Biography

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, Rovi