Owing to his star turn on the second season of the reality singing show Koru kari, singer Žoržs Siksna has been experiencing quite the career renaissance in the past few years.

One of Latvia’s biggest singing stars of the 1970s and 1980s, the crooner of such songs as ‘Muļķe sirds’ and ‘Valodzīte’ (both immortalized in the 1981 Latvian film Limuzīns Jāņu nakts krāsā), Siksna, like many other Latvian 80s stars, faded a bit after the renewal of Latvian independence. However, he, along with his ‘Jelgava Turquoise Choir’, was the breakout star of that season of Koru kari (though, in the end, they had to settle for 2nd place).

Siksna, like many singers in the 1980s, is indelibly associated with composer Raimonds Pauls. For that reason, with a nod to the past but still firmly in the present, Siksna released an album of new recordings of Raimonds Pauls songs entitled Mēs tikāmies…

Interestingly, Siksna’s repertoire on this CD does not include any of his best known songs, so if you are looking for ‘Ģenovēva’, for example, you will need to look elsewhere, as the songs here are lesser known Pauls songs. However, that is part of the allure of this collection, as it brings back some songs that might have been forgotten over the years.

The recordings are in a jazz/lounge style, which should come as no surprise considering the musicians involved in making the album. All the arrangements are by distinguished Latvian jazz drummer Māris Briežkalns (who also plays on the album), and Briežkalns is joined by well-known jazz pianist Viktors Ritovs, as well as Gints Pabērzs on saxophone, Lauris Amantovs on trombone, and Normunds Piesis on trumpet. Joining Siksna on backing vocals is the trio ‘Limonāde’, made up of Ieva Katkovska, Kristīne Tkačuka, and Iluta Valtere.

Siksna’s evocative and expressive singing style was one of the many reasons he rose (and rose again) to stardom in Latvia, and is on full display on Mēs tikāmies… – both tender and powerful, Siksna’s voice and vocal style is immediately recognizable, for example on the soaring vocal on the song ‘Zaldātiņš un balerīna’ (lyrics by Jānis Peters).

Briežkalns’ percussion provide the backbone for all the songs, particularly the rhythm on the first song on the CD, ‘Ziemas vakars’ (lyrics by Biruta Riemere), with Pabērzs also providing a memorable saxophone solo.

The song ‘Pie avota’ is actually a new Pauls song, with lyrics by Guntars Račs, composed in honor of Siksna’s 55th birthday. Here the trombone by Amantovs stands out, providing a soft yet rich sound to this delicate song.

The gentle ‘Annijas dziesma’, lyrics by Jānis Elsbergs, with its tender guitar, is one of the highlights of the album,

The only slightly negative thing I’d note is that perhaps there is a bit too much of the backing vocals. There is no doubting the beautiful voices of ‘Limonāde’, but at times the backing vocals are a bit much and slightly distracting.

The booklet for this CD is impressive. In a hardback case, the booklet is full of pictures and has an extensive biography of Siksna in both Latvian and English. Unfortunately, however, lyrics are not included. Also, considering that one of the main sponsors of this album is the Gulbene-Alūksne Narrow Gauge Railway, there is an extensive write-up, with many pictures, of this unique Latvian tourist attraction. In fact, the CD comes with a ticket for a journey on the ‘bānītis’.

The final song on the album – ‘Ripo tvaika bānītis’ is not actually a Raimonds Pauls song, but is composed by Edmunds Goldšteins. The song is performed with Siksna’s Turquoise Choir. The clarinet part, performed by Indriķis Veitners, gives the song an almost swing feel, making it a sound like a song you might have heard in a speakeasy during the Prohibition era.

Now that Siksna has had a resurgence of popularity, perhaps a Latvian record label will release a comprehensive collection of the original recordings of his best known songs – the closest we ever got was Vasaras vīns in 1995, which had a number of his popular favorites, but was still missing many. In fact, many of Siksna’s recordings have never been released on CD and this seems quite the oversight, considering that many 1970s and 80s stars have had their songs released on CDs.

Backed by some of the most talented jazz musicians in Latvia, Siksna shows that his voice is as strong as it was decades ago. Mēs tikāmies… and its lounge music/crooning style might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those looking for something in a more retro style, or someone simply looking for a talented singer and musicians at the top of their form, look no further. Siksna has reasserted himself as one of the premiere singers in Latvia, singing, as he did more than thirty years ago, the songs of Raimonds Pauls. This romantic music, perhaps appropriate for a candlelit dinner, evokes a distant past – slightly sentimental, at times wistful, but a memorable recording.

