NIKLAS SUNDIN - Former DARK TRANQUILLITY Guitarist Releases Debut Solo Album Featuring Unique Hand-Drawn Cover Artwork; Promo Video

Wattudragaren is the first solo album from Niklas Sundin, best known as a founding member and guitarist of Dark Tranquillity, the Grammy winning Swedish metal band that for nearly three decades has helped carving out an entire subgenre and inspired musicians all around the globe.

In contrast to his work in the aforementioned band, and the more recent electronica-tinged Mitochondrial Sun, Wattudragaren is a decidedly sombre piece of ambient music, designed not to be dark or ominous but ethereal and airy, with subtle melodies drifting in and out while providing a sonic tapestry for contemplation.

The album is the result of a long and eclectic creative process, incorporating everything from field recordings and granular synthesis to regularly played instruments. Always sparse and minimalistic, aiming for atmosphere rather than technical perfection.

Says Niklas: “On one level, I enjoy experimenting with music where the timbre and “soul” of the individual sounds are as important as the notes played. On another level, creating a lengthy and droning “nature album” is a small symbolical act of resistance in an era where a lot of music seems to be aiming for surface-level catchiness and instant gratification.”

This philosophy is also reflected in the physical version of the album: Limited edition Digipak CD on special organic artboard stock and a 12-page booklet on uncoated paper. Since Niklas is also a prolific illustrator, the triangular area of the cover will house a custom ink drawing reflecting the content of the album, making each copy a unique item.

Wattudragaren will be released on March 5, and will exclusively be available from the Niklas Sundin Bandcamp page and the newly founded Inertial Music label. It’ll be uploaded to the streaming services at a later point, but for now the focus is on the physical representation of the album.

Tracklisting:

"Reka"
"Tagel"
"Urminnet"
"Tjärnen"
"Kören"
"Andetagen"
"Lägerelden"
"Tidens tyngd"
"Rösten"
"Ytan"