GUSTAVO’s new album “Now It’s Just Beginning”

On 24 March, producer and performer GUSTAVO’s new studio album “Now It’s Just Beginning” was released and the music video for the album’s title track, featuring Ozols and Ciziks, is available on streaming and download platforms.

“When I started writing the material for ‘Now It’s Just Beginning’, I realised it would be the fifth GUSTAVO studio album. But the gap since the last album was so long that I decided to make a new record as if it were my debut. With this work I wanted to reintroduce myself to the listeners. In terms of content, I included personal, self-ironic stories intertwined with reflections on creative expression as a cornerstone of my life. Judging by the feedback from my peers, the result is GUSTAVO’s wittiest, most direct and dense album in terms of wordplay. Musically, I tried to make the songs sound diverse, but at the same time form a cohesive whole with a readable dramatic development.” – shares the musician.

GUSTAVO’s new album was recorded between June 2022 and February 2023 and features 13 tracks. All music, arrangements and lyrics are by GUSTAVO, with the exception of guest solos by Ozols, Chizik and Ennis. In these, as is usual in rap recordings, the performers are the authors of their own vocal parts.

Guest artists include Arnis Racinskis, Sanda Dejus, Laima Dimanta, Rihards Berzins, Janis Krivens, Rolands Che, Xantikvariats, Prusax, Steps, Viņa and others. Dj Monsta performs sketch parts. The sound engineer of the record is GUSTAVO’s long-time friend and colleague Sergejs Laletiņš.

The album “Now It’s Just Beginning” is available not only on the most popular download platforms, but also on CD. The discs can be purchased on the musician’s website – beidzot.lv. Album artwork was designed by Janis Lauznis and GUSTAVO. Photos were taken by photographer Arturs Kondrats.

“Recording the new album was both challenging and exciting. It will be remembered as one of the most creatively intense, dense and dynamic periods of my life. I was completely absorbed in the creative process with a rather aseptic approach to my work. This aggression seems to have been reflected in the sound and design of the album.” – adds GUSTAVO.

Simultaneously with the release of the album, a video for the title track “Now it’s just beginning” was released, featuring Ozols and Chizhik. In the final scenes of the video, GUSTAVO’s father, glass artist Agris Butelis, plays the role of the master and saviour of the situation.

“I remember at the beginning of the creative process for the album ‘Now It’s Just Beginning’ Ozols, Ciziks and I decided that if we were going to get together every 20 years, like the former Fact line-up, to create something new, it had to be something explosive. So we came up with a collaborative piece about the challenges and rewards of the current stage of life, which became the flagship of the album. We also wanted to heighten the tension of the song with a dynamic music video, which was masterfully executed by director Elvijs Parpucis and the LATER video team.” – comments GUSTAVO.