After two years as a band, the up-and-coming folk-rock band, Gangar finally releases their first EP! Gangar combines folk music with jazz, metal, and rock in the most natural way. They find old traditional tunes in folk music archives and arrange them with inspiration from bands such as Hoven Droven, AC/DC and Meshuggah.
"Norwegian folk rock has been down and out ever since Gate was cool. Finally, someone has done something about it! Nice, cool and fun, Gangar has everything. If they don't make you happy, you are an angry person" – Tuva Syvertsen
"Tre Danser" refers to the three tunes on the EP and to Gangar's signature dance, "The Tree Dance", where you lock your legs, lift your arms, and sway like a tree with the wind.
The three tunes show the broad musical spectrum in Gangar's repertoire, from the heavily arranged heavy metal composition "Fjellets melodi", after Ola Loseth (Rindal, More og Romsdal, 1897-1978), to a tune rocking like a merciless freight train, "Reinlender fra Aseral", after Gunnar Austegard (Aseral, Vest-Agder, 1884-1973). "Gammel vals fra Rindalen" consists of a beautiful and sweet melody in contrast to a hard and mean riff, meaning that you have to listen very carefully to realize that it is a waltz.
Front person and fiddle player Mattias Thedens grew up in a folk music family, having played Norwegian and American folk music since he was 9 years old. Saxophonist Oskar Lindberget is firmly planted in jazz tradition, despite his young age he has contributed to no less than 18 recordings. Guitarist Richard Max has a background as a drummer and hardcore fan of prog metal, he's the cause of the syncopated rhythms and guitar riffs with heavy distortion. Drummer Henrik Dullum grew up with rock music, first time exposed to folk music when he moved to the big city Oslo from Trondheim. Bassist Jonas Thrana Jensen has a basis in popular music and rock, finding Gangar to peek his interest to explore the folk music traditions.
"To headbang to three different traditional tunes, is something I never thought I would do" – bassist Jonas Thrana Jensen
Mattias Thedens: fiddle, Hardanger fiddle; Oskar Lindberget: saxophone; Richard Max: electric guitar; Henrik Dullum: drums; Jonas Thrana Jensen: electric bass
Produced by folk rock legend and fiddle player in Hoven Droven: Kjell-Erik Eriksson
