Biography
HARD HITTING POPULAR SOUNDS FROM HOMETOWN RIGA - LATVIA
Mo Aspen's (Latvian: Modris Apse) passion for music started at around year 2010. He saw a schoolmate playing with his guitar in the classroom, and from there on the sound of guitar would never leave Mo.
He borrowed the guitar from a friend soon after, and started self learning. It was not a long time when Mo got his own acoustic guitar. The passion just grew and grew. Mo started recording and producing his ideas.
The ideas would never stop to flow, and continue to make voice memos and hard drives fuller then ever.
To escape the harsh reality of rather traumatic, not so supportive and hard childhood, Mo started to listen heavily to punk rock music and was both creating and frequently going to such gigs with friends to vent. Then his love immensely grew for post-rock, which helped to cope and channel sadness.
Mo was not a self learner by choice, the efforts and the passion for music were frequently discouraged. So there was no other choice, but to navigate it all by himself, with little to none support. Luckily the drive and passion for music creation never stopped, and Mo released first song, which at the time because of love for post rock, was a post rock song. He did not advertise it, except for a few close people.
As the musical and production skill grew, Mo gave his first shot and released "Magical Things" album in 2017, consisting of 11 songs songs, with lead single being "Hold Me Close" that was written about the possible eventual death of his father that happened very soon after the song was completed.
Various songs and videos from the Album were covered by Latvia's biggest media sites Delfi.lv, Tvnet.lv, Lsm.lv and Skaties.lv. And others. Latvian song "Ģeodēzists" was featured on Mūzikas video or "Latvian Music Video Channel". That led Mo to having two presentation gigs for the album. With the biggest being at Cultural centre "Cultural Centre Tinuzi", near city Ogre, sharing the stage with Latvian Band "Miglas Zona".
Mo performs live together as a 3-piece band. Throughout the band's time, a close Mo's friend - Youtube guitar artist Laura Lāce (Laura6100) has played the bass and sang backing vocals. Where the drummers were switched up here and there, until the post was taken by the energetic drummer Roberts Ramba.
Due to band member studies and life in general, also later the Covid epidemic, the band went into hiatus. But Mo continued to work on new songs every day.
Mo would go to improve his vocal abilities as a part of self growth with teachers such as Ervīns Ramiņš (Laime Pilnīga), Sandis Kallions (Blind Shapes) and Arina Urboniene. And many other skills. Even for a while joined The University of Latvia mixed choir “Dziesmuvara” led by Nora Žeigure. Learned and played drums in the sludge band "Woodom", touring and exploring heavy music liking.
And finally took time off to re-think his "genuine self". That led Mo to become more and more self aware, and true to himself. That also changed the mildly the musical style focus - Mo realized that he heavily enjoyed the popular music, but at the same time the soothing melodies of post rock and feel (need) of energetic rock were always present within his heart & soul.
Therefore these three factors are now intertwined within the Mo's music. Creating popular music with Rock's touch.
In the midst of Hiatus, cover of Vance Joy - We're Going Home was released and song in Latvian language "Ai, kā grauž" was released.
Mo Aspen songs can be sunny and then dark, fast and then slow, quite and then loud, peaceful and mad - but it is the reflection of Mo's inner world that sometimes is not that stable as it may seem. But aren't we all just Art?
Mo considers that only now he has found himself. Although the self growth never stops, Mo considers that the future music he releases is going to bring out the genuine men he is. Always hopeful and kind, sometimes broken.
And most importantly, true to himself. As we all should be.
LIPĪGA POPULĀRĀ MŪZIKA AR ROKA PIEGARŠU NO RĪGAS
Jaunais populārās mūzikas mūziķis un producents Mo Aspen, īstajā vārdā Modris Apse, 2017. gadā izdeva savu pirmo albumu “Magical Things”, no kura vairākas dziesmas kā “Ģeodēzists”, “Hold Me Close” un citas tika pieminētas vairākos Latvijas lielākajos medijos (Delfi, Tvnet, Skaties, Lsm un citos).
Taču tas esot tikai sākums, atklāj mūziķis. Pēc pāris koncertiem Rīgā un Ogres novadā (2018), pieteikuma “Ghetto faktorā” (2021), singla “Ai, kā grauž”(2020) un Vance Joy dziesmas “We’re Going home” kaverversijas izdošanas (2020), pēc tam pie sevis pašizaugsmes pauzes un darba pie ierakstu kvalitātes celšanas, jauna “popmūzikas ar roka piegaršu” materiāla esot dikti daudz vairākiem gadiem.
TURPINOT PAR AIZSĀKUMIEM, IEDVESMĀM, SASTĀVU UN NĀKOTNES PLĀNIEM:
Mo Aspen ir no Rīgas. Visu apgūstot pašmācības ceļā un sākotnēji esot tikai ģitāristam (interesei par mūziku aizsākoties, kad izdzirdējis klasesbiedru spēlējam ģitāru), laika gaitā (kopš vēlas bērnības) nebeidzami intereses augušas un kļuvis arī par dziesmu autoru, komponistu, producentu, kā arī multiinstrumentālistu – papildu ģitārai spēlē arī bungas un basu. Un visbeidzot arī dziedātāju, kur turpina sevi attīstīt pie tādiem skolotājiem kā Ervīna Ramiņa (no Laime Pilnīga), Sanda Kalliona (No Blind Shapes) un Arinas Urbonienes. Un kādu brīdi arī korī Dziesmuvara pie diriģentes Noras Žeigures.
