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In the labyrinth

In the labyrinth is an experimental band/music project. According to the official In The Labyrinth website, their music is best defined as "progressive rock with a strong ethnical element, almost like an early Pink Floyd with both classical and oriental overtones".
Another quotation from their website claims that "the main concern is to mix a wide array of styles to create a symbiosis quite unlike most music heard of today". So obviously the intention is to be a bit of a groundbreaking project and not just maintain the position of yet another mainstream act.
Another quotation: Three CDs and various compilation tracks have been released so far. The texture of these is mostly mysterious and melancholy, often broadened by rich arrangements that feature diverse instrumentation and sometimes vocals. There is an emphasis put on beauty but also on the haunting and the desolate.

Since 1993 In the labyrinth has been led by multi instrumentalist and singer Peter Lindahl.
As well as delivering vocals he performs on a variety of instruments including mellotron, electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, various flutes and woodwinds, synthesizers, samplers, bass, percussion, viola da gamba (viol), Turkish saz, zither, etc and is also responsible as recording engineer and producer.
Peter received a scholarship award granted to him by the Swedish composers' association STIM in 2001.

What influenced their music

According to themselves: One very important source of inspiration for In The Labyrinth is Turkish pop music, referring mainly to artists of the sixties up to the early nineties. Other influential styles are traditional songs of the Middle East, Greek Rebetiko and Indian classical music with artists like Ravi Shankar. Even so called Bollywood has had its impact, also the Italian score composer Ennio Morricone and Goran Bregovic from former Yugoslavia.
A wide array of folk loristic styles ranging from the High Andes to Bretagne and Medieval and early classical music (meaning renaissance and baroque) have left a mark; psychedelic and innovative rock from the sixties too, especially works like The Beatles Revolver and Sgt Pepper, George Harrison’s Wonderwall music, Pink Floyds The piper at the gates of dawn, likewise The Beachboys Pet sounds and Brian Wilson´s Smile. Moving into the seventies, one musician/composer with a huge influence was Bo Hansson, least to mention his first two albums The lord of the rings and The magicians hat and also Mike Oldfield with gems like Ommadawn, to name just a few.

Current line up

Peter Lindahl: Instruments already quoted in the section about Peter Lindahl.

Håkan Almkvist: Sitar, bass. electric guitar, tabla and a large varitey of instruments.
Helena Selander: Female vocals.
Stefan Ottman: Narration, guitar, recorder, synthesizer, background vocals.
Robert Eklund: Archlute, Celtic harp, oud and ukelele.

Also comprising a large number of loosely connected musicians who have been engaged from time to time working sessions for In the labyrinth, these adding instruments like violin, piano accordion, Turkish woodwinds, background vocals, percussion, etc.

Discography

THE GARDEN OF MYSTERIES (APM 9613AT/Symphilis 5 1996 Album release).
This album emerged after the initial set up of the band/project had been dissolved, a constellation once called Aladinns lampa (Aladinn's lantern) which was comprised of Peter Lindahl, Mikael Gejel, Ulf Hansson and Karin Langhard but later to be renamed Labyrint and finally In the labyrinth.

WALKING ON CLOUDS (TAP/RHCD21), TAP / Record heaven 1999 Album release). A new direction showed influences from India, which partly owed itself to Håkan Almkvist who arrived in 1997, thus becoming a permanent member, and of Peter Lindahl and his wife travelling around the subcontinent during that same year.

DRYAD (TAP/RHCD 65), TAP / Record heaven2002 Album release). Dryad continues in much the same vein as its predecessors while the cover art features (as with The garden of mysteries) one of Peter Lindahl's paintings.

Single tracks by In The Labyrinth on various CD compilations

Higher and higher - A tribute to the Moody blues (MMP 481 ABC): Mellow Records CD release in 2004.

One world tapestry (FGBG 4714.AR):MuseaCD release in 2007.

Rökstenen tribute album : ColossusCD release in 2009.

The Vegetable man 10" project (OV002): Oggetti volanti non identificati 10" vinyl release in 2003.

The Vegetable man project vol 3 (OV004): Oggetti volanti non identificati CD release in 2004.

Floralia vol.3 (Wot 4 CD 99003): Wot4 records CD release in 1999.

Peter Lindahl

Psychedelic Sweden In 2008 Transsubstans records/Record heaven released a solo CD by Peter feauturing reissued vintage recordings which he made in and around the early seventies. Fred Trafton of The Gibralter encyclopedia of progressive rock commented this album as being very Beatles-like in texture and sound.

References

In the labyrinth on The Gibralter encyclopedia of progressive rock
Dryad reviewed on Progressive world
Walking on clouds reviewed on Progressive world
Interview with Peter Lindahl on Lost frontier
Interview with Peter Lindahl by Andrew Holborn, 3rd Ear
In the labyrinth on Mellow's prog bazaar
In the labyrinth on Psychevanhetfolk
In the labyrinth on Prog archives
In the labyrinth on Meadow music
Walking on clouds on Ground and sky reviews
Walking on clouds on Peacework
Dryad at Aural innovations
The garden of mysteries on Progarchives
Higher and higher on Uzbekistan progressive rock pages progressor
One world tapestry on DPRP