Listen to Dungen on Rhapsody, the band’s website and MySpace… By: Kayceman
Dungen by Karl Max |
If you were to get on a plane, say in Chicago, fly about twelve hours northeast, over London and up to Sweden, you would land in Stockholm. If you were then to rent a car and travel south for roughly five more hours, hugging the Baltic Sea, you would come to the province of
Småland. Småland is a special place. The fertile farms, lush forests and peaceful pace of life have preserved this area, slowing down the years of progress that flood every corner of the globe. Upon arriving in this magical region – known not only for farms and forests but also for crystals and glass blowers – if you knew where to look, you would come upon a large farmhouse with a basement. In 2001, buried in this basement,
Gustav Ejstes began his journey into
Dungen (pronounced doon-yen, and translated roughly as “a clump of trees”).
After six years of hype, lost innocence, drugs, mild depression, a crash course in the business side of music and a soul-searching year of rejuvenation at Malungs folkhögskola (Malungs Folks School), Ejstes has created Tio Bitar (released May 15 in America on Kemado). An instant classic, this is Ejstes’ vision fully realized.
Speaking from Stockholm in clear, thoughtful English, the affects of major label bidding wars and publicity campaigns can be heard in Ejstes’ guarded choice of words. He realizes doing interviews is part of the game, and while he enjoys talking about music, when questions get personal or drift away from the process of making sounds, he’s quick to bring the conversation back to Dungen. “I’m not that kind of artist who loves standing in the center and have everyone watching me,” says Ejstes. “I love music and I want to make music, so I just try to do my thing. All the buzz around it comes and goes, I just do my thing.”
Dungen :: Coachella 2006 by Dave Vann |
Ejstes’ “thing” came to fruition on 2004’s international barnburner
Ta Det Lugnt. It was the album that introduced the world to Dungen. It garnered many “Best Of” honors and landed the band a slot at the 2006 Bonnaroo music festival. It was the spark that lit the fire for this Swedish sensation, but it almost never happened.
After the release of his self-titled 2001 debut Virgin records showered Ejstes with private jets, limos and guarantees of “the next big thing.” As the big wigs hounded Ejstes he released 2002’s Stadsvandringar. This world of record deals, label executives and harsh judgment of his music almost crushed Ejstes. He was so broken and paranoid by the experience he swore he’d never make another album.
Dungen :: Bonnaroo 2006 by Dave Vann |
As Ejstes drifted further away from his dreams, Stefan Kéry from the small
Subliminal Sounds label in Stockholm convinced Ejstes to put out another album with no pressure, no expectations and no commitments. That album was
Ta Det Lugnt. The album’s title translates to
Take It Easy, and it was a very deliberate message. “I think people should take music seriously and it is serious for me. It’s feelings and a way of expression. It’s so emotional you get affected by music,” explains Ejstes. “At the same time, I think people should not be so quick with judging the way of making music or art or anything creative, to be more open-minded to accept that there is different ways of making music. I said to trendsetters and hipsters to take it easy.”
 | | | There is so much power when people get together… it’s unbelievable when everything works, especially during the improvised instrumental parts. When everything is working anything can happen and we can go on for a very long time.
-Gustav Ejstes | | | | | |
While it’s easy to trace the line from
Ta Det Lugnt to
Tio Bitar, the foundation for Ejstes’ rock-folk hybrid was slowly being built since he was a young boy in the small Swedish village of Lanna in Västergötland in southern Sweden where he grew up. His father was a classically trained fiddler who taught traditional Swedish folk music, while his mother would spin classic rock like the Beatles on the family’s record player. Eventually, Ejstes fell in love with Hendrix’s
Are You Experienced? which would, “set some kind of standard with this thing of rock music and the drums.”
Although Ejstes didn’t start creating music until 1998, a lifetime’s worth of exposure to everything from rock and folk to hip-hop and pop filled him with the passion and background to form Dungen. “I didn’t do much music myself when I was growing up” says Ejstes. “I was listening a lot and thinking about what made the music sound like it did. The musicianship and the art of playing have always been interesting to me.”
Reine Fiske |
So interesting in fact that Ejstes has never had a “real job.” Even before he was recognized as a musician, he was living the life of an artist. His creative process unfolds likes many of our favorite tortured artists. It’s not easy and often requires Ejstes to battle his inner demons. “It’s hard to create,” says Ejstes. “You get in touch with your emotions. It’s both happy and angry, it’s all there.” And it’s all featured on
Tio Bitar. Like everything Dungen has done,
Tio Bitar comes from deep within Ejstes. He writes all the music and plays the majority of the instruments including violins, flutes, keyboards, some drums, some bass and some guitar. He does all the vocals and he is the lone producer. After laying down the basic tracks in the studio Ejstes invites people to help realize his vision. He acknowledges that he’s not equipped to play every part exactly how he wants and often relies on guitarist
Reine Fiske, who he describes as a “guitar hero,” to add his blistering six string to the compositions.
Dungen |
The results are mesmerizing. Where
Ta Det Lugnt suffered slightly from inconsistencies and strange breaks in the music,
Tio Bitar is an inspiring blend of traditional, acoustic old world sounds and electric, new age bombast. It’s rough, psychedelic edges burrow into the side of your brain and blossom into soothing pastures of tranquility. Inside these ten songs are intricate guitar, vocal and flute melodies weaving together above massive drums. There’s plenty of Reine’s wobbling, fuzzed-out guitar melting down into Ejstes’ gorgeous violin breaks; and there’s also subtle acoustic picking and heavenly harmonies laced with Ejstes’ sublime Swedish vocals. It’s a psych-rock masterpiece that will stand the test of time and proves capable of erasing language barriers.
Gustav Ejstes |
Ejstes loves working in the studio, often filling the space with hash and booze to fuel all night sessions, but he also enjoys stepping on stage. Live, Dungen is a force of nature. Touring as a four-piece power rock band Ejstes will often turn away from the crowd and let his long hair fall in his face as he shakes a tambourine, giving himself to the music, allowing it to enter and move through him. There is no fabrication with Ejstes and Dungen. There’s no show or ego. He lives for it and that’s apparent.
“It’s just a strong force. There is so much power when people get together,” smiles Ejstes. “The energy when people get into something and the trance thing, it’s unbelievable when everything works, especially during the improvised instrumental parts. When everything is working anything can happen and we can go on for a very long time.”
JamBase | Worldwide
Go See Live Music!
