New Latvian pop duo Musiqq has released its debut album, Šī ir tikai mūzika, according to Rīga-based recording company MICREC.

Musiqq consists of Marats Ogļezņevs and Emīls Balceris, who come from Liepāja. Musiqq has gained popularity with radio hits such as “Klimata kontrole,” “Abrakadabra” and “Dzimšanas diena,” all of which are included on the album.

“The album from the first to the last song seems made for parties and this spring certainly will be an integral ingredient in every event with good friends,” according to a MICREC press release. The album was released March 25.

Ogļezņev, formerly with the group Device, wrote and produced all songs on the album, according to MICREC. Balceris has seen success in various music competitions, including “Latvijas talants 2007” and the television show “Koru kari.”

Tracks on the album include:

• Šī ir tikai mūzika
• Dzimšanas diena
• Viņa
• Stereotipi
• Laiks pieder mums
• Tu neej prom
• Abrakadabra
• Jāprot saskatīt
• Klimata kontrole
• No 10 – 10
• Vārdi nenāk viegli
• Pirmā mana Ziemassvētku sarakstā

Further information about the duo is available from Musiqq’s page on the social network draugiem.lv.

The Chicago-area Web site cikaga.com is at it again. In the long-running tradition of media outlets having some fun on April 1, the site has reported that an aide to President Barack Obama is entering Latvian politics.

Michael Strautmanis, the adopted son of Čikāgas piecīši founding member Juris Strautmanis, is organizing a political party called The Chicago Way to run in the Latvian parliamentary elections in October, according to the Web site run by Artis Inka.

Strautmanis is chief of staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Engagement, according to the whitehouse.gov.

“President Obama has embraced Michael’s new career path,” cikaga.com reported. “The President has directed Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Senior Adviser David Axelrod to provide political guidance and assistance.”

Referring to similarities between questionable political practicies in Chicago and in Rīga, cikaga.com suggested Strautmanis might feel right at home in Latvia.

We still recall with pleasure cikaga.com’s 2008 prank in which the Web site reported that the Democratic Party was going to selected its presidential candidate during a meeting at the Latvian center Gaŗezers in Michigan.