Dinner – Dream Work

Danish ambient composer Anders Rhedin presents the re-emergence of his alter-ego Dinner with a beautiful new electro/indie/pop album, Dream Work. Recorded in Copenhagen, all the songs are written by the artist, except for Like You Said (Charlie Hilton/Dinner) and Grateful (Kim LAS/Dinner).

Retro sounds combined with the futuristic appear throughout the record. Influences are eclectic, including Japanese meditation (Ryuichi Sakamoto), Egyptian mythos, the occult, early British indie and nature-inspired tones. 

Dinner channels Leonard Cohen in the dreamy, dynamic synth-pop first track Midnight in My Head, while the upbeat and nuanced How We Talk presents gorgeous instrumentals with a bluegrass twang alongside smooth vocals. Moody, philosophical Big Empty Sky features lush guitar and mellifluous progressions and transitions. 

Like You Said is buoyant and fresh, merging a Cowboy Junkies vibe with 60s/70s rock and a sultry duet that recalls early Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin. Opening with astral synth and a monastic aura, Anima transitions to a rapid tempo, yet calm rock, with 90s alternative electric guitar and soft vocals: “Gonna make you holy”.

Cohen-style singing returns with spacey, gorgeous instrumentals, electro-synth and ethereal verses in Connection – highlighted by a textured weaving of vibrant, rounded tones in two parallel guitar chords. Strong, grave bass licks and wistful acoustic characterise otherworldly and downtempo synth track Spirit Voices, and a more retro style permeates with Rhedin’s low-pitched voice in the innovative, uplifting Grateful (Best Shit): “Best shit, beat of my heart”.

With a long, purely musical intro (starting with synth, then guitar, and adding instruments one by one) the vigorous Born Again mixes retro rock, alternative, offbeat notes and river sounds. Finally, without vocals, Drom is a fluid, meditative electronic piece with water tones that seems to simulate a sunrise, and gradually fades to silence.   

A return to Dinner’s indie foundations, merged with ingenious eclectic elements, Dream Work is a superb and exhilarating collection. At once classic, organic, contemplative and futuristic, the album is magnetic, captivating and fun.

Catherine Sedgwick

Dream Work is released on 22^nd October 2021. For further information or to order the album visit Dinner’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Anima here: