Sambassadeur

One of the many accomplished indie pop bands in Sweden in the 2000s, Gothenberg's Sambassadeur make beautifully wistful, hazy music along the lines of the Go-Betweens, Belle & Sebastian, and the Magnetic Fields -- all of whom the band cites as influences, along with more left-field choices like Wire and France Gall. Sambassadeur formed in fall 2003, when guitarist/songwriter Joachim Läckberg, vocalist/guitarist Anna Persson, and guitarist/vocalist Daniel Permbo were all studying in the town of Skövde; after getting together for an impromptu recording session one evening, the trio members wrote their first song, "There You Go." Soon after, bassist Daniel Tolergård joined Sambassadeur and their lineup was complete. The following spring, the band began playing live (with a CD of prerecorded beats taking care of drums duty). Sambassadeur relocated to Gothenburg and issued two self-released CDs and a 7" on Dolores before signing to Labrador late in 2004. Released in 2005, the Between the Lines EP was their debut release for the label; that spring, Sambassadeur signed to AC30 to distribute their music in the U.K., and played their first date in London. Summer 2005 saw the release of their official self-titled debut album, along with more touring in Sweden and the U.K. In 2006, the Coastal Affairs EP arrived; one of its songs, "Kate," was featured in a commercial for Payless Shoes in the U.S. that summer.