10 Great Obscure Post-Rock Bands

Akin to Eels, the great American band fronted and guided by Mark Oliver Everett, Swedish rock group, Dungen, feels very much an extension of one being: producer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist and singer Gustav Ejstes. Born in 1979, in Lanna, Västergötland, Ejstes' one constant, according to his official bio, “has been change.”

This change, or evolution if you will, has been mapped out across nine excellent studio albums, beginning with 2001s self-titled debut and culminating (so far) with 2016's, Haxan. Ejstes is clearly a restless spirit, creatively speaking. Dungen's music, while always rooted in the post-rock traditions, veers from heavy to playful, taking in psychedelia, folk, jazz and a bit of everything in between.

It's arguable that the band's finest album till now, (and certainly their most popular) is 2004's remarkable Ta Det Lugnt (which translates as Take It Easy). As Dungen themselves observe, this record “ignited the blogosphere so that it glowed like the aurora borealis.” It remains a fascinating and highly enjoyable listen, and is as good a point as any to begin your Dungen exploration.

Excitingly, it seems as though Ejstes has settled with the perfect musical partners. Again, from their website: “Dungen is a muscular full band now. Guitarist Reine Fiske, bassist Mattias Gustavsson, and drummer Johan Holmegard are fully integrated into Ejstes’ vision.”