Release of the new Latvian ethno-music  album SVIESTS 7

This summer sees the release of the seventh etno-music album SVIESTS 7. Just like in the previous SVIESTS albums, that are being release every other year, some new and unheard musical gems are included – together they are 21 musical pieces that go together under the genre ethno-music, post-folklore and World Music. Of course, mainly this uses material from Latvian traditional music – melodies, texts and instruments, all of this combined with contemporary musical influences.

Some of the songs included in SVIESTS 7.

Group “Rāva” – „Sniegi Sniga”

The melody of the song „Sniegi sniga” originates from the written records by Emilis Melngailis from 1931, when he received this melody from Paulīna Setkavska in Rubeņi.

Group “Tautumeitas” – „Pelīte”

The group member Asnate Rancāne created this song on a rainy day sitting in a tent in Africa. It also features the popular traditional African instrument mbira  that has a very beautiful and calming sound, that is being played for a long time and with a repetitive pattern, creating a meditative mood.

Elza Rozentāles and ethno-jazz group „Bur Mani” – song in Livonian language, in co-operation with DJ Monsta – „Īdõnõ izānõ”.

The singer Elza Rozentāle is not a newcomer to the Sviests compilation, as she participated already in 2007 with the folklore group Kokle. Now she is a professional singer and participates with her ethno-jazz group “Bur Mani” The song „Īdõnõ izānõ” is a Livonian folksong that was taught to her when she was 10 years old during a folk-musicians summer camp by the teacher Julgī Stalte. The song was arranged by the group member Toms Poišs. The recording shows a modernised version of the song by DJ Monsta, who processed the vocals electronically.

Group Artemisia Absinthium – ” Cipu capu vāverīte”