Let's hear someone say that concept albums are dead, that rock music no longer tells stories and that prog rock is a purely intellectual pleasure. All nonsense. Because with Sommargryningslys, Kaipa has released exactly that: a prog rock album that tells a story.

Sommargryningslys is the Swedish word for summer dawn. It forms the end point for the eight songs in total, in which the music travels from dusk through the night to dawn.

The journey was the brainchild of Hans Lundin, who is now 76 years old and founded the band Kaipa in 1973. The band's 15th album features keyboarder and singer Lundin, guitarist Per Nilsson, Jonas Reingold on bass, drummer Darby Todd and singers Aleena Gibson and Patril Lundström as the regular line-up. The sextet is complemented by violinist Elin Rubinsztein, Fredrik Lindquist on recorder and whistles and Olof Åslund on saxophone.

The first two pieces of Sommargryningsljus describe dusk as a prelude and the last two represent dawn. A nocturnal odyssey unfolds between these two poles, which can be seen as a metaphor for the state between death and rebirth or as an allegory of life in reverse order.

The lyrics, some of which are performed in polyphony or in alternating voices, are partly in English and partly in Swedish. This is charming and authentic, but without a booklet it is unfortunately only a sound phenomenon at times, so that the meaning of the lyrics remains hidden. In the darkness of the night, as it were.

This does not detract from the music. The tracks are full-bodied, classic progressive rock that evokes the feel and opulence of the 1970s and 80s with the means of modern sound possibilities. And Kaipa doesn't skimp on the length of the tracks either - dynamics, drama and atmosphere can easily extend to 10 minutes or more. This is musical storytelling with staying power. Who dares to do that today?

Sommargryningsljus is an impressive album. Sensitive, powerful and consistently musical, it is pleasantly entertaining for a good 80 minutes and when the last note fades away, a beautiful euphony remains as an echo of what has just been heard.

It's nice that this still exists. (Thomas Semmler, HighResMac)

Hans Lundin, keyboards, vocals
Per Nilsson, electronic & acoustic guitars
Jonas Reingold, electric basses
Darby Todd, drums
Patril Lundström, vocals
Aleena Gibson, vocals Guests:
Elin Rubinsztein, violin
Fredrik Lindqvist, recorders, whistles
Olof Åslund, saxophone