Latvian record label MicRec has released a limited-edition vinyl LP celebrating the musical legacy of singer and songwriter Mārtiņš Freimanis, according to reports from Latvian Radio (lr2.lsm.lv) and Multinews (multinews.lv). The vinyl release arrives amid a renewed surge of interest in the artist, driven by the success of the Liepāja Theatre play titled “Freimanis” and upcoming concerts scheduled for next year to mark what would have been his 50th birthday.
Tracklist and Album Structure
The newly minted vinyl collection spans two sides, separating Freimanis’s solo and band work from compositions written for other performers. Side A features popular tracks recorded by Freimanis alongside his band, Tumsa. Side B compiles well-known songs that Freimanis penned for friends and fellow artists, as reported by lr2.lsm.lv and multinews.lv.
Notable tracks featured on Side B include “The War Is Not Over,” performed by Valters and Kaža, which secured fifth place at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest final in Kyiv and was later covered by the Danish pop group Michael Learns To Rock. The tracklist also includes “Bums,” recorded with the group PeR; “Sapņu pārdevējs” and “Spārni un vējš,” performed by Putnu Balle; and “Ar baltu krītu raspītīts,” a collaboration with Olga Rajecka. A concert recording of “Pie Dieviņa gari galdi” closes out the record.
Design and Pressing Details
Artist Guntars Petris designed the packaging for the new vinyl edition. The cover utilizes a photograph taken by Aigars Jansons in 2008, which originally served as the design for Tumsa’s sixth studio album, “Suns.” The photo features Freimanis alongside his dog, Pepa.
MicRec manufactured a strictly limited run of 500 numbered copies. According to the source reports, the very first pressing—plate number one—has been reserved for Lauris Reiniks, a frequent co-author and performer of many of Freimanis’s songs.
Availability and Release Events
The vinyl release became available on the official MicRec website and entered broader music retail distribution on September 25. The record will be featured alongside other MicRec vinyl releases at the "Latvijas vinila diena" event scheduled for October 3 at the "Vagonu zāle" venue located at Vagonu iela 21 in Riga.
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