Dungen is a name to remember, even if you can't pronounce it
Somewhere in the woods of Smaland, Sweden, Gustav Ejstes toiled away his days working his mother’s farm and his nights brewing a mix of Swedish folk, jazz, hip-hop and classic 60′s pop and rock. From the distillery of these influences came Dungen, Ejstes’s band and its remarkable third album Ta Det Lugnt.
You’ll find yourself singing along to many of the tracks on Ta Det Lugnt (“Take it Easy” in English), even though the words are in Swedish. The melodies, bearing the touches of Lennon/McCartney, are just too damn catchy. But these are not just simplistic pop ditties; there’s an intensity of energy and musical expression here that is absolutely captivating. Throughout Ta Det Lugnt, Dungen prove they are experts at crafting perfect pop songs built purely to be deconstructed into beautiful chaos.
Take the tracks “Festival” and “Du E FÖr Fin FÖr Mig” for example. Starting with pattering drums, lulling guitars and sing-song vocals, “Festival” unexpectedly bursts into a mesmerizing wash of pianos, flute, and howling vocals. “Du E FÖr…”, first grabs you with a breathtaking flute solo and then twists into a rave-up worthy of Hendrix. Miraculous passages like these abound throughout the album’s 13 songs.
If you hear a more diverse, haunting, and down-right hummable album this year, I’ll be very surprised. Dungen is the name to remember, if not to pronounce correctly.
Jason Bell
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I totally agree. This record is lovely. Great review. Glad to see the word is getting around about this great record
People keep comparing these guys to the Beatles but the instrumentals sound nothing like them. The instrumentals are reminiscent of 60′s psychedelia, but are completely original
This record is fabulous, and what i’ve heard, the leadman gustav has mixed and produced the whole thing himself, truly amazing work.
i just heard the album a couple of days ago. it’s absolutely wonderful. this record has the greatest sound i’ve heard for ages. i love the sound. and of course the melodies, the instrumental parts, the diverse influences… beautiful, timeless music.
the reason i checked it out was because ebbot of tsool (my favorite live band in the world) made it his favorite record of 2004 in some paper.
records like this are rare. not just in sweden, but in the history of recorded music. i said before, and must say again that the sound of the record is one of the greatest i’ve ever heard, not to put down the tunes or anything, but just because it’s the most wonderfully produced record i’ve ever heard (might have memory like a goldfish, but anyway…)
I’ve been waiting for this sound. That sweet old early Mutantes thing. Thought it was dead. It’s alive in Sweeden…
Second album ain’t to shabby either…
oh my god genius. totally get that excitement of being fifteen and listening to crosstown traffic on vinyl travelling from left to right on the headphones and going what the hell are they doing what the hell is this.
it’s got that flavor and energy to it without being corny or contrived or overblown.
Well it aint beatles but it’s the same talent and the same hapiness in the music. Great review.