference. We interpreted the lyrics of the song both literally and through various abstract associations of the words and the symbols hidden within them”. This is the second music video that Carnival Youth have filmed in Aluksne and this time biathlete from Aluksne Andrejs Rastorgujevs is in the video as well.
The upcoming album “Good Luck” will be available in CD and double vinyl. Limited edition vinyl will also be available. The album was recorded last summer in Red Bull Studios in Sao Paulo, Brazil and is produced by the band’s long-time collaborator Gatis Zakis. The album was mixed by Grammy winning producer Nicolas Verhnes and the master was done by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound in NYC.
The album will be supported by an extensive tour which will begin in September. The band will tour Latvia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic. On Monday, 12 August, Carnival Youth will perform at one of Europe’s largest festivals – “Sziget” in Hungary. Information about tour dates and tickets.
In the heat of the summer tour around the Baltic States "Very Cool People” together with the Latvian soul singer Kristine Prauliņa, releases a new single, "Come Along”, from the band's new album "Caution! Contains Words!”
“Come Along” is the forth single from the band’s latest album “Caution! Contains Words!”. Prior to that VCP had already released "We Should Dance" with Kristīne Prauliņa; the second single from the album - “Pa Apli” - got into the Top 15 at the Latvian National Radio music poll “Muzikālā Banka 2018”, it was in the Top 20 of the most influential commercial radio in Latvia (Radio SWH) and has more than 450k views on YouTube at the moment; and the third single "This Mess" featuring Evilena Protektore.
"This is definitely the most summery song from our new album and it could definitely become a summer soundtrack for those who are planning to go on romantic trips or to attend the summer festivals" says VCP leader Elvijs Grafcovs
The song - “Come Along” also features an animated lyric video made by the artist Raitis Kalniņš, who also created the group's newest album “Caution! Contains Words!” visual design.
During the summer of 2019 VCP is on tour around festivals in the Baltic States & Germany:
18th of May “Museum Night” (Liepaja, Latvia),
25th of May “Görlitz Jazz Festival” (Görlitz, Germany),
1st of June “Gaujas Svētki” (Ādaži, Latvia),
6th of July “Bliuzo Naktys” (Varniai, Lithuania),
13th of July “Tintes Svētki” (Valmiera, Latvia),
16th of July “Saulkrasti Jazz” (Saulkrasti, Latvia),
27th of July “Positivus” (Salacgrīva, Latvia),
1st of August “Muzikālais Augusts Daugavpils” (Daugavpils, Latvia),
2nd of August” Augustibluus” (Haapsalu, Estonia),
3rd of August “Summersound” (Liepaja, Latvia),
9th of August “Pasaules čempionāts Rollerslēpošanā” (Madona, Latvia),
22nd of August “Origo Summer Stage” (Riga, Latvia),
24th of August “Siauliai Jazz” (Siauliai, Lithuania)
The album “Caution! Contains Words!” features many guest appearances & blends together a sparkling cocktail of funk, soul, jazz, rock & hip-hop. Ten out of the album tunes were written by the band members themselves, and two are cover songs - "Let the Music Take Your Mind”, a tribute to the legendary R&B group "Kool & the Gang”, & “Going Down Slowly”, a homage to the great late music legend from New Orleans Allen Toussaint, who has inspired & influenced VCP. This is the band’s sixth album so far: 2009 - self-titled debut, 2012 - Cruising In The Trolley, 2015 - Funkology, 2017 - Heya Some Kind Of Fish!…, 2018 - Snowman’s Express.
Podruga, electropop project of singer Alise Stefanoviča and guitarist Ričards Dauksts, offers their latest creation – summery and sultry single „Make It Stop”.
The song is a call to stop limiting oneself, and to experience adventures, love and all the good things that come into life with real awareness of your desires instead. "The creation of the song itself was letting go of my old patterns of songwriting and production – it is evident in unexpectedly uplifting sound. Also, after a 10-year break, I have taken up flute again, which you can hear in this piece,” says Alise Stefanoviča. "We believe that „Make It Stop” will become a great soundtrack for summer adventures!"
Music video was created by audio-visual artists Diana Lelis and Marija Mickeviča (MNTHA). The song was recorded and engineered at studio "401" in collaboration with the well-known hip-hop producer Tablis (Toms Horsts).
Podruga began her musical activities in 2016. So far, three singles and a mini-album "YPA!" have been released, as well as many concerts have been performed, including at major Baltic music festivals
"I don't know" was written in the period, when I got completely lost. To me personally, it is not just another break up song. It is more.
"I don't know" is about freedom. Freedom to be who you are, and freedom to accept yourself. Some time ago, I would only accept myself when I was winning. Would only love my body when I was in the best shape. Would only like my photos taken from a special angle, so that my face looks good, with make up on, building a perfect picture of a dream life for the outer world... So life taught me lessons. Failure after failure, which led to constant anxiety and frustration. I became a person, who couldn't be loved or respected by the "old me".
So, when I had no other choice, I've learned my lesson. I've learned, that I actually deserve love and respect not for my success, or not because I look good at a certain picture, but because I am me. I don't have to always win to be loved. Don't have to satisfy everyone. I can actually love myself for nothing, even when I make mistakes, even when I don't know what to do next, where to go.
With "I don't know" I want to mark the end of this chapter of frustration, and start a new one, a chapter full of freedom and self acceptance. From now on, I do things not because of pressure I put on myself, not because "I am useless, so I have to become at least "someone"... Faster!" I do sports, because I love it, I sing and write songs, because I love it. I spend time alone, because I love it. I work with people who I like. I do all that, because I love myself and respect my needs and wishes. I deserve to be happy. I deserve love, as do you.”
Pacific K offers the first single “Tranquil State of Mind” from their first full-length studio album “Light Between Oceans” to be released in autumn 2019.
The song tells a story of a man deep in the woods drifting between different worlds and different inner selves. It's a mix of pure emotions, telluric energy and deep calm. The song opens up the world of the new album, leaving one curious for what's to come. The band recorded and worked on the album with the sound engineer Talis Timrots at Mints Music Studio in Riga that has previously worked with artists such as Damien Rice, Ludovico Einaudi, as well as several Latvian bands, including Brainstorm, Satellites LV among others.
Listen to “Tranquil State of Mind” on your favourite music platform
Playing together since 2016, the Latvian four-piece released their debut EP “Blue Fall” in April 2017 which gained them praise from careful listeners, as well as some local industry people. Inspired by artists such as Fink, Ben Howard, Nick Cave, The Barr Brothers, Sigur Rós among others and driven by the powerful songwriting of the frontman Kristaps Bedritis, Pacific K deliver captivating live performances. As reviews say:
“The original music of the band works as a magnet, leaving no one in the audience indifferent. It has an emotional grasp, mixing melancholy with rich, intense progressions.” – Berga Bazars Summer Festival
“Fresh breath in the Latvian music scene.” – Sandris Vanzovics, nra.lv
The band currently has 40+ gigs under their belt, including major festivals in Latvia (Positivus, Laba Daba, Playground, Piens Fest), shows in the Baltics and a few appearances at the global live concert series Sofar Sounds. In 2017 they opened for one of their influences – the British band Fink and have started 2019 with an appearance at a late-night show, as well as a couple of shared gigs with the British band Eyre Llew.
Pacific K are going on a Baltic tour in autumn 2019 following the album release. Tour dates to be announced later in the summer. Follow for news: https://www.facebook.com/pacifick.org/