Hall Music

Draped in rich orchestral swells, Swedish pop softie Emil Svanängen's sixth Loney, Dear full-length is his most elaborate record to date. But too often, the arrangements seem to crowd the songs themselves from the frame.

Until this point, Loney Dear’s music has been pleasantly simple—not-too-fussy ballads layered with strings for extra depth. All the while, however, Emil Svanangen apparently yearned to make grandiose, ornate compositions. After 2009’s Dear John, Svanangen toured with orchestras in his native Sweden, rewriting parts of…

Emil Svanängen has always been more adept at texture than hooks. Even upbeat songs, like “Airport Surroundings,” from 2009…

Loney Dear 'Hall Music' album review on Northern Transmissions. 'Hall Music' by Loney Dear is now available on Polyvinyl Records

Loney Dear's sixth album somehow captures the monstrous complexity of love, says <strong>Maddy Costa</strong>