Árstraumur | David Elfström Lilja
This project is the vision of producer, artist, and remixer David Elfström Lilja, born in Söderhamn and based in Gävle since 2023. Under the moniker Àrstraumur, he crafts cinematic electronic journeys that move between ambient stillness, downbeats and cosmic horizons… an endeavor that sprang from his own compositions, originally created to accompany and guide him into sleep.
The man behind the project.
David’s musical journey began at just four years old behind a drum kit and took a pivotal turn in 1984 with his first synthesizer… a grey Roland SH-101. Driven by his passion for electronic soundscapes, he launched the independent label I/O Music in 2011, which he continues to steer with enthusiasm, championing the expansive and ever-evolving world of electronic music.
Under various other aliases, David extends his reach—most notably as “Moist” his persona for crafting pop-forward electronica. His versatility is evident in official remixes for the Pet Shop Boys (UK) and Red Snapper (UK), while his own compositions have attracted reinterpretations from legends such as Tangerine Dream (DE), Kebu (FI), and The Beloved (UK).
Why the name Árstraumur?
Àrstraumur is Icelandic for “river current.” In Swedish, this concept translates to flodström. Another Swedish word for “river” is älv, which, in Old Swedish orthography, appears as “elf.” Pairing that with ström (Swedish for “current”) yields “Elfström”—David’s own surname.