Throughout the years, many choirs in Latvia, both professional and amateur, have released albums of Latvian choir music.

A new entry to the mix of choir CDs is Diena aust, a collection of Latvian choir classics (choir songs written in the early 20th century) recorded by the Latvian Radio Choir and conducted by Sigvards Kļava. Focusing on what many consider to be the golden era for Latvian choir music, the CD contains a selection of works by the composers of that era.

Interestingly, the Latvian Radio Choir is perhaps best known for their focus on modern choir works (witness their Latvijas jaunā raža collection with performances of very difficult and challenging new compositions), but they are just as comfortable with the classics. In fact, Diena aust could be considered a follow up to their 2008 recording Skaisti dziedi, with performances of classic folk song arrangements.

No classic choir music collection would be complete without works by the best known composer of the era – Jāzeps Vītols. Though Vītols may be better known for such thundering choir epics like ‘Gaismas pils’ and ‘Karāļmeita’, many of his works have a rather remarkable tenderness. From the lyrical opening to the exulting crescendo at the conclusion, the choir delivers a sweeping performance of Vītols’ ‘Diena aust’ (lyrics by Jānis Esenberģis). Oddly, the choir drops the first verse of ‘Saule austrumos’ (lyrics by Teodors Zeiferts), a bit surprising and unclear if that was intentional or not.

Though his compositional output can be considered minimal – the seventeen choir compositions by Emīls Dārziņš remain not only a cornerstone of any Latvian choir’s repertoire, but also beloved by listeners. With his melodic sense and lyricism in songs like ‘Sapņu tālumā’ (words by Aspazija), but also the dramatic tension of a song like ‘Ciānas bērni’ (also by Aspazija), his choir works cover a range of emotions. The Radio Choir bring out these nuances, with the defiant introduction of ‘Ciānas bērni’, as well as the tenderness of the third verse of ‘Minjona’ (words by Goethe) – the quiet words ‘Vai zini kalnu, kuru mākons sedz?’ (Do you know the hill that is covered by a cloud?). The choir reminds us of the beauty of these songs and why they still resonate more than a century later.

Another popular romantic and lyrical composer of that era was Pēteris Barisons. The choir brings the right touch of playfulness and celebration to the dance-like middle section of ‘Pavasara jausma’ (lyrics by Atis Ķeniņš). The dreaming and longing of ‘Zilie sapņu kalni’ (lyrics by Kārlis Ieviņš) leads the listener on a memorable journey, with the women’s voices singing the sentimental words ‘Pāri tumšām dzīves lejām māj mums tie, ko mīlējuši.’ (Over the dark valleys of life, the ones who loved us wave.)

A particular treat is to hear the Radio Choir perform Jānis Zālītis’ ‘Kad nakts’, a less frequently performed work, with some of famed Latvian poet Rainis’ most romantic words. The understated performance of the song, with its quiet climax of the men’s voices singing ‘lai nezin to neviens’ (let no one know this), makes for particularly stirring listening.

Beyond the mentioned composers, the CD also contains memorable performances of works by Emilis Melngailis, Alfrēds Kalniņš, Jāzeps Mediņš, and Jānis Kalniņš. The CD booklet also has extensive notes on each composer in both Latvian and English.

This collection is particularly enjoyable as it does not focus on the ‘obvious’ repertoire – the CD does not have the best known songs like Vītols’ ‘Gaismas pils’ or Dārziņš’ ‘Mēness starus stīgo’ (though, rather enjoyably, it does have Melngailis’ version, which is not as well known or frequently performed as Darziņš’ work). Though arguably less ‘popular’,  it is quite refreshing to hear recordings of songs that might not be performed very often – as these reveal aspects and facets of the composers that the listener might not have been aware of.

The Latvian Radio Choir has once again proven itself as one of the most versatile ensembles in Latvia – showing expertise not just in modern music, but bringing new life to these classic works, many of which are over a century old. With conductor Sigvards Kļava at the helm, the choir once again shows their expertise and talents on Diena aust – a celebration of the classics of Latvian choir music from the most distinguished of Latvian composers, performed by one of the most distinguished Latvian choirs.

