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Loney, Dear’s Got a ‘Fever’

Swedish one-man band Emil Svanängen, (a.k.a. Loney, Dear) has recorded and produced four full-length albums in his parents’ basement over the last three years, including Solognewhich he self-released in Europe in 2006. He also distributed severalthousand copies pretty much by himself — not surprising when youconsider that Svanängen created the mini-symphony heard on each trackof the album, named for a region in Central France, by playing everyinstrument himself (but his live shows require the services of afive-piece band). “Le Fever” shows this virtuoso at the top of hisdreamy-voiced, multi-instrumental game.

The aptly named tuneis a delirium-inducing lament of lost love, laced with a bossa novarhythm and a delicate array of brass, chimes and violin. Svanängen islovely in capturing the desperation left at the end of a relationshipand the inability to let go — “I’ve had it till now / I’ve slept onthe floor / My hands in despair / Inside misery,” he sings. Thebeautiful sadness comes to a head when the instruments fall awayleaving only Svanängen’s silken thread of vocals and distorted backuprising like mercury through a glass thermometer (think Xiu Xiu orBjörk’s “Pagan Poetry”). Despair has never sounded so sweet. Sologne finally arrives stateside Dec. 4 via the Rebel Group.

Now Hear This:
Loney, Dear- “Le Fever” DOWNLOAD MP3

On the Web:
Loney, Dear at MySpace
loneydear.com

Talk: Does “Le Fever” have you burning to hear more Loney, Dear?