Loney, Dear

Making shuffling, buoyant pop with a misty eye turned ever toward the sunshine and spiraling stars, Sweden’s Loney, Dear (a.k.a. home recording artist Emil Svanängen) is similar to Peter Bjorn And John, Jens Lekman, or any of the other winsome folk with whom he shares his homeland. His 2007 Sub Pop debut, Loney, Noir, is all mash notes and moonfaced optimism, bubbling over with romanticism and simple acoustic arrangements that burst into layers of orchestration when Svanängen’s heart is at its fullest. Svanängen followed it up in 2009 with Dear John, another album (this one on Polyvinyl) that draws on his lovely, androgynous voice and unusual arrangements. His latest, Hall Music, is out now and full of charmingly delicate tracks like the quaintly named “My Heart.”

Updated 06/21/2012