Dungen - Tio Bitar

Dungen
Tio Bitar
(2007, Kemado)
8.5/10

Tio Bitar is Swedish import Dungen’s effort to complete the impossible task of following up 2004’s almost perfect Ta Det Lugnt. While Tio Bitar could only be expected to dwell in the shadows of its towering older brother, it is still an apt younger sibling. For those unfamiliar, Dungen take the best of Led Zeppelin and The Who and somehow enhance it using some type of Scandinavian voodoo wizardry. Where Ta Det Lugnt built on the unimaginable prospects of those former bands, Tio Bitar dwells as a slightly mellowed yet fulfilling companion piece. Buried in their influences, Dungen takes great lengths to ensure they capture the soul of their guitar heroes, using only vintage equipment to play and record the psych rock balladry. The effect is stunning. Tio Bitar feels like a hazy summer afternoon, awash with occasionally searing guitar riffs and nostalgic, galloping drums stirred into a layered mess of audible joy, circa 1977. Definitely the only album on my year end list that has successfully incorporated the jazz flute.

-Mr. Thistle

Dungen - Tio Bitar streaming