Though the price is a bit steep at 17 Euros for a download, this one might be worth it. Vadims Dmitrijevs is an up-and-coming trombonist from Latvia, and this slab of hard bop swings mightily. Currently there are two tracks made available to sample. The whole album will come out Continue Reading
Latvia
SALA – Jurmala Revisited/Breath
Audrius Simkunas operates as SALA, a Latvian composer whose work straddles ambient and nature recordings. From the release’s Bandcamp site: “Jurmala Revisited/Breath documents SALA’s return to the shores of Latvia, as a sort of audio postcard. The cover photography was taken during the trip and has been treated to look Continue Reading
Auļi – Ķekatās
Six pipes, three drummers, a bassist and a massive wall of sound are what Latvian band Auļi offer, and this album shows the band collaborating with a score of modern musicians updating a powerful ethnic sound. According to the Bandcamp site, “this album is dedicated to the Latvian masquerade traditions Continue Reading
Domenique Dumont – People on Sunday
I came across a “composer” (really, a duo) based in Riga, Latvia called Domenique Dumont. The pair consist of Latvian multi-instrumentalist and producer Arturs Liepins and vocalist, ethnomusicologist Anete Stuce, and they have produced a shimmering, gentle piece of electronic music. From the release’s Bandcamp site: “People On Sunday is Continue Reading
Yuri Vikharev / Juris Āķis / Einārs Raibais – The Lost Latvian TV Studio Sessions 1967
This archival recording is a swinger released from Latvian specialty label Jersika Records. It consists of pianist, jazz journalist and and record collector Yuri Viharev, paired with bassist Juris Āķis and drummer Einārs Raibais. This was the cream of Latvian jazz, and it’s a massive event to see this label Continue Reading
Various Artists – Meticulous Midgets 2023
Our beloved friends at Russia’s finest indie music magazine, Meticulous Midgets, has released their annual compilation of weird experimental, lo-fi and avant-garde music. Featured artists include Russia’s own Assembly of Honey, the Italian ambient sound sculptor Marco Lucchi and Latvia’s Шумилов Бор (Shumilov Bor) among a host of talent worldwide.
Baložu Pilni Pagalmi – Māris Šverns – Būt ceļā
Baložu Pilni Pagalmi are a Latvian post-rock/folk band out of the capita city of Riga. What’s most interesting about this 37 minute-plus track is that it covers not only the genres mentioned, but it would be comfortable listed as an alternative/indie release. I like the fact that there is a Continue Reading
The Pink Elephant – Mellowing
Latvian band The Pink Elephant play a mellow psychedelic rock that has an authentic vibe to it. Not a bad neo-psych release at all.
Jelena Glazova – Bardo Thodol (Eliane Radigue Tribute)
I came to the work of Latvian noise musician and composer Jelena Glazova originally through her collaborations with the legendary Russian noise maestro Alexei Borisov. This four-track album is a paean to the work of French soundscape artist and composer Élaine Radigue, perhaps the foremost sound composer operating today. Glazova Continue Reading
Saucejas – Dabā
Our dear friends at CPL-Music have done it again! This 60-track album by Saucejas is an ethnographer’s dream if you’re into Latvian music, and there is an organic feeling to this album. Nothing too terribly processed, nothing added that didn’t need to be there. The album is appropriately titled, as Continue Reading