The article was written by noted music critic Geeta Daiyal, author of Brian Eno’s monograph Another Green World and a regular contributor to The New York Times, Rolling Stone and The Guardian.
The journalist defines “Skaņu meža” as “the largest avant-garde and experimental music festival in the Baltics”, adding that the festival has been “particularly ambitious since its inception”. “In its 20th year, it has already become an institution attracting viewers from all over the world,” writes Daijala in a review.
The sound quality during the event is highlighted: “Another pleasant surprise was the high-quality acoustic experience. [..] The careful sounding enhances the grandeur of the performances.” Daijala also speaks generously of the atmosphere of the Hanzas Perons concert, saying that it has a special atmosphere.
Among the most striking performances of the festival program, the journalist mentions the duet of the singer Amirta Kidambi and drummer Matt Evans, the works of electroacoustic music composer Bernard Parmežiani performed by Francois Bonnet, head of the GRM studio, the performance of improvisation free quartet, as well as the Latvian power electronics duet “Zahnrad”.
“The forest of sounds is like a therapy, like a medicine for the bitterness of the world,” writes Daijala. “It is to be hoped that there are more such adventurous and generous festivals, and that “Skaņu mežs” will continue to fulfill its vision,” concludes the review.
The Sound Forest’s 20th anniversary celebration was the third most attended festival ever, proving that the event has overcome the decline in attendance during the pandemic.
The 2022 edition of the “Skaņu mežs” festival was supported by the Riga City Council, the State Fund for Cultural Capital, the Goethe Institute in Latvia, the French Institute in Latvia, the US Embassy, the Institute of culture, the Ministry of Culture, the Trust for Mutual Understanding, iRobot and Valmiermuiža beer, as well as the European Union’s Creative Europe programme, which co-finances two festival projects: REMAIIN and SHAPE+.
The LYRA project for young people and children was also carried out, carried out with the support of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norwegian EEA grants and the support of the Ministry of Culture.
