Johan Steensland- Duality Progressive Voyages Review PV092

Johan Steensland – Duality -  Progressive  Voyages Review PV092

Where would Progressive be without concept albums?

That is a good question, I personally feel that “concepts and concept albums are an important part of what makes Progressive Rock Music so very endearing and special to us  Afficionado's.  I like an album that hangs it’s thoughts on a concept. No matter how strange or outlandish.  I like that its proponents have diligently thought through their chosen concept and have applied their learning into fashioning the music of the album in such  a way that takes the listener somewhere they might otherwise never venture to, consider or visit or explore for themselves.  A Progressive Voyages of sorts even!

This album from Swede Johan Steensland is his second upon returning to music after a career in science in America.  Johan Steensland hails from Uppsala Sweden.   An area well known in Progressive music circles as home to  The Flower King’s, HFMC  and Kaipa.

Duality is Johan’s second solo release after the release of Crossfade in.  That album was  originally recorded in 1988 but revisited and re-recorded in 2024, Duality ( this new album recorded in 2025) Explores the subject of a writer (Eddie) who has done research on psychopath’s and written a book about that subject, their crimes and  who  has interviewed psychopaths to see what makes them the way they are as part of his research before writing his book.  On his way to his publisher he (Eddie) is involved in a vehicle crash and ends up in hospital with Amnesia.  The tale is about the evolving relationship with his nurse (Lydia)  and Eddie's self realisation that he is not a good man at all.  The album explores this concept more fully through its 2 parts, Confusion (7 tracks) and Attraction (5  tracks) the key roles are played by Johan as Eddie and Aleena Gibson as Lydia.  There are also musical appearances from Per Nilsson e (Kaipa) guitar on tracks 4, 5,6& 10. Ingemar Brandt Piano – Track 3 and Ove Eriksson Fretless Bass- Track 9 and also from Ture Trygger Flute on Tracks 3 and 12, everything else is performed by Johan himself.

The album commences with a short instrumental Fragments  which works as a lead into proceedings with a fluid guitar lines piano motif and synths.

They Believe That I Am Kind follows with the refrain Wake Up, here Johan sounds very Gabrielesesque in his vocal tones, the track sounds very much like something that could have been on Peter Gabriel albums 1 (car) 2 (scratch)  or 3 (Melt). This is followed by Only Good Men, this song is about Eddie hating the thought of being bad and about how Lydia seeks to reassure him and that what he fears is as a result of a world that has disappointed him.

The Shredded Suit is next and this has a sprightly opening guitar line that grabs the attention.  The song is about how a Shredded suit represents a past he is afraid to remember, this song really takes you into the heart of the story as it reveals the fears Eddie is apprehensive about tackling head on.

A Perfect Lie is next and this involves Eddie using a spotting scope to look around.  As he does, he sees nothing  that reassures him and Lydia sees his frustration in this.

This frustrates her as she can see much of value in him.  An Ordinary Man follows in this song we can sense that Eddie has recovered to the point of being ready to leave and return to normal life, He tells Lydia that he is immune and ready to return. Although he feels he will never be an ordinary man.

Let Me In follows and concludes the Confusion element of the story.  This is the stage at which we see Eddie and Lydia want more from their interactions and possibly a life together.  Eddie saying he can offer nothing and Lydia responds in saying we forget and have secrets, all of us and the both agree the world is so much larger than the two of us.

Walking In A Straight Line opens up the second part of our story: Attraction  this commences with synths and a strong upfront  fretless bass line.  In this song Eddie is preparing to return to a life he had left behind although he feels Lydia is everything and everyone to him now and is eager to see where these feelings may lead him.

The Dr Dorian Dance is next, this is an up-tempo and somewhat funky song designed to replicate a dance between Eddie and Lydia.  This song has a good guitar break in the middle section that snakes around the melody, it is very effective indeed.

I do like the dynamics of this song.

What Would You Give is about Eddie and Lydia wanting to be together and to face Eddie’s darkness as he wants to be an ordinary man once more.

The album concludes with Here and Now, this is an interesting conclusion to our story, as they both realise that here and now might not be the right time for their dreams. There will be a time at some point but is it here and now.  The album concludes with Eddie and Lydia realising that the here and now they are seeking is literally here and now.

I found this album musically strong and satisfying but the storyline to be a little unclear and abstract, when at its simplest form it is a love story.

It is possibly a little too theatrical for many although it is clear that this an accomplished release that has an interesting back story to it.

Why not have a listen and make your own decision.

Info here: www.johansteensland.bandcamp.com

Author John Wenlock-Smith