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about Sea Unbound
After years of exploration in the fields of noise and sound art, the one time member of Driving South and Mona de Bo, Rubenis marks a return to (experimental) blues form with release of the first cassette tape from his trilogy. Excellent music for the road, no matter where it leads you. The hiss of magnetic tape and an old acoustic guitar that has seemingly blended with Edgars so that sounds pass not only through his body but also through that of the listener [..].
***** Uldis Rudaks review of Sea Unbound, Mūzikas Saule, #02/2023
about Slow Lightning
"Rubenis' bluesy picking ignited images of Hank Williams to bluegrass and classical guitar playing, from which, for example, John Fahey also drew his expression. The roots-based Slow Lightning, his latest record, differs interestingly from the line of the guitarist's previous band Mona de Bo, which ranges from indiegarage to drone. The risk is worth it." (fragment, google-translated from Finnish)
Matti Komulainen, SOUNDI, 2022/09/30 link
Review of performance at Skaņu Mežs Festival 20th anniversary, Riga, 2022/09/24
In his tunes Lockup Rag, ABCAB Blues, N/Ragging Rag Edgars engages in a dialogue with the early Delta blues players [..]. Yet, to say that these compositions could have been written 100 years ago on the cotton fields of Louisiana, would be untrue. This is more likely a citation from a distance. Carried out by a musician in command of the blues form with more on mind than a wish to hijack a well established musical heritage. (fragment, translated from Latvian)
Mikus Solovejs, revie of Slow Lightning, Satori LV, 2022/06/30, link
"Rubenis atgriežas pie savām blūza saknēm, tās nekopējot, bet akustiski instrumentāli spēlējot un ierakstot lentē, kuras šņākoņa pavada kompozīcijas tā it kā pats būtu aizceļojis ar laika mašīnu simt gadu senā pagātnē. Slow Lightning ir lielisks to laiku mūzikas svinēšanas albums, līdzīgi kā mūsdienās uz melnbaltās lentes uzņemta neieskaņota filma to panāktu redzes maņu uztveres pasaulē."
***** Uldis Rudaks, Mūzikas Saule #4/2022
"In his playing style Edgars does not belong to the club of the most numbing refiners, but his music is lively and easy to follow." (crude google-trrrr from Finnish)
Pete Hoppula, (Finnish) Blues News #3/2022
"And I just can't pick a favourite."
Vital Weekly #1332
"Knowing Edgars' previous work pretty well, I have to say this was nearly the last thing I expected to come out of the speakers when I pressed play. Which makes it all the more enjoyable! Fascinating and sometimes Fahey-esque new direction! Favorite track: NR 3."
macumbista / Derek Holzer