Bērnībā esot pankroka fanam, pēc tam postroka cienītājam, un tagad arī popmūzikas novērtētājam, Mo Aspen mūzikā saklausāmas iedvesmas no tādiem māksliniekiem kā Sigur Rós, Blink182, Biffy Clyro, M83, Sigrid, Imagine Dragons, CHVRCHES, Wolf Alice, The Chainsmokers, kā arī latviešu Prāta Vētras, Inokentija Mārpla, Oranžajām Brīvdienām, un citiem līdzīgiem. Klātesošas ir gan ģitāras, gan melodiskas sintezatoru skaņas.
Mo Aspen dzīvajā izpildījumā nereti spēlē kā trīs cilvēku grupa, pie basa esot pazīstamajai Youtube ģitāristei Laura6100 jeb Laurai Lācei (Be Reet, Krēsla). Kā arī pie bungām Robertam Rambai.
Mo Aspen skats nākotnē ir jaunu un lipīgu dziesmu izdošana, radot un spēlējot modernu popmūziku ar roka piegaršu. Kura būtu izbaudāma kā popmūzikas klausītājiem, tā arī rokmūzikas mīļotājiem.
Kā arī sevis nepazaudēšana. Būšana patiesam pret sevi gan dzīvē, gan mūzikas tekstos.
hard hitting popular sounds from hometown riga - latvia
Mo Aspen’s (Latvian: Modris Apse) passion for music started at around year 2010. He saw a schoolmate playing with his guitar in the classroom, and from there on the sound of guitar would never leave Mo.
He borrowed the guitar from a friend soon after, and started self learning. It was not a long time when Mo got his own acoustic guitar. The passion just grew and grew. Mo started recording and producing his ideas.
The ideas would never stop to flow, and continue to make voice memos and hard drives fuller then ever.
To escape the harsh reality of rather traumatic, not so supportive and hard childhood, Mo started to listen heavily to punk rock music and was both creating and frequently going to such gigs with friends to vent. Then his love immensely grew for post-rock, which helped to cope and channel sadness.
Mo was not a self learner by choice, the efforts and the passion for music were frequently discouraged. So there was no other choice, but to navigate it all by himself, with little to none support. Luckily the drive and passion for music creation never stopped, and Mo released first song, which at the time because of love for post rock, was a post rock song. He did not advertise it, except for a few close people.
As the musical and production skill grew, Mo gave his first shot and released “Magical Things” album in 2017, consisting of 11 songs songs, with lead single being “Hold Me Close” that was written about the possible eventual death of his father that happened very soon after the song was completed.
Various songs and videos from the Album were covered by Latvia’s biggest media sites Delfi.lv, Tvnet.lv, Lsm.lv and Skaties.lv. And others. Latvian song “Ģeodēzists” was featured on Mūzikas video or “Latvian Music Video Channel”. That led Mo to having two presentation gigs for the album. With the biggest being at Cultural centre “Cultural Centre Tinuzi“, near city Ogre, sharing the stage with Latvian Band “Miglas Zona”.
Mo performs live together as a 3-piece band. Throughout the band’s time, a close Mo’s friend – Youtube guitar artist Laura Lāce (Laura6100) has played the bass and sang backing vocals. Where the drummers were switched up here and there, until the post was taken by the energetic drummer Roberts Ramba.
Due to band member studies and life in general, also later the Covid epidemic, the band went into hiatus. But Mo continued to work on new songs every day.
Mo would go to improve his vocal abilities as a part of self growth with teachers such as Ervīns Ramiņš (Laime Pilnīga), Sandis Kallions (Blind Shapes) and Arina Urboniene. And many other skills. Even for a while joined The University of Latvia mixed choir “Dziesmuvara” led by Nora Žeigure. Learned and played drums in the sludge band “Woodom”, touring and exploring heavy music liking.
And finally took time off to re-think his “genuine self”. That led Mo to become more and more self aware, and true to himself. That also changed the mildly the musical style focus – Mo realized that he heavily enjoyed the popular music, but at the same time the soothing melodies of post rock and feel (need) of energetic rock were always present within his heart & soul.
Therefore these three factors are now intertwined within the Mo’s music. Creating popular music with Rock’s touch.
In the midst of Hiatus, cover of Vance Joy – We’re Going Home was released and song in Latvian language “Ai, kā grauž” was released.
Mo Aspen songs can be sunny and then dark, fast and then slow, quite and then loud, peaceful and mad – but it is the reflection of Mo’s inner world that sometimes is not that stable as it may seem. But aren’t we all just Art?
Mo considers that only now he has found himself. Although the self growth never stops, Mo considers that the future music he releases is going to bring out the genuine men he is. Always hopeful and kind, sometimes broken.
And most importantly, true to himself. As we all should be.
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