Hailing from Sweden, Gaupa (Lynx) are a unique band operating within a stoner, psyche realm that takes Dead Can Dance as its starting point and expands out from there. The band achieved no small amount of success when, following their 2020 full-length debut (Feberdröm), the band signed to Nuclear Blast. From there, the band appeared to be on the ascent only to find themselves somewhat derailed when, in 2024, guitarist Daniel Nygren departed to focus on his family life. Forced to reassess their own creative process, the band regrouped to record a four-track mini album, FYR, which marks the start of the next phase in their career.
The album opens with the elegant beauty of Lion’s Thorn, which nods to both Dead Can Dance and The Gathering circa Mandylion. An airy, experimental piece it finds the band slowly building the tension, adopting a cinematic approach to composition that provides the perfect frame for Emma Näslund’s stunning vocals. So hypnotic is the piece that, when the guitars do finally detonate – at around the three-minute mark – the effect is nothing less than seismic. Aided no end by the depth of Karl Daniel Liden’s deft skills at the mixing desk, it’s a remarkable opening track, showcasing the band’s newfound sense of purpose.
A shorter piece, Heavy Lord finds the band opting for the sort of stabbing guitar riff that drives the best moments of the Foo Fighters (think One By One) and the result is a surprisingly brisk little number with more than a passing resemblance to early Skunk Anansie in its power and delivery. It’s followed by the similarly svelte Ten Of Twelve, which adopts a proggier posture, the stair-stepping riff and thunderous bass driving the piece forward with real energy. You can check it out below and, if you don’t find yourself hooked, I’m not sure we can really help you further.
This mini album wraps up with another lengthier workout. Titled Elastic Sleep, it finds the band combining the progressive structures of Ten Of Twelve with the more ambient leanings of Lion’s Thorn. As such, it emerges as the most fully-formed of the tracks on offer here, almost as if you’re hearing the band evolve in real time, and it paints a more than hopeful picture of the band’s future.
With their impressive musicianship and disdain for genre boundaries, Gaupa are that rarest of beasts – an original act in an increasingly anodyne environment. However, as musically powerful as the band are, it is Emma Näslund who proves their secret weapon. A stunning vocalist, Emma has real presence, drawing from the likes of Skin and Bjork to offer up a mesmerising performance that has you hooked throughout.
A too-short album, but a welcome return nevertheless, FYR is a compelling record that will delight fans and ensnare the unfamiliar. Well worth checking out. 8/10
