Johan Steensland – The Triphant

Johan Steensland – The Triphant

Self-Released

Swedish prog veteran Johan Steensland is a master storyteller. Following a solid discography, his latest release, The Triphant, offers a compelling narrative set to music, with Steensland serving as narrator. The story follows the intersecting lives of Dennis, a painter, and Anika, a computer scientist.

Across 11 finely crafted tracks, Steensland—who hails from Uppsala, the same region that birthed progressive giants like Kaipa and The Flower Kings—captures the ripple effects of Dennis and Anika's chance meeting.

Steensland’s craftsmanship shines throughout: he wrote every track, delivers impressive lead vocals, plays bass, guitars, and keyboards, and even produced and engineered the record (with mixing and mastering assistance from Rune Fränne).

He is joined by a stellar supporting cast, including drummer Jonathan Lundberg and acclaimed English jazz pianist Emily Francis, who delivers a standout solo on "Lay Down Your Guns." Special mention must also go to Owe Erickson, whose expressive fretless bass elevates "The Lab Rat’s Escape"—the album's highlight for me.

Running at just over 50 minutes, The Triphant is a captivating and beautifully executed concept album. For fans of classic prog rock, this comes highly recommended—be sure to give it a listen and add it to your collection.