‘Stars Tonight’ by Dig Deeper (EP)

Dig Deeper: marrying American alt-rock with Nordic psych. Photo: Julie Marie Naglestad

The new EP from Einar, Øystein, Jørgen and Raymond is a welcoming remedy of expansive alt-rock that invites everyone in

The music of Dig Deeper has been described as ‘Norwegian mountain rock’. Their new EP is a reaction to the strict immigration policies in their home country and their expansive sound, broadcast from the top of their rocky summit, is suitably boundary defying in its scope – marrying American alt-rock with Nordic psych.

Stars Tonight (Have You Seen) is the kind of polished jam that you’d hear on Neil Young’s Sleeps With Angels and, like Mr Young, it’s unable to hide its political discontent – finding the band “disgusted with this government”. Underneath the protest is a deep groove of mammoth proportions. Two Broken Fingers is a looser jam, a slightly trippy coat with which to wash the song’s more intimate narrative which eventually breaks out into a glacially cool instrumental passage.

The third and final track of the EP is Swimming In Mexico, on which Einar Kaupang’s vocals evoke the spirit of Jason Molina. Lost in itself, he sings of “going nowhere”, and for a lasting while the song follows suit hovering in that space and drifting into the night sky. This music is rich and inviting, a welcome antidote to the forces they stand against.

Verdict: If this is Norwegian mountain rock then take us to Galdhøpiggen this instant

Duncan Haskell

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.