Who are the first band/artists you think of when you think of Sweden? If you’re into pop, surely its ABBA; if you’re a metal fan, then it could be any number of bands (such as Amon Amarth) and if you’re into indie folk, it could be anyone from The Tallest Man on Earth to José González. Dream pop, however, is not a genre generally associated with Sweden as it is dominated by British and American artists such as Grimes, Beach House and The xx (who all call this movement home). This is also true of Stockholm artist Linus Lutti AKA Little Children, though.
Recently, Little Children released his latest EP, Travelling Through Darkness, which focusses on numerous light textures of acoustic guitars, electric riffs and simple percussive sounds which are used to back Lutti’s slightly hoarse vocals. A highlight of Travelling Through Darkness is “Another Day” and its honest-to-goodness prettiness.
This latest recording from Lutti is different in style to his previous alternative rock sounds of such songs as “Hey Hey” and “By Your Side” – and this is a very good thing. While Lutti’s writing style has changed, the fact that both styles – which were met with a neat segue via “Impala” – are both very well written shows a strength that Little Children has: high quality song-writing.
The combination of Lutti’s gritty vocals and the smooth sounds of his instrumentation form something that wouldn’t usually work for many artists, but there’s qualities (both tangible and intangible) that prove that “Another Day” is of a superior standard. Lutti sings to the listener as though from the other end of a dream; and it is this, among other things, that means that “Another Day” is the focus of this ‘Best of the Bunch‘ article.
You can listen to Travelling Through Darkness via Spotify here.