Latvian Radio Choir website: http://www.radiokoris.lv

It seems Latvian popular music has been at a nadir recently. New faces have been few and far between, with the more recent work by better known names like Prāta vētra and Astro’n’out not quite exceeding expectations. Latvia, much like elsewhere, is awash with reality show singers who, after a while, begin to all sound rather depressingly similar.

However, the tide may have turned, as Tavs stāsts, the latest album by the group The Sound Poets, and their first album entirely in Latvian, is a joyous reaffirmation of the treasures that can still be found in Latvian popular music. Combining musical and lyrical talent, this album is one that we have been waiting for for a long time.

The genesis of the Sound Poets is in the group S.P.D., which formed in 2007. S.P.D.’s debut album, Sound Poetry, featuring songs entirely in English, was released at the end of 2008. Two of the members of S.P.D. then went on to form the Sound Poets in 2011, having released a few singles since then, now bring forth their full album Tavs stāsts.

Even though there was a long wait before their album was released, the Sound Poets remained firmly in the public consciousness with a number of songs that became hits during the past few years. Songs like ‘Kalniem pāri’, ‘Nāc līdzās’, and ‘Emīlija’ provided a tantalizing preview of the forthcoming album, Tavs stāsts, which was finally released in 2013, and the long wait was certainly worth it.

The Sound Poets pay particular attention to melody and arrangements, and their musical style could be compared to groups like Coldplay and Arcade Fire. The group, made up of Jānis Aišpurs (vocals and guitar), Normunds Lukša (guitar), Gints Bīmanis (bass), Undīne Baloda (cello), and Pēteris Lunde (drums), were also noticed by the biggest Latvian band, Prāta vētra, and were invited to be the opening act on their 2012 tour of Latvia. Aišpurs also provides the lyrics for all the songs.

The attention to detail and arrangements is evident in all the songs, particularly the first single off the album, ‘Emīlija’. From the tender piano motif in the beginning, to the melodic vocals, which then moves into a driving middle section, with its crashing crescendo at the climax, and then fades out with just the piano, this song takes the listener on a particularly emotional journey.

Perhaps the most beautiful song on the album is ‘Nāc līdzās’, where the author sings about leaving messages on windowpanes with his breath. Featuring an uncredited (at least in the CD booklet) appearance by the choir Kamēr… singing harmonies, ‘Nāc līdzās’, with its pleading, earnest lyric, is one of many high points of this album.

‘Kalniem pāri’ shows the band’s more up-tempo side – the thundering baseline brings a sense of dramatic urgency to this song about the trials and tribulations that occur in every relationship – how even if you make it over one mountain, there will still be more mountains to cross. This song also displays the rather remarkable vocal range of Aišpurs, who deftly moves from full voice to falsetto in a memorable vocal performance.

The title track, ‘Tavs stāsts’, is of a more philosophical nature, about how one must write their own story and how it may be praised and derided throughout time. Aišpurs’ use of falsetto here may remind the listener slightly of singers like James Blunt, with his vocal leaps and, at times, fragile voice.

The album closes with the pulsating, deliberately tempoed song ‘Augšup’, a somewhat meditative work, balanced on the bass guitar. With its repeated refrain, or perhaps mantra, ‘tas pieder mums’ (it belongs to us), it brings the album to a satisfying conclusion, as the guitar slowly fades out at the end.

The only critique I have of the album is actually of the booklet – though all the lyrics are included, they are handwritten, to simulate notes in a notebook. Though this certainly is charming, and belies the personal nature of the lyrics, the words are quite often unreadable!

Tavs stāsts is a refreshing and memorable entry in the field of Latvian popular music. With their attention to the craft of songwriting and details of melody making, Tavs stāsts breathes new life into the world of Latvian popular and rock music. Not content with simplistic, generic songs, the group manages to bring together lyrical prowess and musical skills to make for some of the best songwriting recently heard in a Latvian release. Hopefully this signals a new rebirth in Latvian music – the Sound Poets have, with one album, made their mark in a rather dramatic and memorable fashion.

The Sound Poets on draugiem.lv – http://www.draugiem.lv/thesoundpoets/

The Sound Poets website: http://www.thesoundpoets.lv/lv