I'm From Barcelona - Friends Twee-United

According to the luscious tones of Marvin Gaye, it takes two to make a dream come true. And if De La Soul are to be believed, three is most definitely the magic number. But in the eyes of I'm From Barcelona frontman Emanuel Lundgren, twenty-nine is the numerical meridian of musicianship.

Initially formed in the summer of 2005, this twenty-nine strong Swedish collective have become this year's sunniest indie-pop choir. Their debut album 'Let Me Introduce My Friends' is a grinning blast of breezy pop harmonies that glimmers like a childhood slumber party with Belle Sebastian and Hidden Cameras.

Chatting to The Skinny from his home in Jonkoping, Emanuel is still dazed by the success of his one-time summer holiday project: "I was just trying to spend my vacation in a good way without reverting to the beach," says the flame haired Swede. "I wanted to see my friends and record as much as I could, so I thought: why not combine the two?"

This element of friendship gushes through every track of 'Let Me Introduce My Friends' and it's an aspect Emanuel was keen to retain once the band started to develop: "I had become very tired of the concept of bands – it's far too business minded and pretentious," he says forlornly. "I just wanted to rediscover the joy in making music again by singing with my friends."

But with such a vast array of personalities, Emanuel admits the task of creating a cohesive group has been far from easy: "It's been difficult administering everyone involved," he says sheepishly. "I guess you could describe me as the conductor. My favourite part of the band isn't actually performing; it's composing and arranging the songs and people themselves."

By adopting a Fawlty Towers catchphrase as the group's moniker (based on Emanuel's name resembling the show's Spanish waiter), media respect is proving elusive. Fortunately, proficiency is not something Emanuel aspires to: "We have a punk ethic, in that you don't need to be professional to make music," he enthuses. "When people see us live I hope they think: I can do that with my friends."

And this brings us in to the logistical conundrum of a twenty-nine member group: How does it work live? "It's actually a lot easier than I anticipated because everyone is very excited and puts a lot of effort in to it," explains Emanuel. "If I'd thought we would be touring the UK perhaps I would never have [created the band] but when I'm surrounded by my friends on stage I feel immensely proud of every one of them."

This community spirit is indicative of contemporary Swedish music. Artists like Jens Lekman and The Concretes exude a humility often lacking in UK bands. So, what elements differentiate the Swedish music scene? "[In Sweden] melody is the most important part of music," he proposes. "We still have rock n roll wannabees, but we always seem to fail to recreate UK bands and end up producing a melodic Swedish sound."

Conjuring up dreamy tales of a picturesque childhood, it's difficult to imagine I'm From Barcelona as outwardly offensive. But at home, Emanuel believes their cordial nature is suffering a fashionista backlash: "We're provoking people in Sweden because we are too happy and common," he quips. "It's surprised me that you can provoke by just being normal. Maybe we should become more gothic to fit in?"

A twenty-nine member Goth band may seem like a terrifying proposition, but with I'm From Barcelona's ebullient exterior you get the impression that the numbers just wouldn't add up.