Latvia

 

Photo credit: By Saeima - Dziesmu un deju svētku pasākumi 2018, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71031165

I've been to Latvia once very briefly about 3 years ago on an overnight stop in Riga on the way back from Stockholm staying with a friend of a friend.  It was getting dark and started snowing heavily as we arrived, so never took any pictures, but we are planning a return visit sometime soon.  We did get to eat a traditional pickled herring and beetroot salad in a cosy restaurant on the outskirts of town though. 

Apparently a third of Latvia's population lives in Riga, so on our musical journey it's the only place we'll be stopping.  First up is all female Ethno-pop band Tautumeitas, who started life in 2015.  The 6 women sing beautifully in harmony accompanied by violins, accordion and percussion.  Here's a bewitching song from their 2018 self-titled debut album called Raganu Nakts (Witch Nights):

Folk fusion band Auļi was founded in 2003 consisting of 6(!) bagpipe players, 3 drummers and an electric cello.  That's enough to put the fear of God into anyone and their performances seem to be a rumbunctious party.  They call their genre Ethno-trance with elements of Latvian folk, rock and other influences.  The pipes they are playing are of course not Scottish, but the native Latvian dūdas, which has a history going back to the 15th century and even appeared on a Latvia postage stamp:

Here's the opening track from their 2022 album Ķekatās called Čigāniņi, pagāniņi (Gypsies, pagans):

Folk band Iļģi was founded in 1981 by Ilga Reizniece and are still going strong.  Initially they concentrated on original Latvian folk with traditional instruments, but gradually transformed into what they call post folk, taking in influences from other world and contemporary music styles.  They have numerous awards to their name and are still touring.  Here's the opening track from their 2011 album Tur Saulite Perties Gaja called Pirts Kurinasara:

The core of contemporary folk band Lata Donga is made up of members of the Rancane family - including Asnate and Aurelia who are also members of Tautumeitas - who have been playing music for at least 3 generations.  Their music is dream-like, using traditional and classical instrumentation.  Here is a song from their 2019 album Variacijas called Vysi Kūceņi, which according to Google Translate means You Bastards:

All female traditional singing group Saucējas was established in 2003 in Riga at the Latvian Academy of Culture.  They are very much sticking to authentic Latvian polyphonic traditions gleaned from archive recordings and by meeting older musicians in the field.  The theme of many of their songs is nature and in nature those women like to be to record their songs, complete with the ambient noises of birdsong and chickens clucking.  Here's a song from their 2021 album Dabā called Aiz Daugavas melni meži, which is a Latvian spring time song from Selonia:

Nature and tradition is also at the heart of the music of folk band Saule I Tuvāk with a dash of mysticism.  I don't know an awful lot about them, but here is a song from their 2022 debut album Aiz Ezera called Raganiņa, which means witch apparently.  Seems to be a bit of a theme in Latvia:

The electro-folk duo ZeMe brings together the queen of the kokle, the traditional Latvian zither, Laima Jansone with elctronic DJ Monsta aka Uldis Zirulis, both born in Riga.  They are inspired by Mother Earth, which Zeme literally means in Latvian mythology, to come up with innovative improvisations.  Laima at times plays the kokle like a guitar Jimi Hendrix style.  Here is the title song to their 2019 album Visuma Vizošā Tumsa - The Glimmering Universe:

3 of the 5 members of ImantaDimanti un draugi hail from the Latvian diaspora abroad and were brought up in Australia, the USA and Germany respectively.  However they formed the band in Riga playing joyful traditional Latvian folk songs, sometimes with a hint of bluegrass, displaying their international influence.  Here's the title song from their 2017 album Izauga mātei brīnuma meita:

And that's it from Latvia for the time being, folks.  Next stop is the last of the Baltic republics, Lithuania, until then you can follow my virtual travels on my tripline map.