Älgarnas Trädgård

The Swedish group Älgarnas Trädgård (Garden of the Elks) were formed in 1969 and played an active part in the progressive movement of the next seven years, often performing at free festivals. Their 1971 debut album was a radical exploration of the new possibilities opened up by creative use of the recording studio as an instrument, in a similar vein to Faust and other German experimenters, while also pulling in folk and medieval influences. On stage they would improvise more upon riffs and extensive touring led to their sound becoming heavier and more rocky, yet with complex arrangements and dynamic interplay between their wide range of instruments: violins, cello, zither, sitar, tabla and flute added to the conventional rock band of bass, drums, guitars and keyboards. They recorded a second album in 1973-74, but its release was "Delayed" until 2001 (hence the album's name). The band finally split up in 1976. No other official recordings exist, although there must be bootlegs.