What? While fellow Swedes Peter, Bjorn, and John’s indie-pop whistle wiggles its way into the world’s hearts, Lykke Li’s bubbly brand of funk spreads like gospel, and troubadour Jose Gonzalez’s poignant folk strums whisper across the web, Dungen, known for their pounding psych-rock, have chosen a slightly different route to the frontline of the Swedish invasion on their intentionally misnamed fifth album, 4. Relying on an eclectic mix of garage rock, instrumental interludes, and flute solos, Dungen’s new set is a more concise and subdued effort than their 2004 breakthrough, Ta Det Lugnt, and finds the quartet experimenting with piano-driven pop and electronic flourishes, while still finding time to turn up the amps and tune out the silence.
Who? Multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Gustav Ejstes has been recording both by himself and with others under the Dungen moniker (which translates to “the grove” ) since 2001’s self-titled debut. Although Ejstes played all the instrumental parts on Ta Det Lugnt, last year’s Tio Bitar — as well as 4 — features members of the band’s touring lineup. Currently, Dungen is comprised of Ejstes, Reine Fiske (lead guitar), Johan Holmegard (drums), and Mattias Gustavsson (bass).
Fun Fact: During their short-lived tenure on Virgin Records offshoot Dolores Recordings, Dungen released a single for the Swedish version of The Jungle Book 2 (or, Djungelboken 2, as the Swedes say it).
Now Hear This: Dungen, “Satt Att Se”(DOWNLOAD MP3)
