Sweden’s Orkan return with “Vakendrömmar,” an album that sits squarely at the intersection of Folk Rock, Psych-Prog and Scandinavian Progressive tradition. The record — released via the band’s Blåsväder imprint — was conceived as a dreamlike, politically-charged suite: “Vakendrömmar” literally means “dreaming while awake,” a fitting banner for songs that oscillate between pastoral Folk motifs and more urgent, Progressive outbursts. The band’s own words about the record and its themes (the folkloric mare, social protest, and a desire to fuse vintage Swedish Prog with contemporary concerns) provide the conceptual frame that runs through the music. “Vakendrömmar” opens confidently with “Vågorna,” a track whose rolling, folkloric pulse immediately establishes the album’s dual identity. Acoustic-tinged rhythms and a steady, hypnotic groove give the song a ritualistic feel before it blossoms into richer Psych-Prog textures. There’s a measured use of dynamics here: delicate vocal lines and layered melodies build patiently toward an instrumental centrepiece where guitar and flute exchange thoughtful, vintage-tinged phrases. It’s a warm, Nordic soundscape that never feels imitative — the band makes the influences feel personal rather than archival. “Ytan” shifts gears into a more muscular, anthem-like territory. The arrangement cleverly alternates Folk phrasing with open, washed-out Psych passages, and the band’s control of tempo and texture is striking. Percussive accents and modal melodies keep the track grounded in tradition while keyboards and reverb-soaked guitars push it into Progressive territory — the result is both earworm and cerebral, a song that plants itself in the listener’s head without sacrificing musical ambition. “Ohyra,” the album’s shortest piece, is a compact Folk-Rock blast: propulsive, direct and immediate. It channels an almost Jethro Tull–ish timbre at times — flute work and choppy acoustic interplay — but there’s a Northern severity that gives the song its own identity. The track works as a concentrated protest vignette, concise yet forceful. With “Symfoni” the band turns inward. This is one of the record’s more fragile moments: hushed choral vocals, gauzy organ lines and an intimate arrangement invite a suspended, almost cinematic listening experience. It’s melancholic and tender, a perfect foil to the more rhythmically assertive numbers. “Tröst” keeps the contemplative mood but introduces a haunting vocal counterpoint that becomes the piece’s emotional anchor. The band demonstrates a real talent for writing harmonies that feel earned — voices that sit in the mix as instruments themselves, weaving around acoustic motifs until a controlled crescendo brings in a heartfelt solo. The end of side A (as arranged by the band) fades out with deliberate sweetness, leaving room for the second half to deepen the record’s narrative. Side two reasserts the record’s Rock backbone. “Den som sover ska få se” returns to a more percussive, tribal propulsion — a passage where Progressive instincts meet Folk-driven rhythm. The track’s chantlike choruses and punchy rhythm section recall the more militant strains of 70s Prog while remaining contemporary in production. It’s a strong centrepiece that underlines the band’s political intent, a quality they address directly in interviews about housing, migration and social justice. “Flyttar från stan” is a study in contrasts: shimmering Psych textures cushion a sturdy Folk core, and the song’s multi-section structure demonstrates Orkan’s comfort with extended forms. The band is adept at creating sections that feel inevitable — motifs reappear, mutate, and resolve in ways that reward repeated listens. “Sanningen om spöket” leans heavily on atmosphere. A long instrumental passage allows guitar and keys to explore modal tonalities and subtle rhythmic shifts; the track functions as the album’s dream sequence — smoky, recursive and quietly strange. Here the production choices (delay, space, and gentle reverb) serve the composition, not the other way around. The closer, “Vem bryr sig?” is the record’s most ambitiously Progressive piece. Over its extended runtime the band navigates shifts of tempo, vocal groupings and instrumental climaxes with assurance. Choirlike vocal parts and wind instruments thread through a dense tapestry of guitars and keys; by the time the final, dirty guitar solo arrives the album has completed a satisfying arc from pastoral reflection to charged, full-band assertion. It’s a fitting coda that leaves the listener both satisfied and curious to return to the record. Orkan’s production philosophy on “Vakendrömmar” favours live takes and organic layering, and it shows. The record breathes: instruments sit naturally in the mix, dynamics are preserved, and the occasional studio experiment (additional flutes, guest parts) enhances rather than distracts. Vocally, the band finds strength in ensemble textures — the harmonies often become the song’s central instrument. Rhythmically, the players are tight without being forced, which is essential for material that moves between Folk cadences and Progressive complexity. “Vakendrömmar” is an accomplished record: a mature synthesis of Swedish Folk tradition and Psych-Prog exploration. Orkan honour their lineage — the echoes of November, Nationalteatern and a 70s Progg sensibility are audible — but they repurpose these elements into a contemporary statement that’s both warm and unafraid to be political. Nine tracks that balance intimacy and reach, the album rewards both repeat plays and close listening. Recommended for fans of Folk-tinged Progressive Rock and Psych-inflected songwriting with a distinctly Nordic character.
Tracklist
01. Vågorna (04:02)
02. Ytan (05:03)
03. Ohyra (02:51)
04. Symfoni (03:11)
05. Tröst (04:08)
06. Den som sover ska få se (03:41)
07. Flyttar från stan (04:43)
08. Sanningen om spöket (04:09)
09. Vem bryr sig? (06:16)
Lineup
Kim Bertilsson / Saxophone, Backing Vocals
Josefine Green / Guitar, Harmonica, Flute, Vocals
Moa-Linn Rosenlöf / Drums, Percussion, Clarinet, Vocals
Fredrik Pettersson / Guitar, Bass (track 8), Backing Vocals
Theresia Dufva / Bass (tracks 7, 9)
Tom Milner / Bass (tracks 1–6), Organ
Johan Weber / Pedal Steel
Robin Green / Piano
Read our Excluisve Interview with Orkan here: [Interview] Exclusive interview with the Swedish Psych-Prog band Orkan