Review Summary: Sundin takes his electronic project in yet another direction.
If you’re unfamiliar with Mitochondrial Sun, some background may be in order. The project is the brainchild of former Dark Tranquillity guitarist Niklas Sundin. Unlike his work with the melodic death metal band, Mitochondrial Sun is rooted in electronics, ambient soundscapes, and even touches of industrial music. Over the course of a year, Sundin released two albums and an EP before going silent. Despite their close release dates, each of his first three records had a distinct identity. The debut featured classically inspired electro-ambient compositions, while the sophomore album leaned into black metal-infused electro-industrial. The EP, in contrast, embraced a more conventional melodic electro-ambient sound. Given that range, it should come as no surprise that his third full-length release takes yet another new direction.
During the brief rise of electronic music in the ‘90s, a particular style emerged—one that built upon the minimalist approach of ‘80s electro pioneers like Kraftwerk, blending it with a cold, otherworldly sci-fi ambience. This soundscape evoked the feeling of exploring an alien environment, using eerie, dissonant synths, evolving cyclical melodies, and subtle percussive elements to create movement. That foundation is precisely what Sundin taps into here—and he executes it masterfully. If you’re familiar with the sci-fi ambient keyboard work of the original Mass Effect video game, you’ll have a good idea of what to expect. With minimalist electronic ambient music, standout tracks or individual performances can be difficult to pinpoint—it’s best experienced as a whole, ideally with headphones and no distractions. If you’re a fan of the genre, you’ll want to immerse yourself in Machine Dialectics.
Nice to see a review, didn't know there was a new one. Gonna check it out since I've dug the other ones enough. Not really a project I come back to, but always interested to hear what he's up to as I have a great deal of respect for him as an artist.
This is really stream of conscious in one ear and out the other, but so were the other albums, so I guess it's on brand. Very atmospheric, interesting sounds, pretty exploratory in each song's journey, but with such a minimalistic canvas it's hard to really hook you in.
I actually think this is his best yet. The in-your-face synths work very well here, and there's a surprising amount of catchy movement. I was expecting something more subdued.
do the mods align the featured albums on the front page in a way that creates certain colour patterns or visual cohesion of some kind? i've noticed it several times including right now. it's pretty cool
SPECULOOS-3 B, The Fate of Animals, Trilobite Dreams, and The Child Sleeps in the Machine are definitely my early favorites so far, with SPECULOOS-3 B being probably the best of them.
