A band from the small Danish town of Gjern has an unexpectedly strong musical memory. Wingfish came together in 2002 with Jesper Larsen at its core, their sound being influenced by alternative and progressive rock as well as songwriting styles from Chris Cornell to Josh Homme. During their early years, they produced the Looking Forward EP, and in their later recordings they continued to develop a heavier and more atmospheric style. At present, Larsen is accompanied by Johan Gyrup, who plays guitar, bass, and provides backing vocals, and Thomas Sandfeld on drums. What is especially interesting about this current phase is that Dyads does not attempt to forget the past; instead, it includes the past and lets it play. The album features new studio recordings as well as live performances from 2022 and 2024, so that it is not simply a clear and finished picture but rather a living record of a group that has been constantly evolving.
The best way to welcome Wingfish back is to regard them not as new arrivals but as musicians who have rightly earned the status of being weathered, human, and fully themselves. “Dyads” is a guitar-based rock record characterised by progressive patience, the toughness typical of alternative rock, and a kind of live energy which cannot be created in a clean studio. Over its ten tracks, the album alternates between moments of introspection, uncertainty, confrontation and eventual release, and the production includes sufficient roughness in the sound so that the performances can breathe.
The album makes its first impression with one of its most powerful statements. “Gentle Ally” starts off slowly, developing from quiet guitars and steady drums into a heavier and more intense section. The emotion at its heart seems to revolve around vulnerability, loneliness, and the experience of finding a source of support when life gets hard. Jesper’s way of singing is especially good in this instance: it is weathered, expressive, and flawed in the most desirable way. Instead of aiming for technical perfection, he sings as if he truly believes each word. The guitars then become thicker around him, transforming tenderness into something powerful.
Although it lasts for more than eight minutes, “Sacred Place” is extensive without ending up empty. The title implies a sense of refuge, memory, and the quest for a place—whether physical or emotional—where one can feel complete. Musically, the song makes skilful use of space, with clean and distorted guitar sounds contrasting against a deliberate rhythm section, and it develops into a heavier and more expressive form. Jesper stays at the heart of the piece, but the band begins to act as a single unit. This is exactly what Wingfish are capable of doing: allowing tension to build up rather than rushing towards a climax.
The 2025 version of ‘Blown’ is a revised version of the song first released on Scout in 2019 and serves to link Wingfish’s earlier self with its present identity. The theme appears to be one of internal pressure building up until it reaches a breaking point—entailing frustration, emotional overload, and finally a release. The performance has more psychological impact than technical refinement, the vocals shifting alternately between restraint and force as the arrangement becomes heavier. This is a good illustration of why Dyads functions as a collection: the band is not simply retaining their old material but allowing it to evolve alongside them.
The “I Know Everything – Live 24” section opens with a strong display of attitude. The title carries in it both a sense of confidence and a touch of sarcasm, and the song appears to be questioning certainty, ego, and those people who think they have all the answers. The live format works well for this song since Wingfish allows for interaction between the voice, the guitars, and the drums. The result sounds less controlled and more human, which is in line with the album’s main philosophy.
Choice and escape are central to this track; “100 Ways To Go – Live 24” has the atmosphere of music recorded at a crossroads where one route ends but another could still be ahead. The live version increases this sense of urgency through driving drums, sharp guitar playing, and a vocal performance that moves forward instead of retreating. Johan’s background vocals add a further dimension to the performance, giving the present line-up a more complete live sound. The piece is concluded by a powerful guitar solo.
This piece shows a tendency towards doubt, skepticism, and emotional distance. The song “If You Say So – Live 24” inherently has a touch of irony or a sense of resignation, and Wingfish make good use of this ambiguity. The groove is heavier and more restrained, which enables the band to generate tension without making the arrangement too crowded. Jesper’s performance is so restrained that the uncertainty seems realistic. The live version includes just the right degree of roughness.
The idea of identity and change appears to be the basis of “Someone Else – Live 24”; the song can be seen as being about growing unfamiliar with oneself, observing a person change, or coming to the realisation that a relationship is no longer what it once was. The live version of the song has a shaky quality which in fact matches the theme. Instead of exaggerating the emotion, Wingfish allowed the guitars and the rhythm section to produce the sense of discomfort.
It is more concise and compact than a great deal of the album and achieves a stronger impact through greater efficiency. The images imply flawed origins, destructive tendencies, or difficulties that take hold before we are aware of them. The performance is improved by its brevity, acoustic strumming and electric guitar textures combining well, and Jesper’s voice comes across as direct and emotionally open. This is one of the record’s most immediate live performances.
