Prog from Latvia

[Poisoned Youth]

Discuss.

[Sean]

It's very Latvian.

[NogbadTheBad]

Is there any?

[Just Eric]

I refuse to accept the existence or sovereignty of any country with a V in its name.

[strawberrybrick]

Discuss.

Ukraine, which is pretty close


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxwGWmFiu_w

[NogbadTheBad]

Discuss.


It's very Latvian.Oh that clever

[Sunhillow]

Ukraine, which is pretty close



From Riga to Kiev is 545 miles. I know you Americans are used driving 6 hours for a concert, groceries, but in Europe we think that if something is more than an hour away, it's far.

[NogbadTheBad]

From Riga to Kiev is 545 miles. I know you Americans are used driving 6 hours for a concert, groceries, but in Europe we think that if something is more than an hour away, it's far.Ain't that the truth, when I living in the UK the 2.5 hours to Manchester was considered a long drive, now I drive routinely 10 hours to get to major events & don't think much about it.

[strawberrybrick]

From Riga to Kiev is 545 miles. We think that if something is more than an hour away, it's far.

For that band, I'd say it's close!

[inhortte]

The Ukraine is nowhere near Latvia.

[mogilevs]

in Europe we think that if something is more than an hour away, it's far.
On the one hand - true, but on the other - it takes me 1 hour only to get to work from home (and for some it's more - 1,5 or 2 hours)

As for Latvian prog, the only band I've listened to is Holy Lamb (http://www.myspace.com/holylambmusic). Quite interesting sympho/neo.
There is another one I only heard of - Olive Mess.

[maribor]

The Skys are from Lithuania, which is close.

[Levgan]

There is another one I only heard of - Olive Mess.
They were pretty good back when they had a female vocalist. Too bad she was already gone by the time they played in Moscow, as I did not enjoy the replacement guy half as much. Not sure what they're up to now.

There's also Ilgi for fans of prog-tinged folk rock. I have a couple of their CDs. Also, Dzeltnie Pastnieki (Yellow Postmen) - not prog at all, but pretty awesome new wave / post-punk, considering the time and place.

[Progbear]

I’ve only heard a bit of Olive Mess but they’re pretty interesting. They’re probably your best bet, if you’re into avant-garde stuff. Also currently/recently active bands I know nothing about: ZGA and Like Animals Again.

There’s also Zodiaks/Zodiac/Зодиак, an instrumental electronic group heavily influenced by Jean-Michel Jarre but beware, their music takes on a disco-ish feel at times (their debut album is even called Disco Alliance).

I’ve heard interesting things about Credo. Their 1986 album Melnais kliedziens (Black Cry) has been compared to Peter Hammill.

There’s also Eolika, who I know little about except that they released a “rock opera” in 1988, Robinson Crusoe. And Menuets (Imants Kalniņš’ band), who supposedly had classical-influenced prog in their early repertoire but this is definitely not evident in their only album, 1979’s Dzeguzes balss.

I can vouch for Iļģi. Not prog, but excellent ethno-folky stuff nonetheless.

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"That's my purse! I don't know you!" --Bobby Hill

N.P.:"A no sora"-Ie Rai Shan

[Levgan]

ZGA
I did not think of them, but yeah, good call. Their leader Nick Soudnick was USSR's very own Alexander Hacke or even Steven Stapleton - so beware, there can be pretty dangerous noise/avant/collage music on ZGA albums. However, when their industrial stuff suddenly gets more friendly and melodic, such as on my favorite album Gloom from circa 2004, it really is unprecedented.

[GreenD]

Holy Lamb are recording their new songs for their forthcoming album http://www.holylamb.lv

HOLY LAMB live @ Baltic Prog Fest 2007 (Lithuania)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIjaiK8F1jE

[GreenD]

Olive Mess http://www.olivemess.com http://www.myspace.com/olivemessafter 2 albums are still in a long pause without concerts/rehearsals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yJS2WbVBzo They have composed some new tracks, but not recorded. Talking about prog or neo-prog bands - nothing serious or interesting. Legacy ID http://www.draugiem.lv/legacyid/ or https://www.facebook.com/LegacyID Soundarcade http://soundarcade.bandcamp.com/album/12-songs-of-the-jackalope ZGA were originally from Riga (no latvians), but in 1991 they moved to Russia, Saint Petersburg, http://www.somebizzare.com/zga.html ZGA / FIGS - Who Has Stolen the Air? (2007)
http://www.somebizzare.com/zga.html
http://www.discogs.com/ZGA-FIGS-Who-Has-Stolen-The-Air/release/2264155
http://rateyourmusic.com/release/comp/zga___figs/who_has_stolen_the_air_/

Sainkho Namchylak/Nick Sudnick - Not Quite Songs (2010)
http://www.squidco.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=S&Product_Code=13398

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Nick+Soudnick?anv=Nick+Sudnick&filter_anv=1

Sudnick
http://www.gif.ru/people/sudnik/city_876/fah_983/

[GreenD]

The folk/noise/industrial band ZGA (Russia) with their latest album "Futurosis" (2012) http://www.discogs.com/%D0%97%D0%93%D0%90-%D0%A4%D1%83%D1%82%D1%83%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B7-Futurosis/release/3735853 http://vovne.ru/9355 will perform in Canada at FIMAV http://fimav.qc.ca/en/edition/programmation

