Dungen

Dungen ("the grove", Swedish pronunciation: [ˈdɵ̂ŋːɛn]) is a Swedish rock band based in Stockholm. Often classified as psychedelic rock, Dungen is also influenced by Swedish (and other) folk music, classic rock, progressive rock, garage rock and alternative rock.

Dungen
Dungen performing at the Malmöfestivalen in Sweden in August 2006
Background information
OriginStockholm, Sweden
GenresPsychedelic rock, progressive rock, neo-psychedelia, jazz-rock
Years active1999–present
LabelsSubliminal Sounds (SE), Mexican Summer (US), Astralwerks (US), Memphis Industries (UK), Dew Process (AUS), Smalltown Supersound
Websitewww.dungen-music.com
Members
Past membersFredrik Björling

The band is fronted by singer/composer Gustav Ejstes, who writes all music and plays the majority of instruments on the band's records. Despite this, Dungen plays live as a four-piece. Ejstes, who in his teens started his songwriting with hip hop, is backed live by Swedish progressive rock veteran Reine Fiske (Landberk, Morte Macabre, Paatos, The Amazing) on guitar, bassist Mattias Gustavsson (Life On Earth!), and drummer Johan Holmegard (previously on drums was Fredrik Björling), all of whom have played parts on Dungen's studio albums.

History

Following two vinyl album releases on Swedish record label Subliminal Sounds, Dungen briefly signed to Dolores Recordings (a subset of Virgin Records) in 2002, on which they released the CD Stadsvandringar and three singles, including one for Djungelboken 2 (the Swedish version of The Jungle Book 2). Ejstes soon returned to his friend's independent record label Subliminal Sounds, stating that a major label did not feel right because Dungen is not a pop act.

Although Dungen's songs are sung entirely in Swedish, 2004's Ta det lugnt received great acclaim within indie rock circles and established the band's international reputation. This resulted in the band headlining two US tours and landing distribution deals in the US and UK. Dungen also performed their song "Panda" on the popular NBC television talk show Late Night with Conan O'Brien. In 2006, Dungen played at the famous Bonnaroo Music Festival and has also toured with Wolfmother and the Tucker B's around Australia.

Dungen released their fourth studio album, Tio bitar on 25 April 2007 but did not tour in support of it.

The group's sixth studio album, entitled Skit i allt, was released in 2010. The group played the ATP New York 2010 music festival in Monticello, New York in September 2010.

The group announced their seventh studio album on 23 June 2015, before releasing it on 25 September 2015. Entitled Allas Sak.,[1] the album title translates loosely into "everyone's thing" or "anyone's thing". Once again, the songs are sung largely in Swedish by Gustav Ejstes. “These songs are my everyday experiences, my thoughts and stories from the life I live," he said in a statement. "I hope people can create their own stories around the music and maybe we can make music together, the listener and I.”[2] The album was an international success, placing at no.14 on Australian publication Happy Mag's list of "The 25 best psychedelic rock albums of the 2010s" in October 2019.[3]

Around 2014, the group undertook a project to create an instrumental score for the 1926 animated film The Adventures of Prince Achmed to be performed live with the film. They did so on several occasions in Sweden in 2014 and at the first Marfa Myths Festival in Marfa, Texas, United States. Inspired by what they created, the passed recordings to their producer Mattias Glavå with instructions to 'make it into a record'.[4] The album was released on 25 November 2016 as an official Black Friday Record Store Day release and then re-released in a limited edition by Mexican Summer with a bonus 12" live EP recorded in Sol de Sants Studios after their show at Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona. It was released in February 2017 to coincide with Dungen's US tour of art studios and small theaters performing the full score live accompanying the film.[5]

Discography

Albums

EPs
  • Ta det lugnt / Tyst minut (2005, Subliminal Sounds) (12" vinyl, also included with 2005 re-release of Ta det lugnt)
  • Samtidigt (2009, Kemado) (limited-pressing (500) tour-only 12″ vinyl containing an extended 15-minute-long version of the song "Samtidigt" from 4)

Singles
  • "Solen stiger upp" (2002, Dolores Recordings) (CD)
  • "Stadsvandringar" (2002, Dolores Recordings) (CD)
  • "Jag vill va' som du / Har du vart' i Stockholm?" (2003, Dolores Recordings) (CD)
  • "Panda" (|2005, Memphis Industries) (CD, 7" vinyl) (#168 United Kingdom)[6]
  • "Festival" (2006, Memphis Industries) (7" vinyl)
  • "Sätt att se" (|2008, Mexican Summer) (12" vinyl)
  • Öga, näsa, mun (2011, Third Man Records) (7" vinyl)

Compilations

References
  1. Tim Sendra (2015-09-25). "Allas Sak - Dungen | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  2. "Dungen Return With New Album Allas Sak, Share New Track "Akt Dit" | News". Pitchfork.com. 2015-06-23. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  3. "The 25 best psychedelic rock albums of the 2010s". Retrieved 2019-10-16.
  4. "Dungen Announce New Album Häxan, Share "Jakten Genom Skogen": Listen - Pitchfork". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  5. "Dungen Announce New 'Haxan' Album, Post New Song 'Jakten Genom Skogen'". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  6. "Dungen Songs *** Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography *** Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Music VF. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
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