Jesper Lindell - Everyday Dreams (2019) Hi-Res

Swedish singer/songwriter Jesper Lindell made a splash in his native land with the 2017 EP Little Less Blue, introducing a sound that split the difference between contemporary indie folk and vintage-inspired neo-soul. On that release, he worked with Benkt Söderberg, the father and former producer of sisters and roots pop duo First Aid Kit, who also provided backing vocals. The buzz from his EP and subsequent touring helped Lindell secure a deal with American indie Alive Naturalsound Records, which released his full-length debut, Everyday Dreams, in 2019. This time he co-produced with Zack Anderson, bassist for Swedish blues-rockers Blues Pills, and the results are an altogether more stylized affair that leans heavily on the retro blue-eyed soul elements of his sound. A pleasing mix of warmly overdriven guitar, organ, piano, and backing vocals support Lindell's husky crooning which, despite his proclivity for older sounds, is still beset by the distinctly modern affectations of the day. The organic feel of acoustic-led numbers like "Cheers" and "Even If It Ain't True" tuck in nicely among the rumbling electric numbers and R&B rave-ups like "Whatever Happens" and the more pop-driven "France." As a leading man, Lindell does his best to impart the appropriate amount of romantic yearning and heartache amid the album's strong playing and well-suited production.