I’ve not been quiet about how much I love the music of London-based singer songwriter Prince of Sweden. He’s been featuring on this blog since 2021 and recently I’ve been sharing singles from his new album Beneath the Big Top.

By Graeme Smith

The Electric Blue, Garrison Lane, and Lines Closed to Callers have all featured on these pages and now we can finally hear them within the context of Prince of Sweden’s latest album. Much like his 2023 EP Kicking Out Time, Beneath The Big Top harkens back to a bygone age yet still manages to remain fiercely relevant to the modern age.

I’ve made much about Prince of Sweden’s song writing in the past and it once again shines in this collection. Each track has a rich narrative, sketching a series of scenes in which the listener can be absorbed. From a movie theatre in winter (The Electric Blue) to a rundown fairground (This Lonesome Fairground) to a gaudy nightscape (In the Mood for Love) we are treated to a tapestry of life in a way that only he can create.

Musically things range from brooding indie rock to stripped-back and reflective melancholia. Cinematic swells like In the Mood for Love and album closer As Good a Place as Any contrast nicely with intimate, ponderous moments like The Elephant in the Room and How Long Until Dawn?. Though atmospherically cohesive, I always found myself surprised as to where the album went next sonically. The lively and bass heavy Away from Valparaiso is a delicious case in point.

Every time I think I can’t become a bigger fan of Prince of Sweden, he belies my expectations with each new release. Beneath The Big Top had been nicely teased but, now that it’s arrived, it’s so much greater than I could have imagined. Few pour so much effort into their lyrics as he does, and this album sees him both consolidate and expand his sound. This album is a must listen.

You can check out Beneath The Big Top below.