Gediminas Dapkevičius' esoteric electroacoustic music is informed by New Age pan-ethnic spirituality that in a way is reminiscent of musical projects like Vangelis or Enigma. Meditative Eastern chants neighbor with archaic Baltic mythology and bits of jazz harmonies, all tied together by minimalist neoclassical structures that bring in mind a stripped-down, less ambient and minor version of Dead Can Dance. What differs from most of the Western new age projects is Dapkevičius' genuine interest in not only the form, but also the content of the musical traditions that he explores. Dapkevičius’ creative philosophy is one of holism, manifested in the belief that music can open the way to wisdom concealed in mythology and universal cosmic laws. No surprise, then, that the name of his holistic music ensemble is Vartai (The Gates).
Jurij Dobriakov
