Multi-instrumentalist Mattias Gustavsson of Dungen enlists a few kindred spirits to help him create a joyous album celebrating the wonders of nature. Despite my initial wariness of its sunny outlook, this album turned out to be surprisingly well-rounded. It has stylistic changes, beautiful arrangements, and excellent singing in equal measure and yet still manages to take enough chances to keep it unpredictable.
Although they share an occasional stylistic signpost with Dungen, Life On Earth! is its own creature. The group's most Dungen-sounding track is the opener, which surprised me considering it's called "Life on Earth." I was taken aback by the opening flute solo, but as it builds in intensity and the anticipation grows, the rush of instruments that follows in its wake is that much more of a balm. The next song, "Sell Your Soul to Me," convinced me to do just that. Amazing harmonies, a relaxing tempo, and Eastern drones oscillating in the background combined for blissful effect, further aided by the brief but fiery freak-out that erupts in the middle.
Another big difference from Dungen is that Gustavsson sings in English. He has great control over his voice and is able to sing convincingly over a loud band or lead an acoustic song with equal captivation. Additionally, the treatment of vocals on this album respects and utilizes the voice as an instrument in a way that a lot of rock music doesn't anymore. A good example of this is "City on the Sea," with its tender main vocal overtaken by an increasing number of voices weaving through the mix like spirits.
Sometimes the focus can shift within a song quite drastically. "Life Turns Fast" begins as a blistering rocker that's eventually smothered by wordless singing. From here, the song collapses into a percussive maelstrom, which is then further deconstructed by effects. Even the mellow songs aren't lacking for complexity. While the harmonies at the beginning and end of "You Are There" may reveal the band's unabashed admiration for the Beatles' "Sun King," the starkly epic excursion in its middle indicates a celestial body altogether alien. And on the otherwise light and fragile "Barefoot on Tiptoe," quiet microtonal violins add subtle abrasion to lend the track a textural integrity found lacking in some of the dopier examples of optimistic music in recent history.
The instruments and arrangements are constantly evolving all over this album, yet they're blended with such a master touch that the shifts feel natural rather than jarring, even when the group interjects noisy electronic instruments. The production detail makes these gorgeous songs something special. The album is a fun ride the whole way through: a harmless but satisfying way to derange the senses.
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