DAN BERGLUND´S TONBRUKET

This album was released some months ago , and it's a shame for me to review it only now. Some months are gone for listeners, seeking for great music, released in 2010, and this album possibly still didn't attract their attention!

Don't be afraid of new name and debut album status - Dan Berglund is one of most respectable Swedish jazz-rock musicians for years, and everyone with interest on world's best nu fusion for sure knows one of leading band's of this genre - Swedish e.s.t.. Almost for decade they were absolute leader on European new jazz generation, but in 2008 the band was disbanded after tragic death of their leader Esbjörn Svensson.

Dan Berglund, former e.s.t. bassist, continued his musical career establishing his own band - Dan Berglund's Tonbruket. All other this new band's members are known Swedish musicians, including Martin Hederos, pianist of pop-outfit "Soundtracks of our Lives".

If you are familiar with e.s.p. music, I must inform you music of this album is very different from what e.s.p. had ever played. Dan Berglund always was "rock component" of e.s.p., and you can near that on his solo debut very easily. All instrumental, this album contains airy, melodic, very tasty and very Nordic, melancholic mix of ambient post rock (not American, but Nordic one - think Sigur Ros,etc) sound and modern Nordic atmospheric new jazz (influenced by NP Molvaer earlier albums). But post-rock element is dominant on this mix, so being quite jazzy, it's a rock album for sure.

Very characteristically for post-rock and progressive nu jazz, album's music is far not demonstration of musicians technical abilities,but more about emotions and atmosphere. For some the music even could sound a bit simplistic. Differently from Norwegian school, this album doesn't sound so airy and ambient, but are really much more "landed". Even some Swedish folk elements, included in music, sounds much more "standing on the land". Speaking about atnosphere, if NP Molvaers or even Bugge's nu jazz sounds as Norwegian fiord, with clear Arctic air under the dark and cold water, Berglund's album is more Swedish forests,and lowlands, and lakes, and no a hunan being for miles around...

Possibly most interesting nu jazz album of year 2010, my rating is 4,5,rounded to 5!