A Lantern and a Bell

Description

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 extremely stripped-back, with Emil Svanängen's instantly recognizable falsetto placed far forward 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 simply 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 album's strongest moment is undoubtedly 'Go Easy On Me Now', a true tour de force.