On November 27, the first album of the Latvian experimental electronic music group Woodpecker project, Fade, was released.
The album contains four compositions, the full length of which exceeds the amount that can fit on one CD or record – 2 hours, therefore, at least at the moment, the album is available only in the virtual environment – on all the most popular music streaming sites.
Although the Woodpecker project has been in existence for 17 years, this is the group’s first published record.
About the album Fade, the band’s founder Andris Dzenitis says on behalf of the band:
“Fade in – gradual appearance, fade out – disappearance. Fade – a flower that slowly blooms and withers, colors in our environment that gradually change their consistency and brightness. Similarly in this music – sounds and processes can appear unexpectedly, disappear just as unexpectedly, change their hue and brightness unpredictably. Music as an endless flow that leads into the unpredictable, the unknown. I invite you to perceive and enjoy these compositions as a mood-changing meditative experience.
The four compositions included in the album were created in several studio sessions between years 2021 and 2023. The compositions created by the Woodpecker project are live improvisations with intuitive, associative names. The recordings have not been edited or changed in the form afterwards. All four compositions included in the band’s first album are an example of Woodpecker project‘s sonic diversity, from an explosive jumble of baritone saxophone sounds, various types of chaotic noise, to rhythmic pulsation and light-filled flow of sounds.”
All compositions are the joint work of Andris Dzenītis, Arvydas Kazlauskas, Ritvars Garoza and Gatis Zaķis. The sound producer of the recording is Gatis Zaķis. Photo and design of the album cover – Andris Dzenītis.
The Woodpecker project was founded in the summer of 2006 (the original members were project founder, composer Andris Dzenītis and singer Baiba Renerte). WP is an experimental electro-acoustic music group open to participation, without any stylistic or aesthetic boundaries – it unites the technological and philosophical foundations of contemporary academic music, the dynamic power of heavy metal, the improvisational nature of modern jazz, the aggression and primitive brutality of noise music and dreamy nature of ambient sonic fields. The soundscapes created by the group are spontaneously created improvisations, about which little is known in advance – only a very rough construction of a time slice.
Since 2019, the Woodpecker project consists of Andris Dzenītis (modular and analog synthesizers, electronics, guitars, samplers), Ritvars Garoza (synthesizers, electronics), Arvydas Kazlauskas (saxophones, electronics), Gatis Zaķis (synthesizers, guitars, electronics). The musicians of the group have various musical interests, which are based on their professional activities in the fields of jazz (Garoza), pop music (Zaķis) and classical music (Kazlauskas, Dzenītis).
The Woodpecker project uses real electronic and electroacoustic musical instruments in its recordings and concerts, avoiding the use of computer technologies.
In various previous lineups, Woodpecker Project has performed at the festivals Sound forest (2006, 2014, 2020), Arena (2006, 2008), Druskomania (2007, 2008 Lithuania), Skan (2007), White nights (2009, 2019), Gogolfest (2009, Ukraine). ) Tallinn music week (2012), Erica Synths Garage (2019). Separate cross-genre compositions, under the name Woodpecker Ōō, are solo projects of Andris Dzenītis.
LIST OF TRACKS:
- Landing 9’10”
- The Message 46’44”
- 22T4 29’34”
- Fade to Light 35’16”
