Named "Golden Microphone" nominees in the category of alternative or experimental music album

After evaluating the recordings, the music journalist, writer and DJ Kaspars Zaviļeiskis says: “Already at the time when I participated in the division of the submitted recordings into style categories, I am glad that this time I have managed to create a category of alternative or experimental music. There is no shortage of experimental musicians in Latvia, whose belonging to a not very specific music style is as important as a worm’s microphone. Although the musicians nominated in this category are quite different, they are united by the desire to beat with different sounds and sounds, in the end to say even more to them than to words. ”

Aiga Leitholde, music viewer on the LSM.lv portal, also admits: “I am very pleased that“ Golden Microphone 2021 ”is in the category“ Alternative or experimental music album ”this year, because this section allows more accurate evaluation of the recordings and expands the overall picture of the Latvian music scene. . The recordings in this category introduce new ways of thinking, writing and performing music, which seem to be more independent of the current music tradition in Latvia, which is known (understood) to a wide audience. And the nominees for “Alternative or Experimental Music Album” each represent their own direction, making the category representative and interesting so that the winner is not easy to predict. “

White Light – Waterflower

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Sabine Moore, the artist of the Waterflower project, works not only as a songwriter and performer, but also as a producer. In the album “Balta Gaisma” she is also in charge of all instruments, arrangements, electronics and a large part of voice recordings. In order not to have to do all the work himself, Ģirts Laumanis (Lomiks) was involved in the production of the project, in whose studio the main vocal parts and violin were recorded, he also performed the final mixing and mastering of the recording.

On September 28, the album “Balta Gaisma” was released in digital format, and in limited quantities also in physical format – on pink vinyl records. Since the presentation at Noah, Balta Gaisma has received more than 15 foreign reviews, mostly from Great Britain and the United States. Although Waterflower’s music can be compared to an audiovisual work of art viewed by a viewer one at a time when entering the gallery, “quoting Uldis Rudaks,” those few who hear are more important than the crowds of huge concert fans who only know, where he is and what he listens to ”.

The long road to the cemetery – Imants Daksis

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The mini-album “Long Way to the Cemetery” by the expressive singer Imants Dakšs includes 6 compositions. Three songs, the sound of which is characterized by a fusion of folk kokles, double bass, percussion and psychedelia, as well as 2 experimental compositions, which show the musician’s love for the avant-garde of sound art, for example, in the work “Bones and Teeth” playing his own body instruments. In turn, the concert recording “Divine Speed” with the participation of the rock band ASS was made two years ago. Participants in the album recording: Imants Daksis – voice, guitar, bones & teeth, sound effects, Mikus Čavarts – percussion, Kristine Ādmine-Liepa – kokles, Miķelis Vanags – electric guitar, Toms Valmiers – double bass, Raitis Viļumovs – percussion, Mārtiņš Kr .

Mausoleum – Pamirt

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To forget is a trio of dark music from Riga, which unites musicians working on the Latvian underground stage – Kristiāna Kārkliņa, Edgars Gultnieks and Edvards Percevs. “Mausoleum” is the association’s first studio album recorded by Sound division, Hodil and Gateris studios. Forget entering into an agreement with the record company Tartarus Records in the Netherlands to release a record in vinyl format on the Benelux market.

Stanislavs Judins played in the double bass songs This Dinner and Bloodletting. It was mastered by world-famous sound engineer James Plotkinworks. The design of the cover was made in collaboration with makeup artist Zani Žilinskas and photographer Lauri Aizupietis.

searching for buried pleasures – careless afterlife

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“careless afterlife” is a creature created by five people, whose sound consists of playful vocals, sharp guitar effects, low bass and drum vibrations and verses saturated with symbolism. The group has confirmed its existence by performing in several Riga clubs, festivals and other concert venues. In 2020, the debut EP “searching for buried pleasures” was released, in which, through Gothic extras, musicians surround the listener in the story of balancing between the instinctive and the ironically defined in the mind.

Yggdrasil – Jānis Ruņģis

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Jānis Ruņģis is one of the brightest jazz and contemporary music improvisers of his generation in Latvia. He has played together and collaborated with a number of Latvian and European jazz musicians, including Liudas Mockunas, Ian Maksim, Deniss Paškevičs, Kristaps Vanadziņš, Matīss Čudars, Madars Kalniņš, Sinfonietta Rīga, LNSO, LSO.

The mood and colors of the recording of his solo album “Yggdrasil” have been created by a synthesis of various instruments – church organ, guitar, Fender Rhodes, electric organ “Wurlitzer”, piano climax, as well as various electric guitar effects or loops. The recording was made in Nurme Church from May 31 to June 2, 2020, and the acoustics of the church itself serve as an instrument in which the artist forms his musical message.