Legendary Swedish Singer-songwriter Nicolai Dunger releases his latest album Melody Rules. Recorded in Greece and Produced by Jari Haapalainen (The Bear Quartet, The Concretes, Ed Harcourt, Camera Obscura), Melody Rules is a standout album in Nicolai’s classic Americana and soulful singer-songwriting. With strong lead singles ‘Too Be Tough’ (a new soul classic), ‘Melody Rules’ (summertime Americana), and ‘Learning’ (ethereal folk) gaining favor on US Radio and global playlists, ‘Melody Rules’ is set to be one of Nicolai’s best in his long career. Melody Rules is Oct 25th on US label Declared Goods.

 

Nicolai Dunger’s legendary work has spanned over 25 years, with over 25 albums under his name; well known collaborations with Calexico, Will Oldham, Mercury Rev, Ebbot Lundberg, Nina Persson and Esbjörn Svensson Trio; has been heard on Volvo TV ads; and infamously covered by legendary rock star Robert Palmer on his final album. Nicolai’s drive for constantly creating and performing his music shows no signs of slowing with new album Melody Rules.

 

The Nicolai Dunger story goes, that he was discovered singing and playing guitar on his balcony in Piteå, Sweden. Signed to Telegram/Warner in 1995, Nicolai’s early recordings were mostly experimental folk music that emerged as his first album Songs Wearing Clothes (1996). With his 2nd album Eventide (1997) recorded together with the string quartet Tämmelkvartetten – the album sold less than the 1,500 copies of the previous album, Dunger, relocated to Stockholm, earning his living as a gardener.

 

Playing at Hultfredsfestivalen, he met Ebbot Lundberg from the Soundtrack of Our Lives and soon they recorded the EP First Born Track (1998), and the next year they recorded This Cloud Is Learning (1999) in the Soundtrack of our Lives’ studio, White Noise. This was Dunger’s most accessible album so far, and got much more attention than the earlier ones and the reactions were favorable. This got attention in France and England, and Dunger went on a tour to the Continent, backing Emiliana Torrini.

 

Meanwhile, Dunger’s record company agreed to let an oil company use one of his songs in a commercial. And although Dunger expressed disapproval regarding this turn of events, he used the money to record planned albums to be part of The Vinyl Trilogy (2002),, recorded together with Esbjörn Svensson’s jazz trio/ Goran Kajfes and the art percussionist ensemble Kroumata. By now Dunger’s known eccentric ways of dodging a breakthrough by releasing unexpected albums, his rural charm, and obvious talent attracted interest by US artists Will Oldham and Jonathan Donahue of Mercury Rev — and finally granted him continued attention from the music press.

 

The most unexpected thing Nicolai could do by now was to release an “easy” album, which is what he did with Soul Rush in 2001. Again backed by the Esbjörn Svensson Trio, Dunger presented a mix of soulful horns and country guitars, not at all unlike an early Van Morrison. And while not being a great commercial success, this album sold many more copies than the previous ones on his new label Virgin and found a US label (Lakeshore). Then 2002’s Tranquil Isolation, an elaborate vision of Americana that was recorded in Kentucky with Will Oldham, brought more attention and press accolades globally. In 2003 Nicolai was asked by US Americana band Calexico to sing lead vocals on their cover of Love’s “Alone Again Or” released on an EP. This followed Nicolai’s collaboration with US band Mercury Rev, recording the improbably named Here’s My Song You Can Have It…I Don’t Want It Anymore/Yours 4-Ever (2004) at the band’s US studio. At this point Nicolai was touring US/UK with the likes of Mercury Rev, Calexico, Rhett Miller, Sufjan Stevens building a somewhat cult following of fans and musicians.

 

By 2006 Dunger released his first of numerous Swedish language albums to come, Sjunger Edith Södergran (2006), and Rosten Och Herren (2007). This followed by English language Nicollide & The Carmic Retribution (2008), Play (2009), Ballads of This Land (2011). Despite Dunger’s international attentions, success never quite caught up to him, despite efforts and his song “Something In The Way” being featured in a U.S. Volvo TV commercial in 2008. But more music and collaborations would follow including a film soundtrack, music for theatre, an opera, and his A Taste Of Ra project for 3 albums. With an album about every year with various flavors of Nicolai’s eclectic styles of Folk, Blues, Jazz, or Soul music, Dunger has laid an impressive legacy of a timeless discography.

 

The Melody Rules sessions took place on the island of Hydra in Greece (The Old Carpet Factory) over a span of 3 days with Nicolai’s longtime friend and collaborator, Producer Jari Haapalainen (The Bear Quartet, The Concretes, Ed Harcourt, Camera Obscura). The album was born out of reconnecting with Jari, going through 25-30 songs, with Jari’s comfortable “hands on” role that helped cement and anchor the songs together. Most of the songs were sprung from Nicolai’s feelings after a long drawn out divorce from 2022, which with Jari helped crystallized into the 10 tracks of Melody Rules.

 

In addition to Nicolai and Jari’s efforts in the Melody Rules recording, the recordings are very much colored by fantastic musicians who have left their mark on this record. These top class musicians are; Simon Swärd’s singing pedal steel guitar, Thomas Tjärnqvist’s natural and swinging bass, Jessica Billey’s americana violin, Markus Olsson as dazzling saxophonist and organist, Sara Isaksson and Sharon Dyall the background choir, and finally Svante Henrysson as master of the cello! The organic and retro-style sound that Jari had made with Nicolai and this with previous Nicolai records was back to make Melody Rules a special album.