Trying to implant yourself in a lineage that’s produced some of the most iconic alternative rock music of the late ’90s and early ’00s is a hard thing to do if your songs don’t hold up to scrutiny; that much should be a given. Les Dunes from Haugesund, Norway evoke shades of post-rock and Codeine-esque slowcore with their music, and luckily for them, they don’t fall prey to the hubris inherent in their approach. In fact, one might argue that they deliver a similar feel, just set in a different time.
Les Dunes are Per Andreas Haftorsen on guitar, Morten Jackman on drums, and Per Steinar Lie on bass. Their shared résumé should ideally lend credence to the fact that they are serious about their work, as these three have (individually) been involved in projects such as The Low Frequency in Stereo, Undergrünnen, Lumen Drones, Helldorado, and Action & Tension & Space.
“Lost Signal from Utsira” is the first single off their upcoming sophomore record From Etne to the Edge of Space, due out in September 2025 via Kapitän Platte. Weightless guitars, crunchy bass, and punchy drums evoke shades of post-rock before the takeover of crescendo-core, while also hinting at the emotional heft of slowcore. As one might expect, the track ploughs through several peaks and subtle moments of respite, only ever exploding into a fuzzy riff moments before its resolution.
As you can see above, “Lost Signal from Utsira” comes with an accompanying music video, which is composed of slowly-shifting shots of nature, streets, and other such ephemera, spliced with the occasional live and studio footage. At times, the imagery is color-graded to evoke a certain fleeting aura, like night drives without a clear destination. Here, the musical identity of Les Dunes is mirrored through visual components, and it results in a coherent and deeply resonant package.
As I said above, Les Dunes‘ sophomore album From Etne to the Edge of Space will be out in September via Kapitän Platte. If you wish to follow them on social media until the grand reveal, you can do so by following these links: Facebook | Instagram. You can check out their previous self-titled record on Bandcamp.