Dim Gray - Flown

by Julie Cruickshank

published: 22 / 9 / 2021

Label: Grim Day Records
Format: CD

intro

Post-progressive debut album from Norway’s Dim Gray, combining magical, haunting soundscapes with folk and rock

Art rockers Dim Gray, based in Oslo, have released their debut album, ‘Flown’,calling to mind the majestic, yearning sound of Radiohead combined with the ethereal reverberations of Sigur Ros. Members Hakon Hoiberg, Tom Ian Klungland and Oskar Holldorff have combined their multi-instrumentalist talents to also produce and arrange the album, with help in the studio from Robin Kirknes Andreassen, Matt Dougherty, Leif Johansen and Morgan Nicolaysen. The atmospheric opener, ‘Again’, utilising strings to offset haunting vocals, is followed by ‘The Wave We Thought We’d Ride Forever’, an unusually-structured, exquisite tone poem interjected with folky guitars. Shimmering post-prog track ’Closer’ and ‘Rath’ with its lovely harmonies continue the ambient mood. ‘Flown’ has a continuous narrative throughout of a downward spiral of loss and loneliness, exemplified in ‘Wandering’ (“Every path leads the same way/And always ends when I begin wandering/Do you listen, are you there again/I see no trails, but I hear the voices”). ‘Light Anew’, bookended by instrumentals ‘’Flown’ and ‘Yore’ evokes a dreamscape of dancing, quivering Northern Lights and snowy Scandinavian forests, light yet intense. The delicate ‘Song for E’ leads to a change of mood with ‘Dreamer’s Disease’ which employs a crunchier, rockier guitar sound. ‘Ouroboros’ is a lament of loss, its gorgeous vocal harmonies and strings like a sob of despair. ‘Black Sun’ is an enjoyable folk/rock final track, and both the CD and LP contain various bonus tracks including live versions of ‘Again’ and ‘Song For E’. ‘Flown’ is a wonderful debut, beautifully structured and recorded. Repeated listens reveal its fine musicianship; I look forward to hearing more from Dim Gray.

Track Listing:-

1 Again
2 The Wave We Thought We'd Ride Forever
3 Closer
4 Ráth
5 Wandering
6 Flown
7 Light Anew
8 Yore
9 Song for E.
10 Dreamer's Disease
11 Ouroboros
12 Black Sun

Band Links:-

https://m.facebook.com/DimGrayMusic
https://twitter.com/DimGrayMusic

Play in YouTube:-

Have a Listen:-

interviews

Interview (2022)

Julie Cruickshank speaks to Norwegian prog/art rock band Dim Gray about their recently released second album ‘Firmament’, playing with Marillion and their classical influences and methods of studio recording.