Love Is Not Pop

Discerning fans of subdued, synthy Swedepop will be hard-pressed not to fall head over heels for El Perro Del Mar’s latest release.

On Love Is Not Pop, the alter ego of Swedish babe Sarah Assbring offers her usual sonic touchstones (thick, sentimental key riffs, tinny drumbeats, lullaby vocals), though this time they bring to mind another stylish Swede (Lykke Li, anyone?). An album full of musings on breaking up (the super-emo “A Better Love”) and making up (“Let Me In”), Love Is Not Pop has spacey, cold instrumentals  perfectly suited for the emotional roller-coaster Assbring invites you on. She channels Sade with a smooth, baby-making vibe on my personal fave, “Heavenly Arms,” and its sexy guitar outro will keep you pressing “repeat.” With just seven original tracks on the album (and three remixes), the only thing lacking is more moody material.