Seabirds, distorted noises, and then the line of text 'Mighty ships hung over ground'. The marine theme doesn't just introduce the album. It imbues the entirety of A Lantern and a Bell, Loney Dear's first album since his debut in 2017 on Peter Gabriel's Real World label. The soundscape is stripped down to the extreme, with Emil Svanängen's instantly recognizable falsetto very prominent in the mix. From a strictly musical perspective, A Lantern and a Bell could be described as sublime and minimalist sacred music. But it's also just a story of friendship and trust developed between Emil and producer Emanuel Lundgren, reunited in their mythical studio on the island of Södermalm in Stockholm. Emil's voice, a piano, a discreet double bass, a few strings, and some diffused marine sounds. That's all. The songs themselves seem simple, harmonically accessible yet existentially provocative. The most powerful moment of the album is undoubtedly 'Go Easy On Me Now', a true tour de force.
Amazon
eBay
Rare Vinyl
