Live

by Dungen

Overview

Recorded during the end of 2015 at a couple different Swedish concerts, Dungen's first live album is a ripping example of their prowess both as individual musicians and as a cohesive unit. The record is totally instrumental and it flows from short song fragments to extended expansive pieces in dynamic waves of psychedelic sound. The guitars as played mainly by Reine Fiske (mainly) and bandleader Gustav Ejstes are massive when they are cranked up, riffing and soloing like large birds in flight. The other instrument to take the lead is saxophone, with Jonas Kullhammar doing his best Pharoah Sanders at crucial points throughout. Ejstes and Kullhammar also add some flute to the mix, and the former does very nifty things with keyboards (piano, organ, and Mellotron) throughout. Holding down the bottom like they are trying to keep a tent from blowing away in a tornado are bassist Mattias Gustavsson and drummer Johan Holmegard. They both deserve hazard pay from dodging the flaming shards of guitar and clamorous horn blasts. Looking at all the disparate elements, it might seem like there was a good chance this would sound like an indulgent mess. Luckily, either through judicious editing or, more likely, the skill and daring exhibited by the group, Dungen manage to pull it back from the overly proggy abyss every time it gets close. Dungen Live certainly captures the side of the band that's more interested in exploration than writing catchy psych-pop songs and shows that they are the equal of just about any other group of their ilk who might want to take a run at them. It may not be essential Dungen, but it is well worth tracking down and giving a spin anytime some good old-fashioned uninhibited psychedelic wandering is what the doctor ordered. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	03/13/2020
Label:	Mexican Summer
UPC:	0184923128215
Rank:	140394

Tracks

1. A1
2. A2
3. A3
4. A4
5. Ain't So Hard to Do
6. A6
7. A7
8. B1
9. B2
10. B3
11. B4
12. B5
13. B6

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Dungen   Primary Artist
Johan Holmegard   Drums,Percussion
Mattias Gustavsson   Bass
Reine Fiske   Mellotron,Guitar
Gustav Ejstes   Percussion,Guitar,Piano,Organ,Flute
Mattias Glava   Compiled

Technical Credits

Mattias Gustavsson   Composer,Group Member
Johan Holmegard   Composer,Group Member
Bertil Karlsson   Assistant Engineer
Anna Bjerger   Cover Art
Samuel Peterson   Photography
Tom Larsson   Assistant Engineer
Doug Jerebine   Composer
Henrik Henriksson   Assistant Engineer
Reine Fiske   Group Member,Composer
Gustav Ejstes   Group Member
Hakan Bengtsson   Assistant Engineer
Mattias Glava   Mastering,Engineer,Composer,Mixing