Prepare to be enchanted by the shimmering sounds of Vėjula, the spellbinding new album from Lithuanian-Belgian duo Merope. Across ten luminous tracks, singer and kanklės virtuoso Indrė Jurgelevičiūtė and multi-instrumentalist Bert Cools breathe fresh life into centuries-old Baltic folk traditions, reimagining them through a prism of avant-garde experimentation and cross-cultural collaboration.
Rooted in the elemental beauty of Jurgelevičiūtė’s soaring vocals and crystalline kanklės playing, Vėjula (meaning “wind” or “breeze”) invites an eclectic ensemble of guest artists to join in Merope’s musical alchemy. Zither wizard Laraaji, jazz guitar great Bill Frisell, and inventive composers Shahzad Ismaily and Toma Gouband each lend their singular talents, weaving a tapestry of unexpected textures and timbres that sparkle like frost in the morning sun.
A Journey Through Light and Shadow
From the gentle lilt of opening track “Koumu Lil,” an ode to a newborn foal’s first tentative steps, to the raging storm of avant-garde exploration “Aglala,” Vėjula traverses a spectrum of moods and soundscapes. Fragments of Jurgelevičiūtė’s incandescent vocals flicker in and out like shafts of light piercing through clouds, buoyed by glistening arpeggios that dance between zithers, synthesizers, and Cools’ subtle instrumentation.
Traditional Lithuanian songs serve as launching pads for Merope’s sonic explorations, each one transformed into something arrestingly modern yet still tethered to its ancestral roots. The lovely “Namopi” features entrancing string interplay between Laraaji and Ismaily, while Frisell’s understated guitar converses with Jurgelevičiūtė’s earthy vocals on the poignant lullaby “Lopšinė.”
Bridging Continents and Generations
Throughout Vėjula, Merope reveals unexpected connections between Lithuanian music and global folk traditions. “Vija” builds a lively, foot-tapping jig on the backbone of Jurgelevičiūtė’s hypnotic kanklės, hinting at a deeper kinship with Celtic and other European folk styles.
“We wanted to show how this very old, very local music can resonate with people from all over, across cultural lines and generations,” Cools explained in a recent interview. “The album became a meeting place, a space for us to engage in musical conversations with artists we admire.”
By inviting such an illustrious group of collaborators into their world, Merope has crafted an album that feels both timeless and utterly of the moment. Vėjula pulses with the thrill of discovery, of seemingly distant musical spheres colliding to forge something wondrously new.
A Portal to the Past, a Beacon for the Future
In the haunting strains of closing track “Rana,” a Lithuanian winter song augmented by field recordings of howling winds, Jurgelevičiūtė sings of a dove urged to soar above stormy seas. It’s a poignant metaphor for the voyage Merope undertakes on this album, and the safe haven they offer listeners battered by turbulent times.
“Vėjula is our way of preserving and sharing this cultural heritage that means so much to us,” Jurgelevičiūtė reflects. “But it’s also an invitation to imagine new possibilities, to hear how these ancient sounds can evolve and stay vital. We hope it can be a source of light for people, the way this music has always been for us.”
By gracefully balancing reverence and invention, Merope has created a work of enduring power and beauty in Vėjula. It is at once a portal to a distant past and a beacon lighting the way forward—a wind at our backs gently guiding us somewhere astonishing and new.
