2019 was something of a break-out year for the Stockholm-quartet Melby. The band, who first appeared back in 2016, released their acclaimed debut album, None Of This Makes Me Worry, and followed it up with dates across Europe, including a wonderful show for ourselves in London. With dates upcoming in Denmark and Germany, today we’re sharing the band’s first new material since that record, their new single, Things I Do When I’m Alone.

The track had something of a different gestation period than Melby’s previous output, the band foregoing the studio in favour of less traditional recording settings, as the band explain, “most of this song was recorded in kind of strange places: the staircase leading to our rehearsal space, and a friend’s living room”. It changed the bands approach to recording, producing a somewhat less polished affair, “it was easier to feel happy with what we did at once when we weren’t in a regular studio”.

The resultant track finds the band combining their usual dreamy-pop sound with the languid, melodically ambitious folk stylings of Midlake or Vashti Bunyan. The track is propelled by the vocals of Matilda Wiezell, as guitars and woodwind seem to flutter and dance around the voice, creating a swirling, tumble of sound. This feels like a bold new step for Melby, expanding on the sound that won them many admirers and taking their music off towards a host of intriguing new opportunities. Wherever Melby’s ambition and imagination are taking them next, we can’t wait to join them on that journey.

Things I Do When I’m Alone is out on Rama Lama Records and Sinnbus on March 13th. Click HERE for more information on Melby.