Latest folk music sampler from Lauska includes familiar and new artists

The fourth entry in the Sviests folk music collection has been released by the Rīga-based Lauska label.

The Sviests 4 compact disc continues on the tradition of the previous releases—Sviests (2005), Sviests 2 (2007) and Sviests 3 (2009)—by gathering a wide variety of Latvian folk song interpretations, most of which are new recordings not available elsewhere.

The album includes tracks from established folk veterans such as Iļġi, Laiksne and Austris Grasis to newer ensembles such as Vīteri, DER and Rudzi. Besides songs in Latvian, there are songs in Latgallian (such as “Kuopu, kuopu kolnā” by Krampis) and the Liv language (“Opsasā” performed by Tai tai). Many different musical styles are represented, such as the ambient instrumental interpretation of “Šķērsu dienu saule tek” by Vētras saites, the Renaissance styling of “Kūmāmi iedama” by Trakula, and the drum-centric “Ūsiņš” by Pērkonvīri un Laima (featuring Mikus Čavarts of the drum and bagpipe ensemble Auļi).

The collection contains 22 songs, and the CD booklet has details about each ensemble in Latvian and English.

Tracks include:

  1. “Skaista mana tēva sēta” by Folkvakars
  2. “Trīs rītiņi saule lēca” by Iļġi
  3. “As beju muotei vīneiguo meita” by Vīteri
  4. “Opsasā” by Tai tai
  5. “Suņi rēja” by Lāns
  6. “Kuopu, juopu kolnā” by Krampis
  7. “Kas redzēja auseklīti” by Tērvetes trubadūri
  8. “Uz kariņu es aizgāj” by DER
  9. ”Šķērsu dienu saule tek” by Vētras saites
  10. “Upura dziesma” by Ēnu kaleidoskops
  11. “Tumsā gāju vakarā” by Vilkači
  12. ”Ūsiņš” by Pērkonvīri un Laime
  13. “Kūmāmi iedama” by Trakula
  14. “Kurt u skrīsi” by Rudzi
  15. “Dejas sajūta” by Teiksma
  16. “Vysu dīnu jumi jiemu” by Liene Brence and Alga Sprindža
  17. “Malējbalsis” by Miglas asni
  18. “Labāk kuļu rudza riju” by Laiksne
  19. “Doncuot guoju ar meitom(i)” by Austris Grasis un draugi
  20. “Skaista muižeņa” by Ilža
  21. “Pa taciņu gar upmalu” by Hāgenskalna muzkanti
  22. “Vecpuiša pankūkas” by Rīgas danču kluba muzikanti

A new Sviests collection is released every two years.

Sviests 4

The recording label Lauska has released the compact disc Sviests 4, its latest sampler of Latvian folk music.

Egils Kaljo is an American-born Latvian from the New York area . Kaljo began listening to Latvian music as soon as he was able to put a record on a record player, and still has old Bellacord 78 rpm records lying around somewhere.

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