Lina Tullgren - Decide Which Way The Eyes Are Looking

Lina Tullgren
Decide Which Way The Eyes Are Looking
Post Present Medium
USA, 2025
LP

A remarkable indie pop LP that snuck out below my radar in 2025. For Decide Which Way The Eyes Are Looking, songwriter Lina Tullgren assembled a loose ensemble of chamber musicians from the LA scene to elaborate their diaristic, minimalist songs with blooming, sensitive arrangements. The record is both remarkably beautiful and remarkably modest, like they collectively found new ways to be melodic without trying to be catchy. For starters, imagine Emily Sprague fronting Maher Shalal Hash Baz—then drop the needle and marvel at the way true originality can exceed imagining.

WORKS CITED: I owe my discovery of this record—as well as the Maher Shalal Hash Baz comparison—entirely to a thoughtful write-up by Ethan Swan of the Rochester, NY-based label & distro JABS. You can read his review in full here. And while you're there, you should probably just buy the record from him. Or from the label here.

Me? I just couldn't bear not to have a record this lovey in the shop.