The question “How Long – Live 22”, the most straightforward on the album, might in fact be the most profound: how long can we wait, put up with, hope, or go on? When heard within a record made up of decades of musical history, the question seems to have a scope greater than the lyrics themselves. The 2022 version has a reflective touch, and its live aspect strengthens the feeling that time is moving on. It gives the impression of a band looking back without becoming stuck in the past.
Ending with an earlier live performance of ‘Gentle Ally – Live 22’ is a perceptive and subtly touching decision. Having just heard the more recent studio version, going back to the 2022 performance makes the song seem like a mirror reflecting a different stage in the band’s development. Although it is the same composition, it has a different kind of energy, and this contrast becomes an element of the album’s overall message: that songs evolve as the musicians do. The final track makes Dyads feel less like a conclusion than more like a conversation that is still ongoing.
One of Dyads’ major strengths is its production, since it knows what elements to keep. The studio recordings are clear enough to allow the guitars, bass, and drums to stay separate, yet the overall sound has a genuine physicality. As for the live recordings, they are deliberately less polished to retain the room sound, the small imperfections, and the way the musicians react to each other.
Guitars take centre stage, shifting from bright, jangling sounds to heavy distortion and more substantial sections. The bass gives the music its underlying weight, and although the drums don’t always just provide support, they are what give the longer tracks their sense of endurance and the live recordings their impact. Jesper’s voice is the last element of the composition—rough, vulnerable, and expressive instead of clean. This quality of the voice is especially significant since Dyads is based on experiencing the performance rather than just listening to the composition.
Ultimately, Dyads comes across as an album concerned with persistence; the true subject of the album is not merely the individual stories contained in each song but time itself—what endures, what changes, what is rewritten, and what still counts when a song is played again many years later. Wingfish sound as if they are at ease with their scars, their history, and their unfinished matters. The album is raw without being careless, reflective without growing soft, and heavy without losing its humanity. It serves as convincing proof that rock music does not have to sound perfect in order to sound alive. Wingfish’s “Dyads” Is A Weathered, Living Guitar Album That Refuses to Sit Still
A band from the small Danish town of Gjern has an unexpectedly strong musical memory. Wingfish came together in 2002 centred on Jesper Larsen, with their sound influenced by alternative and progressive rock as well as songwriting inspirations from Chris Cornell to Josh Homme. During their early years, they produced the Looking Forward EP, and in their later recordings they continued to develop a heavier and more atmospheric style. At present, Larsen is accompanied by Johan Gyrup, who plays guitar, bass, and provides backing vocals, and Thomas Sandfeld on drums. What is particularly interesting about this current phase is that Dyads does not attempt to forget the past; instead, it brings the past into the situation and allows it to play. The album features new studio recordings as well as live performances from 2022 and 2024, so that it is not simply a clear snapshot but rather a living record of a band that has been continually evolving.
The best way to greet Wingfish once more is to regard them not as newcomers but as musicians who are entitled to sound worn-out, human, and fully themselves. Dyads is a guitar-based rock record characterised by progressive patience, the toughness typical of alternative rock, and a kind of live energy which cannot be created in a clean studio. The ten tracks cover a range of emotions including introspection, uncertainty, confrontation and release, and the production includes enough roughness in the sound to allow the performances to breathe.
The album begins with one of its most powerful statements. “Gentle Ally” starts slowly, developing from quiet guitars and steady drums into a heavier and more intense section. The emotion at its heart is linked to feelings of vulnerability, loneliness, and the experience of finding a source of support during difficult times. Jesper’s way of singing is especially effective in this song: it is worn, expressive, and flawed in the most desirable manner. Instead of aiming for technical perfection, he sings as if he truly believes each word. The guitar sound becomes thicker around him, transforming tenderness into something powerful.
Although it lasts for more than eight minutes, “Sacred Place” is expansive without ending up hollow. The title implies a sense of refuge, memory, and the quest for a place—whether physical or emotional—where one can feel complete. Musically, the piece makes effective use of space, with clean and distorted guitar sounds contrasting against a deliberate rhythm section, and the song develops into a heavier and more expressive form. Jesper stays at the heart of the performance, but the band begins to act as a single unit. This is exactly what Wingfish are capable of doing: building up tension rather than rushing towards a climax.
