HERMAN DUNE ( - FR)
Following the success of the appropriately named “Giant” and “Next Year In Zion”, “Strange Moosic” marks the big return to roots of French-Swedish duo Herman Dune. Made in Portland, Oregon, this new album puts Herman Dune once again at the top of French folk. On this album, we hear the folk roots and especially the pop that they introduced us to on the first albums. Of course they are a far cry away from the roughness and lo-fi of their beginnings. But from the first few seconds, we get the feeling that Herman Dune are going back to basics. “Strange Moosic” doesn’t really fit its name. There’s no strange music on this record, which is perhaps the most American of their entire discography. The writing of David-Ivar and Neman alongside Ben Pleng and Jack Lewis amongst others, evokes the same school of thought as Jonathan Richman, Velvet Underground and country music. We didn’t expect any less from these “almost friends” who have been with us now for more than ten years.
