Dina Ögon Album Reviews

Dina Ögon are a smooth Swedish supergroup. Lead vocalist Anna Ahnlund, drummer Christopher Cantillo, guitarist/keyboardist Daniel Ogren, and bassist Love Orsan had played in various projects before joining forces. The band’s name translates to “your eyes”.

Dina Ögon describe their music as “a love child between Fleetwood Mac, Khruangbin, and obscure Motown B-sides.” Orsan explained to HHV Mag that “we hear music from all eras and countries”.

The band bounces between folk, soul, and slick pop, but they’re always tuneful and interesting. So far, 2024’s Orion is their best album, recalling the smooth, polished sounds of Japanese City Pop.

10 Best Dina Ögon Songs

Dina Ögon Album Reviews

Dina Ögon

2021, 7.5/10
The four members of Dina Ögon played together for the first time in a Stockholm studio, a small, red 18th-century hut. They wrote together before they rehearsed. Their debut is their most sedate album to date – it emphasises the bossa nova and folk elements of their sound.

But being a Dina Ögon record, it’s still dizzyingly eclectic. ‘Efter Natten’ is a relaxed bossa-nova instrumental, while the verses of ‘Nirvana’ sound like a prime Stereolab song. The opening ‘Sol’ has a sing-along school assembly vibe, while the closing ‘Ficktjuven’ combines clavinet-centred funk with 1990s trip-hop.

Dina Ögon is already ecletic, but in retrospect it might be the band’s tamest album.

Oas

2023, 7/10
Dina Ögon took a year to write the songs for Oas. But they recorded the basic tracks in a single day, before overdubbing the strings and lead vocals.

It’s fun playing spot-the-influence with this band. The verses of ‘Vi smälter’ echo The Byrds ‘Draft Morning’, while the scratchy guitar on ‘Bakom Glaset’ could have come from a 1970s Curtis Mayfield record. There’s a foreboding undercurrent to the semi-instrumental ‘Mellan Slagen’ below the shimmering surface.

Oas is another look into Dina Ögon’s fascinating musical kaleidoscope.

Orion

2024, 9/10
Orion is Dina Ögon’s glossiest album to date. Their smooth, melodic sound is reminiscent of late 1970s yacht rock or 1980s Japanese city pop. There are also traces of bossa nova and funk, with Cantillo’s drumming strong enough to hold disparate strands together. With the exuberant melodies and warm arrangements, their music is gorgeous.

The opening ‘Jag vill ha allt’ is a prime pop confection with a squiggling bassline, classy piano, and a floating chorus melody. ‘Firad’ is another beautiful melody, recalling 1990s trip-hop. Orion isn’t all sugar overload – the title track turns things down a notch, contemplative rather than excitable. The closing ‘Tomma lådor’ is closer to folk than pop, a dignified palate cleanser.

Dina Ögon write terrific pop tunes, synthesising something unique from the past.

Människobarn

2026, 8/10
Dina Ögon’s 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. Människobarn is the band’s weightiest album to date – more emotional, and the first Dina Ögon album to run over 40 minutes.

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 explore mellow pastures on Människobarn, but they’re reliably smooth and tuneful.