Well where do I even begin with this one. Mitochondrial Sun – the solo project from Dark Tranquility’s Niklas Sundin, and their self titled album. The album was something I had honestly never experienced from a largely instrumental collection before. If you want an album that makes you feel as though you are being transported between different moods and worlds then this one will not disappoint you.

The album also features guest musicians such as another Dark Tranquility member Martin Brandstrom and renowned cello player Annika Blomfeldt.

Mitochondrial Sun is an album to not just listen, but experience.

I found it difficult to describe each track but I gave it a shot so here we go.

Ur Tehom had a piano intro, it was a great start as it caused great intrigue but in a delicate yet somehow moody kind of way.

Chronotopes is the kind of track that makes you feel, which is a commendable trait because not every artist or track can do this.  About halfway through it morphs in some beats.

Braying Cells gave a sense of darkness, ominous, intense. Difficult to describe as it wasn’t really the driving sense of harsh sounds you would get from other music but more the feeling of it, not depressing. See what i mean hard to describe, let’s move on.

Stars Beneath the Sea was almost futuristic and had a sense of happiness and/brightness.

Nyaga is upbeat and also futuristic in some ways.  Up tempo and electric.

Celestial Animal began moody, almost sad. But it built and became something upbeat.  It was an interesting track.

Arkadia is very hard to put into words it was very different to the rest.

The Void Begets is another one I struggled to find words for.  And honestly I still have nothing so I am going to leave well enough alone.

Entropy’s Gift opens with a light and bubbly sound but was a real mixed bag. The addition of galactic and almost old school video game sounds thrown through the mix made for an interesting sound.

The Great Filter was the most vicious sounding track on the album almost as though it was sending a message. Intriguing none the less.

9/10

Steph Suter-James.