Considering his elusive social media presence, Melpo Mene‘s 8-year absence was particularly prominent. Well, the Los Angeles Swedish singer-songwriter and producer is making his highly anticipated return with the release of a new album, Vernalagnia. Out today, April 22, the indie pop/rock album carries 10 important songs. Not only does Vernalagnia signify a rebirth for Melpo as an artist, it also reflects deeply on human experiences. “Vernalagnia is the unscripted result of a well-meaning introvert’s musical intuition and thoughts,” says Melpo.

Focus single “It’s Electrical” deals with human imperfection, mental health and suicide prevention. He explains, “The older generation of existential kids plead with the younger generation to please hang in there. Young people take the moment so dangerously serious and perspective can only be possible with more time. Never underestimate how life and moods can change, and don’t let a single moment determine tomorrow’s fate.”

From the powerful vocals to the expressive instrumentation, Melpo Mene did put his soul into this project. The result is not just album but a full emotional experience.

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We reached out to Melpo Meno with a few extra questions. Below is our brief interview with him.

Your new album Vernalagnia comes after a long hiatus. Was this break planned, or did it just occur as a matter of circumstance?

Some people are very driven. They believe in lots of things, and they take pride in having entrepreneurial spirit, this is not me. I don’t have any particular goal, my fragile mood and inspiration will decide when I create. I’m surprised how long this hiatus has been, and I’m glad to be up and running again. Sometimes I make the analogy that media is like a really really loud and hectic dinner party, and trying to contribute or add to the conversation requires you do so in a certain format which for some of us is a format in conflict with our message, so that’s a catch-22 that can take some time to figure out.

The album is steeped in honesty and introspection, and it’s easy for us to attribute this new perspective to the time you spent away from the limelight. Correct?

I’ve always spent most of my time pondering life, but yes, hopefully with this extra long break, I can come back with more perspective and more to offer than if I had been in a hurry.

The focus track “It’s Electricial” couldn’t be more timely, especially with mental health being a serious concern these days. What inspired the song?

I’m glad to hear you find it timely. Songs are created by intuition, part of it is not knowing exactly where you are going but you make sense of it later. “It’s Electrical” ended up revolving around things like therapy, making the case against suicide to a younger person, and that we are overall sensitive people. If the music can offer any kind of emotional support, I’d consider that the highest form of success.

Has your approach to making music changed at all? If yes, how exactly?

I’ve been wanting to be as independent as possible, and I spent a lot of time and effort buying instruments and recording equipment for this album. The new approach is that rather than making demos and involving others, I now do everything myself. I allow my love for music to be as much a thing of technology and production as of music these days, and it’s fun. Another new approach is I’m now old and happy rather than young and sad, so I enjoy creating from the more universal perspective, since I’m done with my tiny self.

What can we expect from Melpo Mene post the release of this album?

I don’t want to take another long break. I want to make more music as soon as I can, so I hope that will be the case. I’m not very active on social media or driven to make attention-grabbing content around the project. I will provide my brand of music the best I can, and if anyone needs more, I’m always available on my email.

Find the musician on Instagram and Facebook.