The ambient / electronic project by David Elfström Lilja, Árstraumur, has released the new instrumental album “Aurora”, the fourth from the project, today via I/O Music. The ten-part set includes guest appearance by Vince Clarke, Vide Lilja, and Bror Törnell.

“Aurora” is available as a digital/streaming release and in limited physical editions: CD, 180g black vinyl, and 180g transparent green vinyl. High-resolution downloads are offered on Bandcamp.

While Vince Clarke is featured on “Aurora III”, “Aurora V” features Vide Lilja and “Aurora VIII” Bror Törnell. All tracks were written, programmed, performed, mixed, and produced by David Elfström Lilja at Studio Svefnherbergi, Gävle, Sweden, except the three aforementioned collaboration tracks. The mastering was executed by Hoffe Stannow at Cosmos Mastering.

The collaboration with Vince Clarke

We asked David how this collaboration with Vince Clarke started: “I’ve been in touch with Vince before, a few years ago, because I wanted him to remix my project Moist, but he felt the songs were already complete as they were and that he couldn’t really add anything to them.

So, when I started writing songs for my next instrumental album, I remembered that Vince had released an instrumental record himself a couple of years earlier. I wrote to his management and asked them to forward a request, including some of the tracks I’d started working on and links to my previous albums.

A few days later, they got back to me and said that Vince wanted to take part. Then Vince emailed me a couple of days after that, and we started bouncing ideas back and forth – which eventually became the track he’s featured on.¨

About Árstraumur

This is the ambient/electronic project of Swedish producer and artist David Elfström Lilja (also known as Moist). The project is based in Gävle, Sweden (since 2023), and focuses on instrumental works spanning ambient atmospheres, cinematic textures, and downbeat electronics.

Early releases appeared on Bandcamp and through I/O Music, the independent label founded by Elfström Lilja in 2011. The catalog preceding “Aurora” includes “Off-World Colonies” (2023), “Airwaves” (2024), and “Deep Space Travellers” (2024), followed by singles such as “Cygnus X-1” (2024). “Aurora” is the fourth album and features collaborations with Vince Clarke, Vide Lilja, and Bror Törnell.

Elfström Lilja’s broader discography encompasses work as Moist, with remix and collaboration credits connected to artists such as Pet Shop Boys, Red Snapper, Tangerine Dream, Kebu, and The Beloved.

About Vide Lilja (vi/de) and Bror Törnell

Vide Lilja is a Swedish musician releasing as v!de / Vide Lilja. Next to being a featured collaborator on Árstraumur’s catalogue before “Aurora” (“Cassini” on Árstraumur’s “Deep Space Travellers”), I/O Music also announced him joining the roster.

Bror Törnell is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter and producer, born August 1, 1956 (Trönö, Hälsingland); and is the brother of singer Monica Törnell. He played in the Monica Törnell Band (1970s) and as guitarist in the Söderhamn group Zenith (1975–1980); next to this he contributed guitar/songwriting to several of Monica Törnell’s albums. He Later worked as producer for acts including Authorize, Overload, Divine Sin and goth rock band Malaise. He is also involved with the Studiefrämjandet in Söderhamn, the local office of Sweden’s nationwide adult-education association.

About I/O Music

I/O Music is an independent Swedish record label founded in 2011 by producer and designer David Elfström Lilja in Söderhamn. The label’s catalog primarily spans electronic styles – including electronic pop, ambient, techno and experimental music – and has also released non-electronic and pop material. I/O Music now operates from Gävle and runs a Bandcamp label page under I/O Music + SleepyTown.

SleepyTown was launched in 2023, and is a rock-oriented sub-label created as an extension to I/O Music. SleepyTown is co-managed with Swedish drummer/producer Marcus Losbjer (Wolverine/Di Leva), who is the co-founder/label manager.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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