03.04.2008 Band Astrowind LIVE during OPENING
On April 3, during the opening of 'Dreamers', a new exhibition of well-known Latvian painter Ritums Ivanovs, we shall present our new audiowork - soundtrack to this exhibition. Presentation of a disk and our concert will pass at the art gallery 'Gallery Riga' (Aspazijas blvd, 20, Riga)
Sound designer from Latvia, Kriipis Tulo, creates an amazing, deeply emotional and romantic music with help of vintage analog synthesizers and open-reel tape recorder. Astrowind might be a slightly ridiculous band name, especially if you consider the fact this Latvian guy play lush ambient music on vintage synthesizers. But nevertheless, itís a good name.
An accurate name, at least. Because there is a feel of acroamatic escapism, there are these huge chords of hissing analogue synthesizers and you can even find this special kind of Slavonian melancholia (or Baltic, respectively) people use to rave about. Astrowind bring up a lot of references in their beautiful and, well, obsolete music. 70ís Krautrock Avant-gardists like Cluster or Harmonia make up for the most obvious comparison, but you can also find some influences from contemporary composers like Arvo Part (listen to the stagnant organ-chords on Impressions) or Terry Riley (the overall tonality).
Add some traces of experimental guitar-music (on The Night the Stars Flew for instance) and you get an idea. But whoís behind the Astrowind-moniker? At the present moment project consists of Kriipis Tulo. Tulo is an important figure in the electronic music-underground of Riga, the humming capital of Latvia. He founded the Kolka-label, released several EPs at Nexsound, Sutemos, Cold Room, Lagunamuch, Rump Recordings and Synergy Networks and travelled Europe for several live-gigs. He was collaborating with a lot of influential artists ranging from fine arts (Ritums Ivanovs, Voldemars Johansons) to free improvisation (Derek Holzer, Maksims Shentelevs, Janis Bikis). After collaborations with dj Contour and I/DEX, he started Astrowind in 2006 with Mahi Bukimi.
During 2007-2010 a six albums, tracks and remixes were published by 12Rec., Musica Excentrica, Resting Bell, Silent Flow record labels. Project got the harmonies and the sound to become one of the most interesting Baltic acts to emerge from a scene rich of innovative musicians (Muschraum, Joel Tammik, Selffish, to name just the most obvious).