The Sviests folk compilation, featuring new recordings by Latvian artists of not just folk songs, but also songs inspired by Latvian (and other cultures’) folk music, is normally released every other year. Though the previous release – Sviests 8 – was released in 2019, due to the pandemic (with its significant impact on performance and music making) meant that the latest entry in the series – Sviests 9 – was only released in 2022.

Though it was released with a small delay, the Sviests 9 compilation, compiled by the Lauska folk music label, brings together twenty new recordings by both well established and new artists and ensembles.

Along well-known names like Tautumeitas (who perform a modern version of the song ‘Brosnej, puika, tū dzeršonu’ – which originally appeared on their album Dziesmas no Aulejas), and Auļi (who, along with Lithuanian singer Laurita Peleniūte perform ‘Sveteilai’ – or ‘Ciemiņi’) are newer faces such as Pupa, performing the wedding song ‘Taisās kāzas’, and Ududu, performing the Mārtiņi celebration song ‘Mārtiņš kūra uguntiņu’.

Dark folk ensemble Rāva present ‘Ceļa māte’, singer Elīna Līce performs the Latvian folk song ‘Nāk rudentiņis’, folk / blues / bluegrass group Rahu the Fool offer ‘Daliņa kājas’, and vocalist Katrīna Dimanta sings about bees in ‘Bites dziesma’. Banga sing in Yiddish on ‘Di Bayke’, and Kārlis Rudra Jirgens mixes the kokle with electronic effects on ‘Kokle dub’.

The CD booklet contains detailed information on the artists and the songs, and helps the listener appreciate the many ways Latvian folk music and culture can be interpreted – both in traditional ways, but also with more modern elements – like jazz and electronic music. The booklet also notes the appearance of many new solo artists (perhaps a consequence of pandemic restrictions – unable to meet others, many musicians had to perform on their own).

For further information, please visit the Lauska website

Sviests 9

Lauska

1. Saucējas – Es iesēju kanapīt’
2. Laurita Peleniūte & Auļi – Sveteilai/ Ciemiņi
3. Rīgas saksofonu kvartets un Valdis Muktupāvels – Visādi putni
4. Kalnejas – Raganiņa
5. Svīres – Velc, pelīte
6. Edgars Zilberts pied. Staņislavs Judins – Izlietus
7. TKP – Suņi
8. FOLK 7 – Vonogu dancs
9. Tautumeitas – Brosnej, puika, tū dzeršonu
10. Rahu the Fool – Daliņa kājas
11. Elīna Līce – Nāk rudentiņis
12. Ududu – Mārtiņš kūra uguntiņu
13. Zane Sniķere – Atvasaras vakarā. Iemīlies.
14. Rāva – Ceļa māte
15. Jūra – Oj, agri
16. Dārdi – Raiba govs
17. Pupa – Taisās kāzas
18. Katrīna Dimanta – Bites dziesma
19. Banga – Di Bayke
20. Kārlis Rudra Jirgens – Kokle dub