Interview: Dungen

Adventures on the Wheels of Metal
Dungen

I misunderstand Gustav, at first, and not because English is his second language. The Swedish-born leader of Dungen, (doon-yen), is known in the states for trouncing pscyhedelia and trippy space rock - so I’m thrown off when he says that he’s been spending his summer practicing on the turntables.

Indeed, the multifaceted Gustav Ejstes, who also composes, arranges, produces and sings, often has influences such as Mad Lib and Aphex Twin go unheralded by those of us swooned by his staggering blend of metal and classical, guitars with flutes and violins. To hear the splendorous guitar wails of band mate Reine Fiske, one would easily, and lazily conjure Hendrix or whatever sort of guitar-deity.

"Their melodies are amazing," he says after name-dropping both DJ/producers. "(Aphex Twin) is turntable music, but he has an extreme ear for melodies. (Both) have a tone language"
Indeed, and there’s your connection. Tones. Any listen to Dungen, on record or live, and your head swims with the haunting and hypnotic tones they’ve sutured into the rhythm heavy, pedal-scraped folk/rock.

Ejstes said after spending the winter producing a fellow Swedish artists forthcoming album, he is considering utilizing someone else’s technician skills on the next, or would-be-5th, Dungen album - whenever that day comes.

Through their first three records, Ejstes played all the instruments, arranged, recorded and mixed. Though at times scorched with a bit of lo-fi, certainly not lacking in power through presentation. But still, Ejstes said, "I’m getting a little tired of the do-it-yourself, mess-up world."