Nicolai Dungers strength is also his weakness. He is headstrong, profound, commercial and hard at the same time. Operate in a genre that is traditional – singer / songwriter rock with Van Morrison-influenced – but refuses to surrender during the frame. Pry and twist all the time, in the Edith-interpretations and wholly instrumental discs. That makes him interesting, yet so difficult to place. On the last album, Play, he landed just right: a great, soulful, yet with that Dungerska twist. Ballad of this land is still a new chapter: A folk-inspired, narrative album that arose after that Nicolai Dunger lived in the Irish countryside and met folk musician Tommy Daron. It’s acoustic guitar and fiddle, and sounds like a whole traditionally and somewhat smooth brushed – the songs are not so strong in itself. But then the unexpected chord changes, as in This country, and makes it dreamlike and magical. So, it is also in duet with Sarah Isaksson, Lost in freedom, the eternal dilemma of the restless choose the great freedom, or settle down with security. The repetition of sentences in which only subjects exchanged becomes very effective: “Here I go, blame it on freedom, leaving her and my little one behind / There you go, leaving me and my little one behind.”Maybe it’s the best thing Ballad of this country. Dungers search for new expressions are still ongoing.