New Music Reviews: Dina Ögon, Jill Scott

Always welcome, Dina Ögon deliver another album of smooth Scandinavian pop. American neo-soul singer Jill Scott is back for her first album in more than a decade.

Dina Ögon

Människobarn

2026, 8/10
Swedish band Dina Ögon comprise lead vocalist Anna Ahnlund, drummer Christopher Cantillo, guitarist/keyboardist Daniel Ogren, and bassist Love Orsan. The band’s name translates to “your eyes” in English. They released their debut album in 2021, but the members are in their 30s and 40s.

Dina Ögon describe their music as “a love child between Fleetwood Mac, Khruangbin, and obscure Motown B-sides.” Their recent DJ mix for KEXP is pleasingly eclectic – you’ve got to respect a band who enjoys 1970s folk-rockers Steeleye Span, and 1990s hip-hop crew Naughty by Nature. They sound exotic and fresh, yet their songs are robust and tuneful.

The opening title track is as peppy and escapist as before. But overall, Människobarn is folkier and more restrained than their previous work – the closing ‘Helena’ is surprisingly close to Big Thief. ‘Orden Brann’ mixes choral vocals with a dance beat, and it’s surprisingly fulfilling.

Dina Ögon try mellow pastures on Människobarn, but they’re reliably smooth and tuneful.

Jill Scott

To Whom This May Concern

2026, 8.5/10
Philadelphia neo-soul artist Jill Scott has been a critical favourite since her 2000 debut album. She’s always forged her own path, honest and idiosyncratic. t’s been a long time between albums – she released Woman back in 2015. She’s dabbed in acting, but mostly she’s been waiting for inspiration.

My process kind of works like this: I wait to be inspired. And that takes time and patience til the words are dripping out of my mouth.
Jill Scott, Instagram

To Whom This May Concern is perhaps most notable for its unflinching portrayal of lust. It might be too much if it weren’t for her superlative command of language. On ‘Don’t Play’, Scott instructs her lover with rich similes:

So hard like a K-Dot lyric, then Sweet
Like my grandma’s yams
With the marshmallows on top
Pineapples and candied pecans, come on

She’s also attention-grabbing on the big-band sound of ‘Pay U On Tuesday’ with a profane, commanding vocal. But much of the record is classy R&B like ‘Pressha’.

To Whom This May Concern runs for almost an hour, but it’s engrossing.

3 Comments

Badfinger (Max)

April 11, 2026 / 10:44 am Reply

Dina Ögon is almost atmospheric…not defined…but I ended up liking it….I do like the groove of it. I like that simple guitar see-saw they had at the end as well.
Jill Scott is like old time R&B with a little jazz thrown in.
- Aphoristical
  
  April 12, 2026 / 9:15 am Reply
  
  That’s one of Dina Ögon’s more out-there songs – plenty of slick pop/rock that I think would appeal to fans of 1970s music if they knew about them.
  - Badfinger (Max)
    
    April 12, 2026 / 10:13 am Reply
    
    I agree…I heard it and that is why I liked it the more I heard.