Loney, Dear

I’ve just had a bit of a realisation. Swedish singer-songwriter Emil Svanängen actually records under the name Loney, Dear. That’s not Lonely, Dear as I had previously thought (no ‘L’ you see). That may not seem like a big deal, and it’s not. But it seems that I’m not the only one making this mistake. There are plenty of people on Last.fm still labouring under this delusion.

Thankfully Google allowed for the rogue ‘L’ when I tracked him down and started happily listening to songs on his myspace. I’ve been aware of Loney, Dear’s existence for a few months now, but never really got round to checking him out until I was sent a copy of a track from his new album Loney, Noir last week. I am John is a cracking little song – starting off in a nice gentle indiepop vein, before Emil starts adding more and more quality ingredients in a very measured way, so that the song builds slowly but steadily until you realise that it's a fantastic big-sounding pop song, chock-full of all sorts of stuff I like – chunky tunes, harmonies, fuzzy bass, xylophone plonking away in the background.

This all bodes very well for Loney, Noir, and the Beach Boys-esque track Saturday Waits currently streaming on the myspace is even better. Lovely stuff. The album’s been available on import via Sub Pop in the nation’s better record shops for a few weeks now, but it gets its proper UK release on Regal on 16 April. I am John is out as a single a week later. Loney, Dear is back in London at the Water Rats on 25 April. I may well be there.

Download: Loney, Dear - I am John

Pre-order Loney, Noir.