Forget the p-word; some of Reine Fiske’s guitar work might remind you of a prog rock time and cause you to resurrect long-entombed phrases like “axe-hero” but Dungen’s fourth album sets out its psychedelic-folk-rock stall in a contemporary way. Gustav Ejstes, who founded the band and plays everything but Fiske’s parts, likens his approach to that of a hip hop producer, which explains the fresh tones – you could never think you were in the 70s when listening to this. The band that Tio Bitar (Swedish for ‘Ten Pieces’) most reminds you of is Super Furry Animals, for the way it melds old, sometimes unfashionable, influences with cutting edge techniques. The result is to create thrilling, immediate sounds that have real depth.

The opening track, ‘Intro’ sets things in context: Reine Fiske’s guitar is in interstellar overdrive but it’s interspersed with pastoral sections of gentle flute and splashy percussion. That sets the tone for the album: ‘Mon Amour’ is Fiske at his virtuoso best (but the hardest track for people who like their guitarist to sit back and play rhythm) while ‘Ett Skäl Att Trival’ mixes melodies with beaty rhythms (Ejstes’s drumming shows off a strong hip hop influence) and ‘C Visar Vägen’ is gentle and melodic psych-folk that drifts along in a Tunng-like way. It’s an album dense with ideas that are achieved with passionate, soulful playing and it harkens back to a less cynical, pure and simple approach to music. From those about to rock, we salute you!

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