Sweden’s Hater know how to sprinkle in the right amount of melancholy. The indie quartet wowed us last year with their debut LP, You Tried. A triumph of fuzzed out dream-pop, it earned them a spot on our Best New Bands of 2017 list. While Hater’s songs are typically filled with infectious riffs and easy-going melodies, Caroline Landahl’s bittersweet vocal delivery always keeps things rough around the edges. There’s pain between the soft glow of warm guitar tones and rosy harmonies.

At least, I thought so until I heard their new, hazy single “It’s So Easy,” which is less gloomy, thanks to some sparkly synth work and crisp production. Even so, Hater maintain their laid-back sound with bright, jangly hooks and characteristically excellent guitar work that reminds me ’80s jangle pop bands like the Feelies or even the college rock sound of early R.E.M. records. Via email, the band explained, “Sometimes one can feel that everything’s fine without really being in touch with your own feelings. It’s so easy is about seeing a close friend ignoring such things.”

“It’s So Easy” is one or two new singles we’re hearing today from Hater’s upcoming album, Siesta. Like the title would suggest, the song is nothing short of easy listening, the perfect complement to a summer drive at golden hour — or, nodding to the album title, an afternoon nap after spending your morning at the beach.

The other new track, “I Wish I Gave You More Time Because I Love You,” serves as the B-side and also directly follows “It’s So Easy” it on the Siesta tracklist. The band calls it “a beautiful song which includes a magnificent saxophone played by Inge Petersson Lindbäck.” They add, “It’s about the strong bonds you can have with a family member, being together, but still not. Also there’s some congas in there – listen for yourself!”

Hear both songs below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “From The Bottom Of Your Heart”
02 “It’s So Easy”
03 “I Wish I Gave You More Time Because I Love You”
04 “Closer”
05 “Fall Off”
06 “I Sure Want To”
07 “Things To Keep Up With”
08 “Your Head Your Mind”
09 “Why It Works Out Fine”
10 “The Mornings”
11 “Cut Me Loose”
12 “All That Your Dreams Taught Me”
13 “Seems So Hard”
14 “Weekend”

TOUR DATES:
08/25 Totnes, UK @ Sea Change Festival
10/23 Hamburg, Germany @ Aalhaus
10/24 Groningen, The Netherlands @ Vera
10/26 Amsterdam, The Netherlands @ London Calling Festival
10/27 La Zone, Belgium @ Liege
10/29 Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade
10/30 London, UK @ The Lexington
10/31 Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
11/01 Glasgow, UK @ The Hug & Pint
11/02 Manchester, UK @ The Castle Hotel
11/03 Oxford, UK @ Wheatsheaf
11/04 Brighton, UK @ The Hope & Ruin
11/06 Paris, France @ L’Espace B
11/07 Dijon, France @ Atheneum
11/09 Torino, Italy @ Blah Blah
11/10 Bologna, Italy @ Efesto
11/11 Ravenna, Italy @ Moog Slow Bar
11/13 Dresden, Germany @ Scheune
11/14 Berlin, Germany @ Marie Antoinette
11/15 Jena, Germany @ Glashaus

Siesta is out 9/28 on Fire. Pre-order it here.

CREDIT: Kamila Schneltser