In recent times, Albin Lee Meldau has been experiencing two different careers in tandem. In his homeland of Sweden, he’s undoubtedly a major star whose upcoming headline tour will see him perform to over 100,000 fans. Meanwhile, he is taking huge steps towards translating that success globally with a succession of A / B-listed singles at Radio 2 and a quick-rising total of 350 million streams. It’s a rise that will accelerate with the news that his new album ‘Discomforts’ will be released on September 13th. It is launched alongside the new single and video ‘Show Me’.
Representing a brave new start, ‘Discomforts’ is a tremendous marriage of all of Albin’s major influences, from soul to reggae, blues to alt-rock, bound together by his unmistakable voice. Lyrically, he’s never sounded so liberated as he bares his soul to thrilling effect, regaling listeners with tales of mistakes made and lessons learned. These songs are chapters in his life so far, revisiting his wilder, more troubled years and reflecting on how fortunate he is to still be alive.
Albin says, “‘Discomforts’ is about love and addiction. All its different styles are just like colours in a palette, different ingredients to help form a complete landscape. I’m just very proud of this record. It’s been one hell of a rollercoaster, making it over four or five years. Not many people get that chance.”
It’s a record full of the highs and lows that come with a life lived to maximum intensity. After being fired from his first band due to his erratic, alcohol-fuelled behaviour, he vowed to become a world-renowned solo artist. But while he was making major headway, his problems only darkened. He hit a crossroads. Continue his journey and his career would surely be doomed just as it was getting started. Or face his demons and check-in to rehab. Years later Albin is still sober and first explored that story with the recent single ‘Elvis, I Love You’, which countered the playful dark humour of its title with the sinking lows of trying to maintain an artist career in the middle of addiction.
The new single ‘Show Me’ takes us to the next moment in the tale: the realisation that he had a problem while lacking the confidence to be able to overcome it. It’s an urgent blast of soul, which puts Albin’s irresistible charisma to best use with infectious rhythms and a triumphant brass section. It’s a rousing counterpoint to its confessional lyrics: “Show me, I’m willing but unable / Starts with a drink then suddenly I’m underneath the table.” Its video shows that Albin in 2024 is now the man he wanted to be back then.
He adds, “The video for Show Me was shot in the beautiful village of Platanias in Crete. It started off in the sun with a posh hat, then suddenly I thought that just a few drinks couldn’t hurt, then it went as it always does and I ended up without a hat. When I wrote Show Me I was reflecting on memories of receding into addiction and how life can be as a drugged up megalomaniac Elvis wannabe.”
It was a situation that he turned around himself. He started financing sessions independently, and the Grammy / Ivor Novello-winner Eg White (Adele, Florence + The Machine) helped unlock that potential as Albin’s key co-producer and co-writer throughout the project. The album also features four tracks (including ‘Show Me’) that were mixed and co-produced by another Grammy winner in the shape of Nick Lobel (Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus), as well as a duet with Jack Savoretti on the recent single ‘Hold Your Head Up’. The album also includes a new English-language version of his multi-platinum Swedish hit ‘Josephine’.
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