Herman Düne

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• Herman Dune isn’t a Swedish band, you know. Now consisting of the duo of David-Ivar and Neman Dune, they’re actually French and have been happy for many years to let the rumour mill do the talking for them. Men of few words, they only really come alive when they make it to the stage. Herman Dune are into double figures for their albums, and that’s despite only forming around the year 2000. Nothing much changes as each record is released; their music is ostensibly folk, influenced by west coast US harmonics, Bob Dylan and The Velvet Underground and often beautifully, lushly arranged. When it comes to seeing the band live, though, it’s often just a two-piece setup of guitar and drums. It feels and looks slightly ramshackle and fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants, but it’s a heck of a lot of fun. The bearded David doesn’t do much audience interaction, but that’s hardly needed when he plays and sings so beautifully. Away from the studio versions ‘I Wish That I Could See You Soon’ becomes a flighty sing-along recalling the story telling simplicity of Belle & Sebastian, and with its spiralling and handclapping rhythms, ‘Tell Me Something I Don’t Know’ is both conversational and intimate…but each track feels like it should be a hit, such is the immediacy of Herman Dune’s music. Yes, a hit in an alternate universe where Dylan was number one each week, but is that so bad? When you see bands in concert, it’s often the sparsest arrangements that work best and when there’s just guitar and drums in front of you, Herman Dune are the Kings of keeping things nice and simple.

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  by AndyHannah