Dungen, some of the best modern psych rock?

[The Mollusk]

I've been into these Svenska lads a fair while now but for some reason only ever listened to two of their albums - Ta Det Lungt (2004) and Allas Sak (2015) - although they have been keeping me fairly well afloat in that time. The former album is more energetic and propulsive, and is excellent throughout, whereas the latter has more of a lush and pastoral vibe to start (which is fucking excellent) before meandering off into more cinematic and almost post-rock territory (loses my interest a bit).

You might notice from this tune that they sound a bit like early Tame Impala (except far more imaginative) and it has been speculated that Kevin Parker basically ripped off Dungen's sound. The vocals in particular are pretty similar. I don't really care either way; I don't mind those first two Tame Impala albums despite their excessive Beatles worship but I'm not nearly as drawn to them as I am to Dungen, namely because the melodic brilliance of Dungen outshines Parker and frankly most other modern psych rock by quite some distance.

I mean...

:D :D :D

The other week during a particularly baked game of Scrabble I stuck on their third album Stadsvandringar (2005) and could just barely stop the joy from beaming out of my eye sockets. It's notably more prog-folky (and very Scandi at times, unsurprisingly) than Ta Det Lungt and there's a fuckin great dollop of flute in there which is like a red rag to a red-eyed bull for me. Incredible album.

Worth noting as well that much like Tame Impala all this music is written by one chap (with a large portion of it performed, produced and mixed by him as well) and he's likewise very perfectionist, much to the benefit of this rich and gorgeous sounding music.

Special headzup to anyone who was digging Mikael Ramel when I bigged him up here a little while back, as he was doubtless a big influence on Dungen.

Njuta!

[Kankurette]

I have absolutely no idea what Tame Impala sounds like, but Dungen had me at the flute solo.

[NattyDread 2]

Yes, they're the tits. I've also mostly only played two albums and a couple of 7"s. Really need to check more out so thanks for the reminder. I like the sound of Allas Sak,

Here's a great instrumental b-side with plenty of hot flute action.

[sevendaughters]

Super band and the only two I own are the first two Nags mentioned. More thoughts coming later.

[Kankurette]

I'm listening to Häxan purely because it has owls on the cover. It's nice and chilled. Very Primavera sort of music.

[The Mollusk]

Their most recent album is one I need to revisit. My only burning memory of it is that one of the songs has an amen break which really threw me for a loop.

[Kankurette]

Is Häxan mainly an instrumentals album? It is so far. I'm 10 tracks in. Trollkarlen och Fågeldräkten is my favourite. It's sort of weirdly hypnotic.

Btw it a concept album? Some of the titles reference Aladdin and the Peri. I can't speak Swedish so not sure what a lot of the titles mean.

[tolecnal]

Never knowingly heard them, but have always meant to. On today's playlist.

[Brundle-Fly]

Love a bit of Dungen.  I like this guy, Morgan Delt who swims in similar sonic soup too.

[kngen]

Always mix them up in my head with Bo Ningen (especially because the vox on Panda sound really fucking Japanese). I'll probably continue to do so.

[benjitz]

i keep mixing them up with kngen

they're all right but only know ta det lungt.

fiske collaborates with motorpsycho a lot which i mainly know him for

[The Mollusk]

motorpsycho

Argh I heard this band once very late one night years ago from an old housemate playing them at me. I'm pretty sure they were excellent but I was pissed and don't remember a jot of their music, just the feeling. Having to firmly bookmark them to remind myself again to check them out soon.

[benjitz]

They're my favourite band (my most played in the 20 years i've been on last.fm anyway), and I think you'd love them, given some of the acts you start threads about on here. They have a massive discography and have tried their hand at a number of genres, most of them very well but they are at their best when they do heavy psychedelic rock, in my opinion. Maybe I'll start a thread on them one day if you like but I'm a bit low on musical energy right now (had intensely bamboozling discussion on music theory at lunchtime with my neighbour which I'm still reeling from, plus I've set myself a stupid personal project where I have to write about 1500 words about music every day for 100 days, which I'm already tiring of at day 31 - I really shouldn't be posting in Oscillations!)

Definitely worth doing a chronological discography runthrough to track their many twists and turns like you did with Circle I reckon. Except don't forget their 21 EPs. Or their live albums! (particularly the absurdly titled "Roadwork Vol. 1: Heavy Metall Iz a Poze, Hardt Rock Iz a Laifschteil, Live in Europe 1998" which is blinding)


Reine Fiske is on some of their later work, which is a bit hit and miss comparatively to the 90s and 00s stuff, but still a jolly good listen. He's toured with them too, several times I think?

Anyway, derail over, back to Dungen :)

[The Mollusk]

Definitely worth doing a chronological discography runthrough to track their many twists and turns like you did with Circle I reckon. Except don't forget their 21 EPs. Or their live albums!

Oh aye they're one of them bands are they haha. Might see if I can split my time between them and about 30 Mick Barr projects. Cheers for the shout, definitely spurred me on :)

Good luck with your project as well!