DIMBODIUS WHILE WE FALL ALBUM EVENCO RELEASE: OCTOBER 13, 2004 REVIEW: DECEMBER 9, 2004

A feeling of familiar mystery creeps up on you almost immediately, with the first song detonating into your face. When the chimes of a thousand little glass bells and majestic sweeping strings resonate in the air it is quite like watching those first episodes of Twin Peaks for the umpteenth time; you know what’s going to happen, but it’s still magical.
The place now being claimed by Dimbodius has been vacant for some time. Nothing as simultaneously decadent, grand and utterly without irony as The Cure's seminal album ”Disintegration” has been accomplished during the 15 years since its release, though some have tried. The focus of the 80:s revival of later years has been largely on surface, style and imitation. Though plenty of bands have succeeded splendidly in sounding like Joy Division or Jesus & Mary Chain, no one can be bothered to give a toss about them after their first albums.
Enter Dimbodius, whose musical world puts you straight back into the mood of ”Plainsong”. Not being a trained musician, he has put together his album by sampling numerous guitar chords, drum beats and other sounds one by one and assembling them in the studio. The process took several years and accordingly no details on ”While We Fall” have been left to chance.
For a Swedish musician with only an EP behind him, the results are quite stunning. The meticulously crafted soundscapes paint vast canvases of wistful world weariness, without forgetting about strong choruses and pop dynamics for a second. Dimbodius sometimes drifts in different directions, echoing Pet Shop Boys on ”Half a Lover” and approaching epic stadium rock in ”Things I Say”.
There is no doubting Dimbodius sincerity or his exceptional skill when it comes to transforming big feelings into musical form. The only thing missing in the unavoidable comparison with The Cure is decadence and symbolism; where Robert Smith would sprinkle a stardust of ambiguous statements and enticing imagery in his lyrics, Dimbodius’ message is confused and sad, but unlike his music it is rather plain and simple. Life is hard and the sincerest of promises are broken, lovers deceived.
That said, the music is quite enough to warrant the current big stir in the Swedish music press. Dimbodius has delved under the surface of his influences and come up not just with their style but their essence. He is not copying anybody, but filling an emotional niche that has been standing empty for far too long. Everybody can finally turn their attention from silly glam goth and electronic pyrotechnics back to some serious music.

MATTIAS HUSS