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Dungen

Allas Sak

Written by: BV on 10/10/2015 20:20:22

A five-year break from releasing albums is what people seem to be remembering the most about Dungen, these days. Often times it would seem that most fans are taking for granted that a new album can’t necessarily be released every 10 months or so, but might actually take a bit more effort than that. Five years might be pushing it a bit, though, so when you do take out such a long time the end result also needs to deliver. What “Allas Sak” then does, can both be deemed a success and a minor failure at the same time.

As it kicks off with the mildly prog-sounding title track, rays of sunshine and bliss seem to emanate from my speakers. It’s the kind of quirky upbeat vibe we’ve come to know and love Dungen for, but there isn’t much more to it. At first, it is as if these past five years have merely been a chance to hone the skills the band already possess, without adding anything truly significant to the mix. “Sista Festen” and “Sista Gästen” both underline this impression as the flawless soundscapes unfold – hardly anything here sounds fresh or surprising, but it’s meticulously planned and effortlessly carried out to relative success. If you liked “Ta Det Lugnt” and want things to be eerily similar to the vibe of that album, then I’d most definitely deem “Allas Sak” an unbridled success. If not, you might end up slightly bored in the end.

It does mean that there aren’t a number of superb cuts on this album – because there are. They’re plentiful, as a matter of fact. “Franks Kaktus” is a personal favorite of mine due to the insistent flute-melody frolicking around a rather playful bass groove. With the introduction of a mildly fuzzy, and kind of jazzy guitar figure you seem to get the sense that Dungen are still at their best when performing instrumentals. As I mentioned earlier, the tracks never quite feel ‘jammed’ or improvised. But they unfold flawlessly due to great playing and meticulous planning. It’s a strange thing to seemingly be so dependent on within the musical realm of psychedelic music where imperfection is heralded for its ‘authenticity’ but it nonetheless proves that the musical spectrum is broad enough to encompass more musical approaches than you might think.

“En Dag På Sjön” is in many ways the musical peak of “Allas Sak”. For one, it is probably the only cut on the album which sounds like it could have been lifted from an impromptu jam-session. It simply sounds fresh and emanates musical potency from the screaming guitar over the jazzy rhythms in the background to the overtly lush production; this track is everything that is great about Dungen summarized in one four-minute track – or it could have been if there had also been a passage with vocals. It might be a good thing there isn’t though, as it would most definitely upset the balance of the track.

To make a long and somewhat confusing rant shorter, I’d definitely recommend “Allas Sak” to fans of Dungen’s earlier work. Just don’t expect too much in terms of musical development. They’re consistent, as they have always been, but the formula remains the same.

Download: En Dag På Sjön, Frank Kaktus, Åkt Dit
For the fans of: Morgan Delt, Tame Impala, Den Stora Vilan
Listen: Facebook

Release date 25.09.2015
Mexican Summer