We get acquainted with Fabian Brusk Jahn thanks to his unique and atmospheric EP, In The Dungeons of Bäckabo.

By Graeme Smith

New to our blog, Fabian is an innovative artist who I’m looking forward to getting to know better.

His new EP is set against a background of dreams and fairy tales with each track exploring a different emotional scenario from the familial to the romantic to the interpersonal to the self.

Starting with the record’s title track, we get an instant sense of the timeless. A jazzy, vaudevillian instrumental creates atmosphere while Fabian’s characterful vocals tell a haunting tale. Rich imagery renders to life his symbolic story of being trapped in the underworld with his son.

Nightwalk takes things in an introspective and acoustic direction. Its lyrics remain poetic, taking centre stage against the stripped-back backdrop. They tell a story of tentative love. Staging keeps things stripped-back while introducing elements of dark folk and country. It’s a dreamy highlight.

Skepp Ohoj livens things up without losing any of the atmosphere with a bluesy singalong number before Gubbskrutt Trudilutt closes the EP with a meditative piano and guitar arrangement.

Fabian’s new EP is one that is easy to get absorbed into. The combination of his atmospheric instrumentals and image-laden lyrics means each track envelops you. Cutting through it all is substance, as Fabian grapples with the difficult emotions that we all feel from time to time. It’s simply beautiful.

In the Dungeons of Bäckabo was produced by Johan Östling with co-producing by Fabian Brusk Jahn and Joel Bjurbo. It’s out on 6 December 2024 via Gothenburg, Sweden-based label Suicide records.