Latvian-based Ukrainian music producer Edgars Vilcāns, performing as Edwolf, is releasing his debut solo album, “in Search Of Home,” after finding refuge in Latvia following the 2022 russian invasion of Ukraine. A veteran of the Latvian music scene-known for his collaborative work as “Varslaff ‘n’ Edwolf” and contributions to the “Dod pieci” charity telethon-Vilcāns explores themes of displacement and identity on the new record. The album,completed while living between Latvia,the U.S., and Vietnam with musician Katrīna Gupalo, represents a deeply personal artistic statement forged during a period of global instability.
Ukrainian-Latvian music producer Edgars Vilcāns, known as Edwolf, found refuge in Latvia four years ago following the start of the war in Ukraine. He’s now released his debut solo album.
Vilcāns is well-known in Latvia as a professional producer – often collaborating with Armands Varslavāns as “Varslaff ‘n’ Edwolf” – as a DJ and on-air personality for Latvia’s Public Broadcasting Charity Marathon “Dod pieci,” and as the partner of musician Katrīna Gupalo.
Edwolf’s album features seven tracks that explore the increasingly complex question of what “home” means in today’s world of constant movement, migration, and instability. It’s not simply a geographical location, but an emotional and internal space shaped by memories, relationships, and experiences. The album cover photo, taken in February 2022 in Liepāja, is particularly poignant, as the city provided shelter for Edgar and his family when Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.
“I’ve traveled and lived in different parts of the world for years – Latvia, Ukraine, the UK, then back to Latvia, the US, and now Asia [Edgars and Katrīna Gupalo have been living and working in Vietnam for the past six months – ed.], but I’ve never stopped thinking about home. I often wonder, where is my home, really? Is it the place where I was born, the people I love, or the dreams I follow? But maybe home isn’t a specific place at all? Maybe it’s the love that lives within me, wherever I go?” Edwolf muses.
“In Search Of Home” blends a wide range of musical styles – pop, R&B, soul, and electronic dance music (EDM). “Edwolf works daily with singers and musicians from Latvia, Ukraine, and Japan, creating compositions in various styles, always prioritizing the needs of the music itself, rather than his artistic ego,” his team notes. “The album surprises with its diversity of musical colors and languages, never allowing the listener to predict what’s next, yet it’s also a thematically and musically cohesive narrative. Longing for home and friends, nostalgia and melancholy intertwine with dreams, excitement about the unknown future, playful lightness, and love.”
While the claim of “seven tracks” on the album is factually correct, it’s slightly misleading, as the count includes an intro and outro, bringing the total length of the album (or mini-album) to just 17 minutes. Still, quality over quantity prevails. The album features not only Edwolf’s music but also his vocals and piano playing – a surprise to many who knew him as a more reserved figure. It turns out he sings, and sings well! The recording also includes contributions from vocalists Evija Smagare, Katrīna Gupalo, Ilze Rijniece, Sintija Aizupiete, Jānis Aizupietis, guitarists Jānis Pastars and Armands Varslavāns, and Japanese saxophonist Kenta Igaraši.
“When I first started making music, many friends expected finished songs and an album from me, so the idea of creating an album has been brewing within me for more than ten years. I decided to seriously pursue album creation when the war broke out, because the emotions and experiences were so overwhelming that they forced me to find free time late at night or early in the morning, or in moments between working on music for clients, to finish things and create at least a small story. And that’s how I created an album where some songs were written relatively recently, while others originated when I was living in Kyiv,” says Edgars.
Interestingly, Edwolf began developing this project at one point in time and completed it in another – a new era of technology and change, where robots, or AI, have “learned” to create music. “This motivated the musician even more to finish everything himself, without using artificial intelligence technologies in either the music creation or the development of the album’s visual materials, or even in writing this press release. Everything related to this album is the result of many hours of human brain work,” his team emphasizes.
This approach is particularly noteworthy given Vilcāns’s expertise in sound engineering and computer technology. He chose to showcase his own skills, resulting in a solid, EDM-based album that, while unlikely to dominate radio airwaves or create a “wow” effect, won’t disappoint listeners and may even lift their spirits. “Ocean Of The Dreams” is a standout track, with “Play” and “December” also proving enjoyable.
