Agusa

Swedish Psychedelic Prog Rock Band

Agusa are a Swedish heavy progressive/psychedelic rock and folk/cross-culture band, formed in Malmö in 2013. They started as a quartet when Mikael Ödesjö (guitar), Tobias Pettersson (bass) and Jonas Berge (keyboards) early in 2013 met at drummer Dag Strömqvist's home for a jam session in the tiny village of Agusa, in the far south of Sweden some 100 km northeast of Malmö. It went so well they decided to form a band. Already in 2014 and after only one album, 'Högtid' ("Holiday"), Dag Strömqvist left the band and was replaced by Tim Wallander. Flautist Jenny Puertas had guest played on their second album, 'Två' ("Two"), after which she joined the band who now became a five-piece. Mikael and Tobias had already recorded a one-off album with some of the musicians from Danish psyche/rock band Spids Nøgenhat, the result being Kama Loka, an album of psyche/prog/folk that was released in 2013. In a 2017 interview, former folk music and prog and hard rock musician Tobias and jazz, blues and fusion musician Tim (who also plays in a Balkan band) both confessed their love for Swedish "psychedelic rock turned cross-culture folk-rock and jamming band" Kebnekajse, as well as similar, Swedish bands such as Fläsket Brinner, Träd, Gräs Och Stenar, Trettioåriga Kriget and Arbete Och Fritid, all who part of the 70s wave of often politically charged bands in the so called "proggen", a word derived from the word progressive, but not the same as today's genre prog rock...several added folk music, others were troubadours, and some were more involved in RIO, Rock In Oppostion, than others, although in a democracy they mostly opposed over gender inequality, foreign dictatorships and commercial music. They particularly mention Kvartetten Som Sprängde and their only album, 'Kattvals' ("Cat Waltz") from 1973. Their song 'Gånglåt från Valhallavägen' is actually partially included in Agusa's 'Gånglåt från Vintergatan' from their 2nd album. Amon Düül were also mentioned, whereas Jenny used to play folk music and Mikael, who's played some South American music and tries to give their compositions a Latin touch, listens to "everything from the 70s". After their 5th album, 'In Concert' 2018, some changes were happening. Jonas Berge decided to put all his efforts into Øresund Space Collective, and on Agusa's other live release that year, 'Ekstasis - Live In Rome', Danish keyboard player Jeppe Juul had taken over the keys. For their 7th album, the somewhat different 'En annan värld' ("Another World") in 2021 - their first studio outing in four years - Tobias Pettersson had also left, and new members are Simon Ström on bass, and Roman Andrén on organ.