As 2026 begins, Vargen returns, releasing a new single, ‘Sad Song’, adding an alt-pop infectiousness to his blues-tinged folk roots. Heart on sleeve, the Swedish-born songwriter shares his flair for poetry once again, as his story is delivered through the talents of an emotive orator.
Warm, twanging guitars and a steady, driven backbeat confidently drift between verses, choruses and instrumental moments. Moodier tendencies are moved in favour of an optimistic calling in the melodies, flourishing underlying arrangements and rich harmonies, adding weight to an understated, raw vocal delivery. It’s uplifting to its core.
Vargen explains, “‘Sad Song’ accepts that not everything resolves neatly, and lets that be. The song was allowed to grow over time, and the arrangement finally fell into place through the interplay between Mats ‘MP’ Persson’s guitar work and the backing vocals.”
The track is set to be accompanied by a Macbeth-inspired video in the coming weeks. The intricate and artistic designs of Vargen’s recent career have come in no short supply. Reine Johansson, whose journey from punk to attention-grabbing folk narratives has become more reflective as the years have passed, has grabbed more attention and more ambition along the way.
Listen here:
