FRAMTIDEN ÄR ETT SVÄVANDE SKEPP, FÖRANKRAT I FORNTIDEN

"Garden of the Elks", as the band's name is in English, was founded in Göteborg, Southern Sweden, in 1969, and was originally called Innerst Inne. That name would have fit even better for this unique group. During their five-year existence they released only one album (another was released posthumously in 2001, titled simply "Delayed") with a peculiar, philosopohical title about the future being a ship anchored in the past. Dag Erik Asbjörnsen's book describes the album nicely: it's like Pink Floyd's Ummagumma, except that this time Sisyphus is pushing a snow ball up the hill in a Scandinavian pinewood inhabited by trolls. In other words, the music is deeply psychedelic, progressive folk, or "world music" with experimental Krautrock features.

The selection of instruments brings together ethnic, exotic things and the evolution in synthesizers. Tolling bells start the long opening track ("Two hours over two blue mountains, with a cuckoo on each side... of the hours, that is") which changes from a meditative first half featuring pushy violins into an almost nightmarish soundscape with special effects. More effects are heard on the next track, as well as some fluent flute and colourful percussion, plus a delicate 2-minute sitar solo in the end. 'Möjligheternas Barn' (Children of possibilities) features guest vocals by folk artist Margareta Söderberg. 'Viriditas' offers yet another kind of sound painting with chiming piano and a male voice as if heard from a distance.

One of the strongest moments in the album is 'Saturnus ringar' (Rings of Saturn), an intensive trip starring electric guitar and drums, which could be a true Krautrock classic. For those enjoying dark, experimental psychedelia with ethnic elements this album might be a unique masterpiece, but a more average music listener hardly has much to relate to here. Actually my four stars have at least one extra star if my personal enjoyment of this album is considered... But I can't say there wasn't a lot of vision and emotion. Wonderful cover art is odd enough for the music!