The soft, velvety sound of the guitar, enveloped gently with tender strings, accompanies the deep, rich timbre of Fabian Brusk-Jahn’s voice. His new EP, In the Dungeons of Bäckabo, is a collection of unvarnished stories—"un-fairy tales," as if spun from raw reality. These are narratives of genuine life and human emotion, delivered through five songs that capture both the ache and beauty of existence. The EP, released by Gothenburg based label, Suicide Records, comprises four vocal tracks and a concluding instrumental piece, each bound by the artist’s signature poetic intimacy.
For me, Fabian’s style, both in composition and vocal, evokes Leonard Cohen in its warmth and depth, creating an immersive, almost dreamlike listening experience. His voice and guitar intertwine so closely they feel inseparable, a single, tender voice that pulls listeners from the ordinary world into a reflective realm. The music is simple but profound, layered with meaning that lies just below the surface, especially in the lyrics, which Fabian uses to explore human nature, relationships, and our bond with the world around us.
Each song on In the Dungeons of Bäckabo tackles different facets of the human experience. The title track, “In the Dungeons of Bäckabo,” opens the album with a journey through inherited identities and the possibility of shaping one’s destiny, imagined as a walk through an underworld. “Nightwalk” follows, a dreamy piece that questions whether love found in dreams is, in truth, love of the self. “Staging” takes a raw look at our capacity to perform different roles in our relationships, while “Ship Ohoj” touches on the fragmenting effects of social media on our sense of self.
The final piece, “Gubbstrutt Trudilutt,” is an instrumental composition that places Fabian’s guitar in a leading role, allowing his emotions to resonate without words. The gentle, resonant guitar melodies communicate the nuanced feelings of the artist, and in my opinion, this piece despite having no words, talks even more deeply of the composer's feelings.
In the Dungeons of Bäckabo was produced by Johan Östling, with Fabian himself and Joel Bjurbo as co-producers. The recording brings together a talented ensemble: Linus Klevebrant on double bass, Hampus Andersson and Max Hessman on piano, Mette Gerdle on violin, and others, all lending their own touch to this delicate, introspective work. Each song serves as both a narrative and an emotional experience, wrapped in an arrangement that feels both timeless and immediately resonant. This EP is a captivating addition to Fabian Brusk-Jahn’s discography, one that invites listeners to reflect deeply on the world within and around them.
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