Dungen

Dungen are a Swedish rock band from Stockholm, active since 2001. They work in psychedelic rock, neo-psychedelia and related rock styles, and draw on Swedish and other folk music, classic rock, progressive rock and indie rock. The name is Swedish for “the grove”.

Line-up and songwriting

The group is fronted by singer and composer Gustav Ejstes, who writes all of the music and plays most of the instruments on the band’s recordings. In live performance, Dungen plays as a four-piece, with Reine Fiske on guitar, Mattias Gustavsson on bass and Fredrik Björling on drums. The wider membership also includes Johan Holmegard. Fiske has played in Landberk, Morte Macabre, Paatos and The Guild, Gustavsson has been associated with Life On Earth!, and Björling has also played with The Guild.

Releases and labels

After two vinyl albums on the Swedish label Subliminal Sounds, Dungen briefly signs to Dolores Recordings, a Virgin Records subsidiary, in 2002. On that label they release the CD Stadsvandringar and three singles, including one connected to Djungelboken 2, the Swedish version of The Jungle Book 2. Ejstes then returns the band to Subliminal Sounds, saying a major label does not fit a group that is not a pop act.

In 2004, Ta Det Lugnt receives strong attention within indie rock and helps establish the band internationally. The album leads to two headlining US tours and distribution deals in the US and UK. Dungen also performs “Panda” on Late Night With Conan O’Brien. The band plays Bonnaroo in 2006 and tours Australia with Wolfmother and the Tucker B’s. Later studio albums include Tio Bitar and 4, followed by Skit i allt.