Loney Dear, the moniker of singer-songwriter Emil Svanängen, proves that it’s very much possible to get a lot from very little.
The Swedish performer recorded his first album, The Year of River Fontana, in the basement of his parents’ home and self-released it in 2003, selling CD-R copies through his website and during live performances. The album would eventually go on to gain popularity and sell over 3,000 copies based solely on word-of-mouth, helping Svanängen nab a recording contract in 2006.
Fast-forward to today, and the multi-instrumentalist has accomplished a significant amount, including a tour with fellow folk singer Andrew Bird, as well as a chamber orchestra tour throughout his native Sweden. Svanängen also has six records under his belt, including his most recent release, 2011’s Hall Music via Polyvinyl.
Unlike his self-recorded predecessors, Hall Music finds Svanängen experimenting with a more complex assortment of instrumentation and arrangements. Contact Music raves that the album is “undoubtedly special; a real treat,” saying that in the opening track alone Svanängen “sums up his entire latest album in a nutshell; utterly stunning. What’s even better still, the following ten tracks refuse to falter from the high standard Svanängen sets out from the off.”
Want to scoop up a copy of Hall Music on vinyl? For your chance to win, simply comment below and name another musician who performs under a pseudonym. I’m going to go with Robert Zimmerman, or, as he’s better known, Bob Dylan.
A winner with a North American mailing address will be selected a week from today, on Tuesday, March 13th.
