If you are a Dungen completist who felt slightly underwhelmed by the split record with Woods, Gustav Ejstes’ involvement in Hästpojken’s new album ‘Hästpojken är död’ or even the Amazing’s ‘In Transit’, then it is time to celebrate. The new Melody’s Echo Chamber album ‘Bon Voyage’ is for you.
Whereas Melody Prochet collaborated with Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker on her intriguing 2012 debut, she has broadened her vision considerably this time.
Although quintessentially pop – as opposed to rock – ’Bon Voyage’ out-psychs Dungen and mixes everything from vocoders to backwards vocals to flutes to Pink Floyd organ bursts to disco to Swedish folk music in a fucked-up but quite lovely way. And while Prochet’s voice sticks to a slightly anonymously high-pitched register as on her previous outing, she adds Swedish to her French and English. You might think it is for exotic effects, but honestly, this comes across as the collaborators just having a lot of fun. And fun it is!
Songs get interrupted by oddball sections and seemingly disjointed passages; they stop, start and stagger around but ultimately never falter. Partly this is due to the workout-like propellant they get from Dungen/The Amazing drummer Johan Holmegard.
He is joined by bandmates Gustav Ejstes, Reine Fiske and Fredrik Swahn who play, sing, scream and probably make a few other noises too. Oh, and the Tame Impala connection is still there, with Nick Allbrook who does a strange spoken part, among other things.
After overcoming a serious injury to her neck and spine, Prochet moved to Sweden to record this album with above friends in the stillness and seclusion of a forest. The results are genuinely out there in a Swedish hippie sort of way.
Clocking in at only 34 minutes it is short like a Swedish summer, but oh so sweet.
Popgruppen 