The pandemic has probably had a different effect on Latgalians – this time has become even more creative for them.
The studio album of Daugavpils Viking metalists “Varang Nord” was recently released, on March 19 the Latgalian pop rock band “Without VAT” showed their latest performance, and on the same date their second studio album with 13 new compositions was put on the table by Latgalian hip hop group “Latgalīšu Reps”. The fact that something new was maturing for the “Latgalians” could easily be sensed from the fact that they were recently released on the stage of the closing ceremony of the “Musical Bank”.
The title of the album “Cyta dzela” or “another thing” is a good sign for the group’s vision: “Let’s go up in better quality and performance. We never know what awaits us in life, but as long as no stones fall from the air, everything is in order in life. We are moving forward, regardless of whether we are lucky or not, ”the musicians philosophize. The album was scheduled to be released last year, the pandemic adjusted these plans, but “the time spent at home was used to improve the sound of the album, as well as to create new songs, without which the new album is no longer imaginable.” In the songs included in “Cyta dzela” you can hear various music genres, which are combined with rhymes in Latgalian and Latvian. “The lyrics reveal to the listener the vision and experience of artists’ lives, as well as the biggest sources of inspiration – love for family and native home. The album also includes compositions created in collaboration with the group “Without VAT”, rap artist Faktu and young, talented singer Sand. The representatives of the group are convinced: “Every listener of the album” Cyta dzela “will be able to find a sound they like and close to their soul.” “
A little more of history. Since 2017, the group “Latgalīšu Reps” has been showing the real nature and joy of life of Latgalians not only to the Latgalians themselves, but also to the “chicks” or residents of other regions of Latvia through their music. The band has had several successful hits – “Scott by Prayer”, “Es tycu”, “Atver durovys”, “Pūdra deg” and “Trešuo csillagzne”, but so far the most popular song is “Žarei gaļi”, which has reached 2 on Youtube. .6 million views. The musical association owns four Latgalian cultural awards “Boņuks”, which were received in 2017 and 2018. In its turn, on the September 7, 2018 program of the radio “Pieci.lv”, the hits “Žārei gaļi” reached the top place. The President of Latvia Egīls Levits admitted in the LNT program “900 seconds” that “Latgalīšu Reps” is one of his favorite groups, after which the musicians were invited to perform at the inauguration of the President, “the group reports. Is it proud of the latter, that is another question…
BY. Here’s one piece that has the potential to become a hit, and which definitely deserves to be listened to – the radio-friendly and hymn “Toast”. Elegantly American is the vigorous “Intro Brooklyn”, I would also like to celebrate the witty “Plant, Plant” (collaboration with “Rouze” Sand) and maybe also “Jauneiba” (for a youth that goes and won’t come anymore), “Shamani” is quite stylish in turn, teenagers might like “School at.” Also, in general, the album is not to blame, only – ansis with his “Great Art” rappers has now set a much higher average bar.
PRICE. I wonder if such a unique fact has ever been recorded all over the wide world that the same original song appears in two different albums on the same day in the same country and even region? But this is exactly what happened with the song “Stouvi”, which is included both in the third studio album of the group “Without VAT” released on March 19, and in the work of “Latgalīšu Repa” – we could already agree on something. Okay, that’s a trifle. The biggest disadvantage of “Cyta dzela” is too much stylistic diversity – even reggae and latino can be heard here! – which is not at all exciting about such an experimental approach to recording, as it does not allow to see the album as a whole. Although – no, this is only the second biggest disadvantage, because the first is that there is a lack of really exciting pieces here. The phenomenon of “Latgalīšu Repa” is greatly exaggerated, then it is better to listen to “Singapore Satin”.
–
