Track listing: Melankoli

Björn Eklund (keys, electronics), Lars Karlsson (guitars, bass), and Anja Blomgren (beats, percussion) are at it again with their ambient music machine Song for a Gorgeous Blonde. Released on September 19, 2025, "Melankoli" is just that--a plaintive, melancholic (mostly) instrumental foray into low, gloomy spirits. The track is mixed and mastered by our friend Dino DiMuro, who describes "Melankoli" as "an ambient-experimental excursion in multiple parts, featuring thundering drums alternating with quiet, echo'd keyboards and fuzzy, Troggs-like guitars."

I personally love the Troggs' hit "Love Is All Around," which found a new life when Bill Nighy's character Billy Mack sang his Christmas-themed variation in the nude at the end of Love Actually. And, yes, "Melankoli" does borrow bits of its chord progression from the 1967 Top 10 Billboard hit. But that's where the similarity ends.

"Melankoli" adds those chords to a slower, more emotionally explorative backdrop. Contrary to its inspiration's sweet nothings of love, "Melankoli" is a 180 degrees in the opposite direction. And then the change-up: around the 2:30 moment, the beats go into a double-time, throwing a glockenspiel into the mix. At around 3:45, enter the Swedish vocal breakdown. Translated...

Why are you so content
to leave me bathing in melancholy?
why not even try to rescue me
instead of observing and even hurting me

Perhaps I’ll stay here in a permanent way
just to lock the door, to lose the key
and keep you away, and keep you away

Then, the denouement--a return to the original melancholy that kicked off the song. 

"Melankoli" is the most subdued of the recent singles by Song for a Gorgeous Blonde. Perhaps more emotional. Certainly as experimental. The groups discography through "Melankoli" isn't a plea for dance remixes and Top 40 radio play. It's also too interesting to serve merely as an ambient sonic backdrop. There is clear arrangement and composition happening. Even as an instrumental you hear 'verses' and 'choruses' and 'bridges' as well as the aforementioned breakdown.

"Melankoli" and and its counterpart songs are ripe for the picking for the audiophiles looking for something different when you hit Play on your preferred music source. Placed amidst a playlist of nearly anything, it's sure to cause a glance, a raised eyebrow. There's a familiarity to it but also a strong vibe of "What is this? I haven't heard it before." Check out "Melankoli" and the rest of SFAGB's discography at dinodimuro3.bandcamp.com and follow on Blue Sky at bsky.app/profile/s4agb.bsky.social.