Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, Dark-Ambient, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Viktor Zeidner is a Swedish DJ, club owner, label owner and musician. “Mörkrets Narr” which means ‘the fool of darkness’ is his third solo-project on which he invited a few guests like Oestergaards and Plasmafuse.

Content: The album is taking off in an extremely dark and frightening way. Low, vibrating sound waves mixed with icy Electronics and Noise effects hold your attention while stimulating your imagination. Quite progressively the second part of the work moves into more Experimental collages, but still revealing a few more relaxing passages. One of the tracks even features Ethereal, female vocals.

+ + + : I especially like the debut part of the album, which is darker than night and creating a tormenting effect. The low sound vibrations are accentuating the darkness of the work, but you’ll also notice some overwhelming noise blasts and cold Electronics. I also enjoy the way “Fundament (Part 2)” featuring Plasmafuse has been elaborated and refined while  leading to a great passage with Ethereal vocals. I also like the input of Oestergaards, which is an artist I can only, but recommend. Last, but not least I also have to say a word about the artistic digipak (which is a DVD format).

– – – : The second part of the album sometimes sounds like being composed by another artist. It’s not that bad, but less exciting than the obscure, tormenting debut.

Conclusion: Slim Vic has accomplished a somewhat versatile piece of music, but clearly featuring some obscure sonic pearls.

Best songs: “Utanmyra”, “Fundament (Part 2)”, “Bål”, “Ebenist (Part 1)”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/slimvic

Label: www.lamour.se / www.facebook.com/LamourRec

About Slim Vic

Slim Vic is the project of Viktor Zeidner, a Swedish DJ born in 1981 in Gävle. He runs a club and the record label Lamour Records, plays in the improv band Hawaii and the metal band Dieselkopf, and works in the visual team Deadpixel. Between 2006 and 2013 he managed IDKA, the Institute of Digital Arts.

The project debuted with the “Habrovink EP” in 2012, followed by the EPs “Talong” and “Plös” on Lamour Records in 2013 and “Bärsärk EP” in 2014. A series of “Remixed” EPs ran from 2015 to 2018. The cassette album “Norr Om Dalälven (Romantikens Farsot)” appeared on Do You Dream Of Noise? in 2018 and the cassette “Scary Tape” on Lamour Records in 2019.

“Mörkrets Narr” was released on 8 October 2021 on Lamour Records, on digital and CD in a DVD-format digipak. It holds eleven tracks running 58 minutes, with guest contributions from Oestergaards and Plasmafuse. The two-track “Mörkrets Narr Remixed” followed in July 2023.

Later work includes the EPs “Brita – Blod, Svett Och Stål” in 2022 and the cassette album “Ambient Night” in 2023, followed by the soundtracks “Besvärliga kvinnor” and “Ask Me Anything” in 2025.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Oestergaards is the solo-project from Swedish artist Tomas Östergårds. The dark-ambient sound of Oesteraagrds evokes the golden years of Cold Meat Industry. There’s a similar taste for dark- and obscure atmospheres. I got the opportunity to discover this artist by his debut album “Rötterna” (2018). There’s a new EP out now entitled “Moloken”, which has been released on Tomas’ own label Dovle. The title of this production can be translated as ‘depressed’, ‘distressed’, ‘sad’, ‘melancholy’… The themes have been transposed into an anguishing and sinister piece of music confirming the talent of this artist. If you like dark-ambient music you for sure gone like Oestergaards.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Can you briefly introduce us to the universe of Oestergaards and what’s your personal background related to music?

Tomas: Good question, what is Oestergaards’ universe? I’ve never thought about it. I would say a step into my deepest thoughts and my emotional world, my main form of expression. Oestergaards is simply the gloomier side of myself. A world where there are no boundaries, no right or wrong, unrestrained and free. A place that I enjoy.

When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s, I got in touch with the electronic music scene. I was fascinated and became a big fan of the early industrial music scene. I discovered the Swedish record label Cold Meat Industry in the early 90s and fell in love with their obscure and uncompromising releases, I had never heard anything like it. A whole new world opened to me as a teenager from the northern countryside in Sweden. Some of my favorites were, and still are, Aghast, Brighter Death Now, Deutsch Nepal, Raison d’être and Desiderii Marginis.

