Hakken, Erik Svetoft

In english, softcover with a double-sided protective dust jacket that can be unfolded and used as a poster, 120 pages, dimensions 22.5x29.5 cm, Sanatorium Förlag, 2017

Hakken, Erik Svetoft’s second work, is a collection of short, nearly silent stories that marks a crucial step in his experimentation with comics. Moving away from linear point-A-to-point-B narratives, the author uses dream logic and a multi-plot structure to create a dense atmosphere where events unfold across different times and places. Svetoft’s creative process is admittedly spontaneous: with no preliminary pencil sketches, he draws directly in ink, allowing the story to emerge organically and unexpectedly. The book's title refers to "Hakken," a dance style from the techno/gabber scene, which serves as the backdrop for one of the horror tales in the collection. Heavily influenced by films, video games, and music, the author aims for his detailed illustrations to have a noisy, visceral sound, juxtaposing contradictory emotions—such as the comical and the terrifying—to provoke an immediate response from the reader and solidify his unique style in contemporary illustration.