José González

José González’s hushed melodies are far more restless than they seem on the surface. Woven around the singer-songwriter’s intricate finger-picking are vivid poems that reflect on ancient philosophy as much as the daily trivialities of modern life. While González—born in 1978 in Gothenburg, Sweden, to Argentine parents—has spent the 21st century crafting and refining his distinctive style of intimate indie folk, he started out playing in punk and hardcore bands. But alone, he was learning Beatles classics, bossa nova, and classical guitar, all of which would seep into his 2003 solo debut, Veneer. It took two years for that album to reach the States, buoyed by González’s haunting acoustic rendering of The Knife’s electro-pop gem “Heartbeats.” He’s tackled other covers with just as much beauty, but his self-produced originals often flicker with a gentle playfulness, whether he’s harmonizing with himself, adding soft electronic touches, or serenading listeners in all three of his languages—English, Spanish, and Swedish.