After a five year pause after their last album, 2011’s Tur saulīte pērties gāja, Latvian post folk ensemble Iļgi return with Tur kur mīti, released at the end of 2016, their latest collection of songs inspired by Latvian folk music and songs. As with most all of their albums, there is a thematic thread woven through all the songs, and this time it is myths and mystical elements.

The title of the album, Tur kur mīti, (as per the group, the lack of a comma is intentional), is actually a play on words, as ‘mīti’ can be both interpreted as ‘myths’, but the title can also be interpreted as ‘The place where you dwell’.

The group’s members remain unchanged, with Ilga Reizniece on vocals and violin, Māris Muktupāvels on vocals, kokle and accordion, Gatis Gaujenieks on vocals and bass guitar, guitarist Egons Kronbergs, and drummer Mārtiņš Linde.

In keeping with the mystical themes, the songs on the album have more of an ethereal, mysterious atmosphere about them. The reserved and reflective nature of the songs might be a surprise to those listeners that enjoy more their lively, energetic songs, like the ones on Sēju vēju or Kaza kāpa debesīs, but fans who enjoyed calmer albums like Totāri or Kur saulīte pērties gāja will find much to enjoy here. Muktupāvels has mentioned that he expects their next album to be livelier.

The ambling nature of many of the songs on the album becomes clear with the first track, ‘Laima’, about the nature of this Latvian goddess of good fortune and luck, which also appropriately features guest kokle performer Laima Jansone, and the sounds of the kokle add a dreamlike quality to the song.

The tempo does pick up slightly on the song ‘Vilki’, a song about giving a wolf gifts of bread and socks to discourage him from taking the young goat. The narrator even warns the little goat about the kind of clothes the wolf wears – a short jumper and well-heeled boots. The song is inspired by a winter solstice children’s game (December is considered ‘The Month of the Wolf’ in Latvian folklore), where the goats run away from the wolf.

A driving Gaujenieks bass line forms the foundation for the song ‘Istabā’, which is then built on with Kronbergs’ guitar and Muktupāvels’ accordion, and then features Reizniece’s violin, and is a song with Roma-like elements, particularly in the chorus. Muktupāvels’ characteristically deep bass voice gives the lyrics a chant-like nature.

The album concludes with what is certainly one of the most beautiful songs the group has ever recorded, ‘Kumeliņi’ (though in the CD booklet the song is called ‘Jūriņa’). This tender, almost lullaby-like song about two yellow horses that emerge from the sea, forms a fitting end to this album of mystical tales and creatures and this journey through the many facets and legends of Latvian folklore.

The album booklet includes all the lyrics with English translations, but one wishes they had taken the opportunity to provide a bit more detail about the legends and myths that they are singing about, so those less familiar with Latvian folklore would appreciate the songs even more.

Though, when one does reach the end of the album, one does get the sense that perhaps they could have included one or two more upbeat numbers on the record, especially when considering their previous album was similarly low-key. Granted, the intention of the album was to be a meditation on myths, but Iļgi are often at their best when they perform more energetic songs. Still, Tur kur mīti remains yet another example of why Iļģi, over their more than 35 year career, with their modern interpretations of Latvian folk songs and texts, have achieved worldwide fame and recognition – the ancient, mystical words and melodies remain just as vital and relevant in a contemporary setting and interpretation.

For further information, please visit the Iļģi website at www.ilgi.lv

Tur kur mīti

Iļģi
2016

Track listing:

1. 1. 1. Laima
      2. Istaba
      3. Oši
      4. Māra
      5. Jumis
      6. Koki
      7. Pele
      8. Vilks
      9. Kumeliņi

Dagamba is a Latvian instrumental ensemble that merges classical and modern melodies, eastern and western sounds, as well as other disparate elements to create a unique fusion of music. Their sound, which includes cellos, piano, Persian instruments and drums can be at once steeped in classical traditions and then bursting with modern, popular sounds.

After their first efforts at combining popular songs with classical melodies on 2015’s Recycled (their second album after their debut – 2012’s New Life), the group has returned with their own interpretation of Baroque composer Vivaldi and perhaps his most famous composition – the series of concertos known as ‘The Four Seasons’. The resulting album – 2016’s Seasons – which also includes a few additional compositions – provides a new and fresh perspective on one of classical music’s greatest treasures.

Dagamba, founded in 2011, bring together cellists Valters Pūce and Antons Trocjuks, pianist Dainis Tenis, percussionist Hamidreza Rahbaralam (performing traditional instruments such as the daf, setar, and tambur), as well as a more recent addition – drummer Arturs Jermaks.

Though it is more a reimagining of Vivaldi’s work (created by Pūce and Tenis), rather than simply a new arrangement, it is still at once recognisable, containing Vivaldi’s familiar melodies in a new presentation. The foundation remains the cello and piano, however, the drums and traditional instruments give both an energetic flair and an exotic flavour to the music, particularly in “Summer Storm”, where an energetic, almost tense performance then leads to “Autumn”, displaying the full melancholic richness of the cello.

Credit goes to Dagamba for making this nearly 300 year old work as vital and lively as it was when it was first composed, and, were it not clear already, shows why Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is one of the most of the most popular compositions in history. The group provide a fine balance in their version of the work, ensuring that the music is still held in high reverence while still adding new elements and perspectives.

Beyond their version of Vivaldi’s opus, Seasons contains a few additional tracks in a similar fusion style. The song “Freddie”, which, as its title might indicate, contains elements of Queen, which are then merged with melodies by J. S. Bach. The track also features Latvian vocal ensemble Latvian Voices providing a haunting vocalise.

The group also prove adept at writing and performing entirely new material, as with the song “Escape”. Valters Pūce provided the music, and the song features guest vocalist (and lyricist) Aminata Savadogo, who has already made a name for herself in the Latvian music world with her memorable performance at Eurovision in 2015. On “Escape”, Aminata provides a similarly powerful vocal display.

Though the album is full of dynamic rock elements, it concludes with the subdued and tender “Postlude / Lascia Demons”, with original music by Pūce and Tenis synthesized with the music of Handel. After the turbulence of the previous tracks on the album, this provides a gentle and calming close, again modernising Baroque elements.

Dagamba once again show that music that is centuries old can be seamlessly integrated and fused with modern elements, making it both familiar and fresh. They continue these efforts on Seasons, with effective results. Providing a new take on the music of Vivaldi and other artists, Dagamba have created a compelling new interpretation of a timeless work, revealing and expressing elements which are just as relevant in today’s music world as they were centuries ago.

For further information, please visit the Dagamba website.

Seasons

Dagamba
2016

Track listing:

1. 1. 1. Prelude
      2. Spring
      3. Summer Storm
      4. Autumn
      5. Winter
      6. Freddie
      7. Escape
      8. Intoxicated
      9. Postlude / Lascia Demons