It always interests me to know the creative process behind the artists’ music projects and their inspiration. What’s even more intriguing is when there’s a purposeful and authentic story behind these releases.
‘Yorige’ is a new musical project that was started by singer and songwriter Aaron Fross, and instrumentalist and producer Niels Bakx. The project was supposedly a quick experiment to submit to the Academy of Contemporary Music for assessment where Aaron is currently studying. It essentially was a list of 3 songs but because of how well it all came together, Niels collaborated, and it developed into this band-scale, 6-track EP. With previous solo careers and the occasional collaboration, the duo decided to work on this project together in 2022 because of its uniqueness, inspiration, and authenticity, it primarily focused on folk music interpretations, Lithuanian ones to be specific. Aaron chose to revive Lithuanian folk music, referring to her roots, the place she was born, and where her family is originally from, it all came to her as inspiration from the current war situation in Ukraine where she felt the need to “promote traditional treasure to raise national confidence and awareness through art and historical legacies by adapting them to current times.”
I can’t promise that you have listened to anything like it before unless you’re a fan of Medieval chants and Renaissance Madrigals, which were believed to be the music of God and the heavens essentially. Simply because they do sound heavenly and sacred in their style and context. Lithuanian folk music is close in terms of sound and style but not necessarily context, it’s a very rich culture that combines two main musical cultures, the stringed and wind instruments, which you will hear within the tracks of the EP, yet with the modern twist of adding an electric guitar, rock style instruments making it more appealing for the modern-day listener. You will also witness the different musical styles within this Ep between Monophony, Homophony, Heterophony, and Polyphony, with songs with canon effects, vocals drones, vocal trills, and syncopated rhythms. The duo is influenced by the likes Of Dead Can Dance, Enya, Heilung, Clannad, and Cocteau Twins. Aaron appeared on the national Lithuanian TV and radio talking about the album and explaining the name behind it “Motina” and what it means, which is “mother”, as she grew up listening to the folk songs which remind her of her mother and origins. Such a beautiful and authentic story that already adds to the music created.