Asnate Rancāne, beyond being the leader of the popular Latvian ethno-pop ensemble Tautumeitas, is also an experienced and highly knowledgeable folklorist and musicologist who has studied not just Latvian folklore and folk music, but also folk songs of many European cultures. For more than a decade now, she has had a productive creative relationship with double bassist Stanislav Yudin, and the duo have engaged in many musical explorations inspired by European folk music. Their first album – Op. 2 – was released in 2017, and explored not just Latvian folk songs, but also songs from Bulgaria, Ukraine, and elsewhere. The duo released their second album – Op. 3 – in 2026, and that album continues and expands their musical visions and horizons.

Much like its predecessor, Op. 3 cannot truly be considered a ‘folk music’ album – though all of the songs on the album are inspired by folk songs, they are more the starting point, an inspiration for improvisation and experimentation. This often means that, in the end, there are only faint traces of the original folk song. However, what makes this collection of recordings so engrossing and compelling is the duo’s presentation of this musical journey – the creative process that takes them from the original song to the end result.

Beyond Rancāne and Yudin, the sonic palette on the album is supplemented by additional musicians including pianist Edgars Cīrulis, violinist Aleksejs Bahirs, Arvydas Kazlauskas playing the saxophones, and Artis Orubs on percussion.

Many of the works on the album have an improvisational nature. In an interview with Latvijas Radio Klasika, Rancāne delved into the creative process, such as on ‘Kur zeme’, where Yudin simply started playing when the recording started, and Rancāne combined that with the Prussian folk song “Mīla swāiksta Saulīka” (the dear, bright Sun). Yudin’s double bass traverses a broad sonic range, from a thundering introduction to a more somber middle section, while Rancāne repeats the folk song words as a kind of mantra, creating a layered, intricate modern interpretation of this ancient song.

Rancāne has often included Balkan songs and motifs in her recordings, and Op. 3 also contains songs from Bulgaria, such as the ‘Radina’, a song about a girl who has married, but longs for her father’s home. Rancāne and Yudin, along with their colleagues, create an authentic Balkan atmosphere with their rhythmic and dynamic performance. Yudin, while ostensibly a jazz musician, displays his innate grasp and understanding of folk music in this recording.

The geographical radius of the duo’s musical explorations expands to include the British Isles, specifically Scotland with their performance of the folk song ‘Johnny Lad’, as well as ‘Harp Song of the Dane Woman’, based on a poem by Rudyard Kipling. Rancāne provides an emotional, somber performance on ‘Harp Song’, while Yudin provides an energetic, animated foundation for ‘Johnny Lad’.

Further advancing and developing their creative explorations of the folk songs of Europe, Op. 3 vividly displays the talents of singer Asnate Rancāne and double bassist Stanislav Yudin. The engrossing musical journey on the album begins in Latvia, travels south to the Balkans, then to the northwest to the British Isles, all the while creating distinctive and original interpretations and performances.

For further information, please visit the Asnate Rancāne and Stanislav Yudin Bandcamp page.

Op.3

Asnate Rancāne and Stanislav Yudin

Jersika Records, 2026

Track listing:

1. Kur zeme

2. Kiukuoja zagiuze uobelī

3. Rotā

4. Bre, Petrunko

5. Kade pārnāksi?

6. Radina

7. Harp song of the Dane woman

8. Tumša nakts

9. Johnny Lad