Ginger Khan (aka Tom Åsberg) was the original singer of the synthpop group Priest who we covered in 2022 when we spoke to Mercury (who was an ex-member of Ghost). Ginger Khan has gone solo, with Stefan Brisland-Ferner, (“Garmarna”, “Thåström”) Andreas Grube (“Grotesco,” “Nåden”), Inge Johansson (“The International Noise Conspiracy”, “Against Me”, “Totalt Jävla Mörker”, “Gatuplan”) and Carolina Lindahl (“The Operating Tracks”), as he takes his first steps as a solo artist.
We don’t cover a huge amount of synth/techno pop here, but we liked the cyberpunk/industrial feel of Priest when they released “Enter the Body Machine.”
Although “Swing at the King” is the new single, I have covered all three of the releases by Ginger here, as he has been putting out a couple of individual tracks in the last few months, and it helps to hear a few.
“No One Cared Who I Was” (released November 29, 2024) opens things up, and it is a frankly impressive vocal performance. Ginger Khan has a powerful vocal delivery and is supported on this track with a heavy drum and bass beat (bass by Inge Johansson) I’m told this is “Scandi-tronica” storytelling, and it does carry you along as a listener.
“Eat It all” comes up next. Ginger Khan calls upon all who yearn to kill their self-doubt and consume it in the light of a roaring bonfire, with friends by their side, to gather for the occasion. This moves more toward the drum-led, industrial/techno feel. The tracks do slot in together like a jigsaw of sound.
“Swing at the King” presents a heavy techno dance beat and a different style of vocal delivery. It was my favorite of the three. It’s a strong sonic boom, plenty of swagger and confidence; you can, for sure, dance to this one and it again employs that sense of melody throughout.
In summary, Ginger Khan’s solo releases pack a punch, blending powerful vocals with a unique mix of techno, industrial, and Scandi-tronica storytelling. No One Cared Who I Was kicks things off with an intense vocal performance and heavy drum and bass energy, setting the tone for what’s to come. Eat It All builds on that fire, calling listeners to burn away their doubts in a pulsing, industrial-fueled ritual. But Swing at the King steals the show—a swaggering, dance-floor-ready explosion of confidence that cements Ginger Khan as an artist to watch.
As a finishing point, to keep us improving the magazine, we really do need your support, and if you can go to the “support us” button and buy us a coffee or follow us, it helps us feel appreciated and keep improving the magazine.
Stream music by Ginger Khan here
By Lorraine Foley