“Sun​-​Kissed” by Sven Wunder

Sven Wunder’s previous album, 2021’s Natura Morta, is an orchestral pop masterpiece that, as I wrote in my review, is “nothing less than a pure delight for the ears.” His new single, “Sun-Kissed,” has a similar vibe, with jubilant brass and woodwind arrangements marching alongside funky guitars and dreamy sitar tones.

The song’s retro feel isn’t nostalgic per se, but Wunder’s clearly looking back to the days of yore for inspiration. This is doubly so on B-side “Variations In Rock,” which plays like the theme to some long-lost ’70s movie about Stockholm’s toughest private dick.

I love Wunder’s take on pop music. It’s ambitious, elegant, intelligent, and filled with gorgeous details, but never at the cost of accessibility and listenability. It’s vintage and refined without ever feeling slavish or kitschy. Even his most elaborate arrangements and compositions still go down nice and smooth, and “Sun-Kissed” is just more proof of that talent.