The 2025 version of ‘Blown’ is a reworked interpretation of the song first released on Scout in 2019 and serves to link Wingfish’s earlier self with its present identity. The theme comes across as internal pressure building until it reaches a breaking point—there is a sense of frustration, emotional overload, and then a final release. The performance has more psychological impact than technical refinement, the vocals shifting alternately between restraint and force as the musical arrangement becomes heavier. This is a good illustration of why Dyads functions as a collection: the band is not simply keeping their old material intact but allowing it to evolve alongside them.
The “I Know Everything – Live 24” section opens with a good deal of attitude. The title has the effect of combining confidence with sarcasm, and the song appears to be making a jab at certainty, ego, and those people who think they have all the answers. It fits well in a live setting since Wingfish allows for some friction between the voice, the guitars, and the drums. The overall effect is less controlled and more human, which is in line with the album’s main philosophy.
The theme of this track is choice and the possibility of escape. “100 Ways To Go – Live 24” has the atmosphere of music recorded at a crossroads: when one route is closed, another could still be awaiting you. The live version intensifies this sense of urgency, thanks to driving drums, sharp guitar playing, and a vocal performance that moves forward instead of retreating. Johan also contributes backing vocals, adding another dimension to the performance and giving the current line-up a more complete live sound. The performance reaches its climax with a powerful guitar solo.
This piece shows a clear attitude of doubt, skepticism, and emotional distance. The song “If You Say So – Live 24” inherently has a touch of irony or a sense of resignation, and Wingfish make good use of that ambiguity. The rhythm is heavier and more restrained, which enables the band to generate tension without making the arrangement too crowded. Jesper’s performance is so restrained that the uncertainty seems realistic. The live version includes just the right degree of roughness.
The theme of “Someone Else – Live 24” appears to be identity and change; the song may be interpreted as being about growing unfamiliar with oneself, observing a person change, or realizing that a relationship is not what it used to be. The live version of the song has a shaky quality which is appropriate for its subject. Instead of exaggerating the emotion, Wingfish allowed the guitars and the rhythm section to produce the sense of discomfort.
It is more concise and compact than a great deal of the album and achieves a stronger impact through greater efficiency. The imagery implies flawed origins, destructive tendencies, or difficulties that take hold before we become aware of them. The performance is improved by its brevity, acoustic strumming and electric guitar textures combining well, and Jesper’s voice comes across as direct and emotionally open. This is one of the record’s most immediate live performances.
The question “How Long – Live 22”, the most straightforward on the album, might in fact be the most profound: how long can we wait, put up with, hope, or go on? When heard within a record made up of decades of musical history, the question seems to have a scope greater than the lyrics themselves. The 2022 version has a reflective tone, and the fact that it is performed live strengthens the feeling that time is moving on. It gives the impression of a band looking back without becoming stuck in the past.
Ending with an earlier live recording of ‘Gentle Ally – Live 22’ is a thoughtful and subtly moving decision. Having just heard the more recent studio version, going back to the 2022 performance makes the song seem like a mirror reflecting a different stage in the band’s development. Although it is the same composition, it has a different kind of energy, and this contrast forms part of the album’s overall message—that songs evolve as the musicians do. The choice of track leaves the listeners with the impression that Dyads doesn’t feel like a conclusion but rather like a conversation that is still ongoing.
One of Dyads’ major strengths is its production, since it knows what elements to keep. The studio recordings are clear enough to allow the guitars, bass and drums to stay separate, yet the overall sound has a natural physicality. The live recordings are deliberately less polished to retain the room sound, the small imperfections, and the way the musicians react to each other.
Guitars take centre stage, shifting from clear and jingling sounds to thick distortion and heavier sections. The bass gives the music its weight, and as for the drums, they never just act in a supporting role; it is they that give the longer tracks their sustained pace and the live recordings their impact. Jesper’s voice is the last element of the composition—rough, vulnerable, and expressive instead of clean. This quality of the voice is especially significant since Dyads is based on experiencing the performance rather than just listening to the composition.
In the end, Dyads comes across as an album concerned with persistence; the true subject of the album is not merely the individual stories contained in each song but time itself—what endures, what changes, what is rewritten, and what still counts when a song is played once more years later. Wingfish sound as if they are at ease with their scars, their history, and their unfinished matters. The album is raw without being careless, reflective without growing soft, and heavy without losing its humanity. It effectively shows that rock music does not have to sound perfect in order to sound alive.
Listen to the “Dyads” album on Spotify
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