Gaupa - Fyr (EP, 2025)
By Flork
Although it took a while for me to get around to it, I still wanted to get a review out by the Gaupa‘s latest release, Fyr, a 4-track Ep that I discovered quite by accident from a song suggestion on Spotify (which turned out to be a serendipitous find). Fyr, which means „four“ in Swedish, but also fire or beacon, is a mini-album that manages to feel transitional, yet fully realised. This time, Gaupa operates as a four-piece band following the 2024 departure of co-guitarist Daniel Nygren (his absence may be temporary with family reasons being cited). No matter though, despite having to rethink their overall sonic architecture, the remaining members have still managed to figure things out nicely with this little gem. In fact, the Swedish doom-psych outfit press forward—they are leaner, heavier, and more atmospheric than ever before (one can’t help imagining how these tracks would have sounded with Nygren’s presence, yet the absence becomes part of the musical tension rather than a limitation).
The opening track Lion’s Thorn sets the tone immediately. It‘s foreboding and ambient with loads of tense guitar work, as well as an intro coloured with subtle Middle-Eastern motifs that give the track a windswept and exotic feeling. This song coils rather than explodes, building pressure beneath thick bass lines from Erik Sävström and whispering guitar textures. Emma Näslund’s vocals are controlled, powerful, and unwavering, guiding the track with an otherworldly calm.
Gaupa’s music usually leans toward psychedelia and progressive doom, but on Fyr, the bass is especially commanding, almost as if it grounds the record with a weight that borders on physical. I also have to add that the production is a bit grittier and abrasive than on past releases, making every riff feel chiseled and rough edged. This is aided by Jimmy Hurtig‘s awesome drumming, which punches through the mix with precision and heft.
The second track, Heavy Lord, which is the shortest track and comes in at just under four minutes, compresses that heaviness into something more direct. It’s another cool tune and acts as a breather before the album widens again. I mean, Lion’s Thorn is a hard act to follow, so Heavy Lord works well as a bridge to the rest of the Ep. The third track Ten of Twelve hits a bit harder and harnesses a driving groove that feels like the band is flexing their stoner-rock muscle, while David Rosberg’s guitar work layers melodic tension over the low-end beats, all the while pushing the EP from atmospheric contemplation toward something more forceful.
Although my favourite track on the EP is Lion’s Thorn, I do like Elastic Sleep very much, an aptly named slow-burner that sprawls outward in waves and captures the group‘s talent for mystic crescendos and psychedelic drift. It‘s both a conclusion and a signal flare, subtly suggesting where the band might go next.
And the Florkman’s prognosis? A definite 10 out of 10. In the broader sense of Gaupa’s discography, such as Feberdröm and Myriad, as well as earlier Eps, Fyr is one of their strongest releases, proof that the band can adapt and evolve through change without losing the surreal mysticism that defines them.
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