I posted about Stockhom-based group Wouie yesterday, so why not continue the geographic trend? Patricio Samuelsson, who goes under the name Pinguin, is also from Stockholm, which seemingly produces the most enjoyable indie-pop acts per million people. I’ve written about dozens of Stockholm-based groups throughout the years, and it seems I’ve posted about more than I’ve turned down. So props to that music-loving city for quality and high standards. Pinguin is another addition to that lengthy list, with a gorgeous sound that mixes fluttering acoustics and twinkling keys over Samuelsson’s youthful high-pitch.
Samuelsson’s new EP, Under the Sun, offers five breezy efforts with widespread consistency, both in terms of stylistic gravitation and overall quality. The opening, self-titled effort immediately shows Pinguin’s tendencies, here offering a series of cheerful whistling and twinkling keys over a strumming acoustic backing. It’s as if Air France combined their atmospheric sample-led brilliance with the spacious indie-pop of Magenta Skycode and Lykke Li. My favorite from the EP, “Don’t Talk”, brings back those twinkling keys and acoustic waves in addition to an irresistible melody and flow; it’s what I consider to be the best example of Samuelsson’s talents, one of them being the blatant ability to craft an immediately accessible pop song.
