Review of the album «Golden Hour»
If you wish to see the world in a different light, start with yourself and make change from within
It seems that singer Jūlija Zakirova has been on the Latvian jazz scene for a decade, so the news that the recently released «Golden Hour» is her debut album was somewhat surprising — really, a debut?! Indeed, a debut. However, this does not mean that this work sounds like a debut (in this regard, parallels could be drawn with Santa Šillere’s «Other Ways») — it is a mature and professional masterpiece where analyzing its quality is irrelevant, as everything is clear. Let’s just call it Jūlija’s first album.
The main driving force behind this album is the producer and arranger Andris Buiķis, who enjoys diving into various musical ventures. «I am up for challenges ‘head-on’!» is what Buiķis expressed in an interview on Latvian Radio 3’s show «Jazz Impressions,» a statement he actually stands by. It’s worth noting that although Andris is highly regarded as a jazz drummer, he can also be seen in the funky-jazzy ensemble «Very Cool People» and has even ventured into progressive metal (!) with the band «Mattergy.» At the same time, he is always ready to respond to various offers from jazz ensembles. In the realm of composition, he recently released the album «Cik labi» with Aija Vītoliņa and the Latvian Radio Big Band in December 2023, following his solo album «Zaļš» (2020) and more, putting «Golden Hour» as another proof of Andris’s musical versatility.
«We have known Jūlija for a long time, since her victory in ‘Sony Jazz Stage’ (that was in 2006 — ed.),» reminisces Andris Buiķis about the beginning of their collaboration. «Her performance captivated me — it was something new, fresh, unheard of.» After some time, we met again. I had released my first album, and Jūlija approached me, asking if I would like to participate in creating her album. I happily agreed. I like Jūlija; she is who she is — genuine and creative. She is very responsible towards her work. The time of making the album was quite intense, almost two years, as it fell right at the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite that, the work flowed smoothly. The music is fresh and harmoniously rich, filled with various moods.»
These are indeed the greatest strengths of the album «Golden Hour,» namely: first, «Jūlija is who she is — genuine, creative»; second, «the music is fresh and harmoniously rich, filled with various moods» (these points can be ranked in reverse order of importance). The album is indeed very colorful in its sound and emotions, so most listeners will likely find something they resonate with. For instance, the reviewer was particularly drawn to the tracks «Ferris Wheel Fairytale» and «December,» with the latter acknowledged as adaptable to different music styles. Normunds Rutulis, better known as N’Works, a so-called intelligent Latvian dance music producer, released a danceable remix of «December» called «We Are One,» making it more accessible to a wider audience. Yes, it works!
Although initially, Jūlija’s album was intended to sound more ethnic, during the creative process, «the style changed more and more and acquired the sound of the late 80s and early 90s, with a fusion of funk, jazz, and cinematic elements, as well as some hints of fusion and disco music,» describes the expressive singer herself. This fusion might not sit well with traditional jazz aficionados; hence, there have been more skeptical reviews of «Golden Hour» from their side. However, for the average listener, this work could bridge the often challenging world of jazz and the frequently overly commercialized mainstream music industry.
If anyone feels the urge to create expectations in their imagination before delving into the album «Golden Hour,» Jūlija’s explanation of the album title might serve as a guide: it came about on a sunset evening, admiring the beauty of nature and pondering that the moment was so beautiful that it felt like a true golden hour, a time to share with others — just like the tracks included on this album. For example, the opening track, «Dancing Umbrellas,» — one could easily imagine it playing in the soft light of a sunset, accentuated by raindrops dancing against colorful umbrellas. Or Kristaps Vanadziņš’s «Refreshing World» — a serene composition for a brief moment of relaxation. But enough romance! It’s better to focus on Andris Buiķis’ and Vadims Dmitrijevs’ works «Morning City» and/or «Beautiful Day,» which, with the keyboard sound, most precisely embody the producer’s intention for the late 80s and early 90s references in jazz moods.
Jūlija Zakirova has a unique vocal timbre, drawing inspiration in her music from jazz, funk, and R&B, as well as from various ethnic cultures, particularly from Tatar music, as Jūlija, born in Riga, has fiery Tatar blood running through her veins (just like Dināra Rudāne, by the way). Continuing this theme, it comes as a little surprise that the album includes the ballad «Roots» in Tatar language, for which the music was composed by the pianist Madars Kalniņš, with the words in Tatar written by the poet Gulfija Šakirova from Tatarstan. «Listeners have liked this piece since the ‘Sony Jazz Stage’ days — it represents my Tatar roots, and I wanted to showcase that,» explains Jūlija. This might be understandable, although «Roots» does stand out strongly from the overall context of the album. But let’s accept that this piece serves as Jūlija’s trademark, and let’s focus on it. Speaking of ballads, the much more successful «Nations» by Zakirova herself — that truly resonates! It is worth mentioning that Miķelis Dzenuška’s excellent vibraphone playing also adds color to it.
Upon listening to this program «live,» that is, at the album presentation event, a slightly different perspective emerged — the singer exuded immense confidence and energy, operating very professionally but at the same time so effortlessly, freely, and with a smile that naturally put a favorable smile on the faces of the audience. Of course, the emotions of this live performance cannot be captured on a streaming service like Spotify or in vinyl format, but «Golden Hour» still leaves a very pleasant aftertaste. «If you want to see the world in a different light — start with yourself and the changes in your inner world. Andris Buiķis’ composed tracks significantly differ from my usual style, but it felt interesting as I had to try out new vocal techniques,» admits Jūlija Zakirova. And it shows!