During most of the 00s and 10s, I played guitar and sang in various bands, some kind of folk-rock and country-punk, believe it or not. None of the bands released anything. The electronic music fell a bit into oblivion during that time, but have fortunately found a way back into my life. You could say that the circle is finally closed.

Q: I found an interesting quote on your site claiming ‘A dystopian world of sound with essences of Hälsinglands rural society and the desire to get away from the traditional trodden musical paths’. Tell us a bit more about this goal and what don’t you like in ‘traditional musical paths’?

Tomas: After almost twenty years in different bands, I was totally tired of adapting to other band members, I guess we became adults and other things became more important than playing in bands. Like milking cows and raising children. At the same time, I also got tired of the traditional ways of creating and writing music. You know verse / chorus / verse / chorus / bridge / chorus and so on. It was totally uninspiring. I searched for something new, bought some synths and effects pedals and started improvising abstract soundscapes. At the same time I rediscovered artists I’ve listened to in my youth and I wanted to do something similar, but in my own way. I spent two years testing and learning the gear before I started recording what eventually became ‘Rötterna’.

Q: Your music is clearly inspired by the darkest side of ambient music. What inspires and drives you to ‘go dark’ and what do you want to express this way?

Tomas: I have always been drawn to dark expressions in music, art, film and literature. I have an almost morbid fascination for dystopia. It’s not hard to find inspiration today, just go out on random social media and you’ll find just about anything. There are dystopian and dark tendencies everywhere, politically, socially, religiously and culturally. It’s easy to get depressed. I try not to read on social media or see news on TV, because there is a huge risk that my brain will overheat. The idea with Oestergaards has always been to provide a soundtrack to our present and near future, seen from a rather pessimistic point of view. I don’t want to be pessimistic, but it’s hard not to be, when we’re surrounded by idiots. The only thing I can do is to ignore it as much as possible and to be creative. Express it in my way.

Q: Your latest work “Moloken” has been introduced as ‘a kind of psychic exorcism, a settlement with depression and anxiety’. It all looks like it must have been a very personal work. Can you give us some details and how did you transpose a state of being into sounds and songs?

Tomas: Yes, “Moloken” is a very personal one. After struggling with mental illnesses such as exhaustion, depression, anxiety and social anxiety for many years came a turning point in my life where I began to feel much better. I started going to a very good psychologist, training Muai Thai and met a wonderful partner. I felt that I wanted to have a musical ending with that time in my life. A kind of ritual to leave that darkness behind me. Musically, it was a process of finding appropriate sounds, field recordings, samples and voices. You can hear me breathing and mumbling from real anxiety attacks, lonely sighs and wheezing out invoked spells to get rid of the torments. I have tried to recreate the feeling in the body during a depression through icy sounds, the shaking of the grumble, the heavy squeezing bass and panic-roaring noise. But also the calm and apathy that comes after a seizure. The sound of walking alone in the woods, trampling on stones and dried branches. The sound of a sizzling radio as if you were the last person on earth. Looking out over an abandoned world.

Q: I noticed Simon Heath did the mastering of “Moloken”. I can imagine “Moloken” could have been released on his label (Cryo Chamber) while you finally self-released it on Dovle Records. How comes and what are the plans and aims with Dovle Records?  

Tomas: I don’t know, I never asked Simon to release it. But I don’t think that “Moloken” fits into Cryo Chamber’s concept of themes and cinematic soundscapes, it lacks storytelling in that way. I wanted him to master the record and he said yes. I have great respect for Simon and love his various projects, the collaboration between him (Atrium Carceri) and Pär Boström (Cities Last Broadcast) is probably the finest in the whole dark-ambient community in my opinion. For me it was interesting to hear how the songs would end up sounding through Simon’s ears, he is a true professional and he did an excellent job.

I wanted “Moloken” to be the first release on my own label. The reason I started Dovle Records was because I want to have a label to release my music on, both as Oestergaards and upcoming side-projects. Where I have full control over the creative and artistic process, where I can set my own deadlines, be spontaneous and don’t have to rely on anyone else. I like to work fast, from recording to release. One example is my latest release “Borrowed Time (A Collection of Forgotten Obscurities)” which was released only digital via Bandcamp a couple of weeks ago. A compilation album with live tracks and old improvisations. It took three days to release, from idea, selection, cutting the tracks, to mastering, produce the artwork and finally release it.

