A duo comprising members of indie pop hitmakers
Peter Bjorn and John and electro-rock collective
Teddybears,
Smile incorporate elements from both projects while maintaining a cool, instrumental-heavy, Krautrock core. A side project for both members,
Smile took nearly a decade between their debut album, 2012's A Flash in the Night, and its follow-up, 2021's
Phantom Island. The latter featured "Call My Name," a collaboration with
Robyn.
Formed in 2011 by two of Sweden's most notable pop practitioners,
Björn Yttling of
Peter Bjorn and John and
Joakim Åhlund of
Teddybears,
Smile emerged as part of the label/grassroots organization Ingrid, which was started by both groups along with Swedish compatriots like
Lykke Li and
Miike Snow.
Smile released their full-length debut, A Flash in the Night, on Ingrid in May 2012.
Following a half-dozen or so albums with other projects -- more counting producing gigs with artists ranging from
Kygo to
Neko Case --
Yttling and
Åhlund reconvened for 2021's
Phantom Island. Issued that November by Chimp Limbs and Ingrid, its guests included pop superstar
Robyn, Freja the Dragon,
Primal Scream's
Andrew Innes, and
Peter Bjorn and John drummer
John Eriksson. ~ Marcy Donelson & James Christopher Monger