Emotively brilliant, this album is guaranteed to become one of your most treasured. Don’t let it pass you by, says Elspeth Waters.
Just occasionally an album comes along that’s so wonderful it has the power to make you cry, smile, regret, hope and love – all at once. Loney, Noir the second UK release from Swedish musician Emil Svanängen, alias Loney, Dear, is that album. Unlike some of the most treasured pieces in your musical catalogue, this is no “grower”: Loney will reel you in from the get-go.
With his striking falsetto vocals, Emil’s songs recall the emotive brilliance of the legendary Neil Young, combined with the more contemporary feel of The Flaming Lips and Sufjan Stevens, and the ethereality of Antony and the Johnsons. Aptly described as “soulful indie folk with a powerful mini orchestra”, Loney, Dear’s tracks operate on multiple levels, expanding from unassuming, but intriguing intros to an overwhelming crescendo of lyrical and instrumental gusto.
I am John, the soon-to-be-released first single, is one of the record’s more upbeat tracks. Reminiscent of Belle and Sebastian’s playful melodies, Loney’s pitch builds with the pace, whirling around like a spinning top that eventually must fall over. Other highlights include I Could Stay, in which the singer’s raspy notes blend delightfully with an instrumental featuring enchanting wind and brass performances; and the ultimate track, And I Won’t Cause Anything At All, has a simple elegance, with a soft, jazzy sound that leaves you feeling all warm and tingly.
There really isn’t a dud track on there; each song provokes a genuine engagement, but it is the opening number, Sinister In a state Of Hope, which really tugs at the heart strings. The delicate falsetto and quiet instrumental entice you immediately, while the beauty of the lyrics convey a tremendous longing that builds steadily, never quite reaching any real conclusion.
Loney’s first album Sologne, released last year, received rave reviews, and the preceding single, The City, The Airport, made it into the Sunday Times Culture’s Singles of the Year list – a phenomenal achievement for a guy who’s been recording and wrapping his own CDs from his tiny studio apartment or the basement of his parents’ house in Stockholm since 2002.
Speaking about his one-man-band approach to Clash magazine last year, Emil said: “My first album was released the day I finished it. I was travelling home from university for Christmas and started selling CDs at the train station.” Such dogged determination deserves a decent break, and hopefully this tour de force will earn him more than that.
Loney, Dear is scheduled to play a number of gigs across the UK in April and May. Released on Regal, the single I am John is out on April 9, and the album Loney, Noir is out on April 16.
If you can’t wait until then, visit www.loneydear.com and www.myspace.com/loneydear for tour dates and a taste of the brilliance.