I have never reached out to the bigger record companies to release my music. Sure, I’ve been thinking about, but it hasn’t come to me. Maybe I’ll do that for my first full length album. Of course, if anyone is interested, it would be interesting to release my records on a larger label. I’m always open to collaborations and new experiences.

Q: Your debut album “Rötterna” (2018) was released on digital platforms and cassette format. The contrast between streaming and cassette is quite interesting; something modern and trendy at one side and a pure underground format at the other side. I would like to get your opinion about it and especially about artists moving back to cassette and vinyl?

Tomas: For me, music has always been important in physical formats. I want a product to hold and smell. The reason “Rötterna” was released on cassette was mostly because it was fun. And a cost issue. I don’t even own a cassette player. In my world, vinyl is the ultimate format, both in terms of sound and cover. “Moloken” both sounds and looks better on vinyl, I think. I try to buy as much vinyl records I can afford from artists I like. The number of artists releasing vinyl just seems to increase, to my delight. Then I have to say that streaming is a fantastic complement, to always be able to bring good music, wherever you are.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient.

Format: Digital, vinyl.

Background/Info: I got the opportunity to discover the debut album of this Swedish dark-ambient artist. The album “Rötterna” was an impressive debut reminding me of the golden years of Cold Meat Industry. This new work features five compositions and has been released on the artist’s brand-new label, which is meant to release Oestergaards’ productions plus side-projects. “Moloken” is a kind of psychic exorcism, ‘a settlement with depression and anxiety’. Notice by the way the album has been mastered by Simon Heath (Atrium Carceri).

Content: “Rötterna” already was a total surprise and “Moloken” only confirms the writing skills of this artist. The songs again remind me of some masters of dark-ambient music. It’s the kind of album that would have found its place at the CMI-roster. The visitor feels like trespassing a danger zone, which is created by the strength of obscure sound waves, humming sounds and multiple little noises and effects. Voices have been used as an extra effect, empowering the ghost-like sensation of “Moloken”.

+ + + : Oestergaards simply confirms being one of the ‘next big things’ in the dark-ambient world. The compositions are elaborated and animated by multiple sonic details creating an imaginary sonic labyrinth of horror and despair. The work has a strong  visual appeal, bringing feelings of angst and loneliness alive. Oestergaards stands for torment and in a way perfectly transposes the fetish theme of illness into an ambient masterpiece. The last track (cf. “Stavsberget (No Horizon Left)” is a brilliant apotheosis to this mini-album.

– – – : The work is maybe missing a total climax, but globally speaking there’s no reason to complaining.

Conclusion: The title of the album is a Swedish word, which can be translated as ‘depressed’, ‘distressed’, ‘sad’, ‘melancholy’… which has been remarkably adapted into a fascinating dark-ambient trip.

Best songs: “Stavsberget (No Horizon Left)”, “Dihovle (The Whining of Ordinary People)”, “Moloken”.

Rate:  (8).

Artist: www.oestergaards.net / www.facebook.com/oestergaards

Label: www.facebook.com/Dovle-Records-2333543083365903

About Oestergaards

Oestergaards is a Swedish dark-ambient artist, born in 1977 and based in Älvkarleby, with a background as a festival organizer. The project debuted with the album “Rötterna” (2018) and the “Maal Niir” EP (2018) on the artist’s own label Dovle Records, the same label behind “Moloken”. A remix set, “Marianergraven (Remixed Pt. 2)”, followed in 2020, and the album “Öde Verser” was released via Fluttering Dragon in 2024.

Oestergaards discussed “Moloken” in a Click Interview with Side-Line the following month.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Background/Info:

About Oestergaards

Oestergaards is the solo project of Swedish artist Tomas Östergårds, who played guitar and sang in several bands during the 2000s and 2010s before turning to dark-ambient music, citing the Cold Meat Industry roster as a formative influence. “Rötterna” was Oestergaards’ debut album. In 2020, the project released the “Moloken” EP on its own label, Dovle, and spoke to Side-Line in a Click Interview.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com