Myths 003: a folkadelic meditation

In anticipation of the Marfa Myths music festival this April in Marfa, Texas, the indie record label Mexican Summer has released the third album in their “Myths” series. Myths 003 (2018) combines the sounds of Swedish quartet Dungen and Brooklyn band Woods. Both bands classify themselves somewhere within the spheres of psychedelic and folk. Rooted in 1960s psychedelia, Myths 003 blends a new sound into its nostalgic nod to the past.

Only two songs on the album, “Turn Around” and “Jag Ville Va Kvar,” have lyrics. The words fit within instrumental verses and their meaning and continuity stay relatively unclear – allowing the album to subsist on other means of storytelling. “Marfa Sunset” uses a collection of instruments resembling the dynamic sounds of a jungle. “Morning Myth,” pairs the tones of space rock and folk, and the flute and harp become psychedelic instruments. “Loop,” “Saint George,” and “Just for the Taste” anchor themselves in more conventional tools of rock music. Grounded in the tempo of the drums, the songs can take risks in other ways, swaying in vibrato without losing their focus. Rather than creating confusion, the union of these sounds promotes balance. Listening to the album provides a sense of calm akin to meditation.

Myths 003 synthesizes just enough genres as to make it a unique creation in its own right without becoming overwhelmed with noise. Dungen and Woods couple their sounds effortlessly, creating an album building on previous genres while avoiding repetition.

Neither artist has many upcoming shows. Dungen does not have any announced tours currently, and Woods will be playing at the Mountain Jam Festival on June 15th. Dungen and Woods toured together in 2009, but another tour has not been proposed. Although neither artist is featured in the festival, Marfa Myths will carry much of the same energy as Myths 003 in a selection of up and coming artists.

Written by Hannah Hartt