DAWN OF OBERON

The Oberon Journey into the World of Tusmørke

Tusmørke is one of the most creative and mysterious bands in the Norwegian prog scene. They mix Nordic folk with psychedelia, Canterbury , and progressive rock, with a unique twist that makes them stand out. Their music has a quirky charm that makes it fun and interesting to listen to.

On their Bandcamp, the band shared that Dawn of Aberon had been in the works for a long time. They added two new members in 2022 Kusken on drums and Herjekongen on keyboards and quickly began shaping this album. Dawn of Aberon grew from jams and rehearsals, and even spawned a sequel called Dusk of Tawblerawn. Though Kusken left the band after eight months, he still helped record the album before his departure.

In my opinion, Dawn of Aberon is Tusmørke's best album so far. The keyboard work is fantastic, bringing in a variety of instruments that feel fresh but still fit together perfectly. While their past albums relied heavily on the Hammond organ, this one brings in Mellotrons, Mini Moog Taurus pedals, and electronic drum pads. Together with their usual folk instruments like flutes and recorders, these additions make the music feel even more magical and otherworldly.

Most of their lyrics are in Norwegian, but their recent albums feature more English, making their music more accessible to listeners outside Norway. The way they blend complex rhythms, electric guitar bursts, and folk roots creates a sound that's both traditional and experimental. You can hear influences from bands like Focus, Egg, National Health, and early '70s Krautrock, but Tusmørke's sound is unique and hard to compare directly to anyone else.

Dawn of Aberon is a conceptual dark fairy tale. It's a journey through old forests with Oberon, the fairy king, leading the way through beautiful melodies and strange, eerie sounds. The themes of nature and mysticism are always present but never too over-the-top. The lyrics can be cryptic at times, but they keep a playful tone that makes the album both smart and fun.

The production is also worth mentioning. The album has a vintage, analog feel that adds to its old-world charm. The arrangements are layered, keeping things interesting even during the quieter moments. Sometimes the pace slows down, but this gives the listener a moment to breathe before the music picks up again.

The album artwork, created by Norwegian artist Sverre Malling, is stunning. His detailed, creepy mystical designs match the album's themes perfectly and make the visual side just as captivating as the music.

Overall, Dawn of Aberon is a great mix of folk, prog, and psychedelic rock. The record is worth the time and money, especially for the title track?a brilliant 18-minute masterpiece. The album is awesome and fun to listen surrounded by that special aura of the band.

The band on this album includes Benediktator on bass and vocals, Krizla on flute, electronics, and vocals, Herjekongen on synths and keyboards, and Kusken on drums.

TUSMORKE are back with their eleventh studio album called "Dawn Of Oberon". Released in 2024 they are essentially a four piece of bass/vocals, flute, drums and keyboards on this one. The leader Benediktator besides playing bass and singing is credited with a list of instruments as long as my left leg. There are so many flavours of sound on this record. And of course the lyrics are about fairies and their king Oberon. Lots of mellotron and chirping birds. The organ is very active as well, and upfront bass. Yes! And there's plenty of flute and piano.

This was released by Karisma Records. That fourth track on the back of the cd is shown as being 7:78 long. Norway time is longer? Okay an error. They thank a lot of other bands including ACTIONFREDAG, CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN, JORDSJO, WOBBLER and NEEDLEPOINT. I have their debut and this their latest and that's it! I do prefer the debut from 2012, it's more folky and uniform. It will be part of my "best of" Folk list when I get to that.

This 2024 release has it all if your a Prog fan. It's adventerous and fun. Lots of wordless vocals too. They don't take themselves very seriously. I mean to sing "Born to be mild" to that same melody as "Born to be wild" is something. They make children's albums and I feel that comes through here at times. And again keep in mind this is a concept album about the king of the fairies. Funny, my favourite track is the one that is 7:78 in length. Okay 7:58 is what my stereo shows when it ends. That opening bass line as the organ comes in dancing along with vocals is a great start. The birds are chirping and the mellotron is flowing on this one.

I have to mention the opening title track at almost 18 minutes. It embodies so much that we all love about prog. The repeated themes and the instrumental excursions are well done. Lots of flute and organ as well here. I like the vocals a lot on this one. Reminds me of their debut. We get synths standing out on the closer along with those wordless vocals I like. You can almost smell the forests of Norway when listening to this record. A very brown and green recording that creates a woodsy atmosphere.