[GreenD]

Credo - Melnais kliedziens (Black Cry) was a concert piece composed by Raimonds Pauls, arranged by Credo. Nothing interesting to listen. I heard the premiere of that song compilation. Rock music, no prog. Menuets (1968-and music by Juris Kulakovs, Juris Sējāns) and Turaidas Roze (1985) are bands with music by composer the grandfather of latvian prog Imants Kalnins (1941), his symphonies are a mix of rock and classical music. MENUETS - Raganas dziesmiņa pirms sprieduma pasludināšanas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en_Fqg0OVVo , TURAIDAS ROZE - Saulgriežu cikls -Variācija Nr.3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TVXLa54jC8

[GreenD]

Imants Kalniņš - 4th symphony, 2nd part
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpTDhZhgHt4 4th part
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRLa34HTHpI


another version of Symphony 4th http://www.bis.se/index.php?op=album&aID=BIS-CD-1052 conductor - Lan Shui, audio: track 4-7 http://www.bis.se/naxos.php?aID=BIS-CD-1052 info: http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/14774/Jan-J%C3%A4rvlepp-Garbage-Concerto

[GreenD]

SALVE (1978-1987) was very interesting prog instrumental band audio: http://www.draugiem.lv/music/10027922/biography/ , EGO was similar to King Crimson + violin, both without any record release, MARANA - music by composer Valts Pūce, folk/prog/rock in opposition, one CD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZsYYKZ28fQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkylPqvN23E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkylPqvN23E .

[GreenD]

All videos here are with music improvised or composed by Nick Sudnick http://vovne.ru/tag/nikolajj-sudnik St.Petersburg Improvisers Orchestra: Pensato he is on objects St.Petersburg Improvisers Orchestra Session XIV: PENSATO Composition by Nikolay Rubanov
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi-txVrh0RM

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

well... Estonia is right next door and In Spe and Kaseke both kick major Prog butt!

I also really like
Synopsis by Igor Garshnek and Nevil Blumberg

[arturs]

Thanks, Daini, for posting some interesting Latvian prog I had not heard of.

Here's one more: Not quite from Latvia, but Akacis were some talented kids of Latvian emigre parents who lived in Philadelphia and NYC. They played a lot of concerts for the Latvian/American community and made one damn fine prog album in 1979 when they were still in their teens. You can hear who their main influence is about 3 seconds in, but still, it's an impressive debut.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHD6M_Bp128

Unfortunately, they ditched the prog sound completely, but... by 1991 when Latvia became a free country, they relocated to Latvia and became stars over there for a few years.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s6hTJHqga4

I have stayed in touch with a few of the guys from the band and recently was bugging one of them to release the 1979 debut LP in some digital form. Apparently they have already mastered all their work digitally but they don't feel that the debut is worthy of release. It's funny (and frustrating!) how musicians are often so much more critical of their own work than is anyone else. Oh well...

[GreenD]

Oboe player is Normunds Šnē, ex sound engineer, now Artistic Director/conductor (and still oboe player) for Sinfonietta Rīga http://www.sinfoniettariga.lv/index.php?&109 and whose idea was a concert - Daniel Denis - Univers Zero music for chamber orchestra http://www.univers-zero.com/gallery2010.htm for NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL ARĒNA OPENING CONCERT in 2010.

[GreenD]

Olive Mess from their second CD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bauMxFcWKUc from http://www.mellowrecords.com/album.asp?catalogue=MMP501&new=8.

[GreenD]

Raimonds Tiguls did a concerts last year and a CD (Moonlight Sound Deesign, 2011) with some excellent Nordic folk artists. Choir "Kamēr" (Latvia) & Raimonds Tiguls -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBkmwRjDozo . Lækurinn - Raimonds Tigus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S1TTx3inaQ , vocals by STEINDÓR ANDERSEN (Iceland) http://www.arpasaule.lv/dalibnieki/



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWfNzXZfC8I - Dod, Dieviņi (R.Tiguls) - on TV3 2010 with Biruta Ozoliņa, Auļi http://www.auli.lv/ (bagpipes and drums) & musicians from Sinfonietta Rīga.

[GreenD]

Very close to minimal music is a famous latvian composer Rihards Dubra. Rihards Dubra. 3rd Liepajas concert. Trešais Liepājas koncerts 18/03/2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwYQ4Yc4wuk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ8dhVn52ds
Rihards Dubra Liepaja Concerto No. 3 (world premiere). Solists - piano Endijs Renemanis. Liepaja Symphony Amber Sound Orchestra, Conductor: Atvars Lakstigala.
http://lso.lv/calendar/153/27-XX-INTERNATIONAL-PIANO-STARS-FESTIVAL

Rihards Dubra - Stāsts par saules asarām, skaņdarbs koklei solo, kokļu kvartetam un apvienotajam kokļu ansamblim (A Tale of the Sun`s Weeping) 14/10/2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBND_cXOfzk
For kokles ensemble.

[mnprogger]

Toria (RIP)
http://www.last.fm/music/Toria

awesome Post Rock band who uses samples rather well.