Árstraumur | David Elfström Lilja

This project is the brainchild of the prolific producer, artist, and remixer David Elfström Lilja, who hails from Söderhamn but has since made his home in Gävle, Sweden. Under the moniker Àrstraumur, David Elfström Lilja crafts experimental space and ambient soundscapes, a project that originated from his personal compositions designed to accompany his journey into sleep.

Why the name Árstraumur?
The word árstraumur means ‘river current’ in Icelandic. When translated into Swedish, it is called flodström. Another Swedish word for ‘river’ is älv. If you spell älv in Old Swedish, it becomes elf. Adding the Swedish word for ‘current,’ which is ström, it becomes my last name: Elfström.

The man behind the project.
David’s musical journey began at the tender age of four with drumming, and it took a significant turn in 1984 when he got his hands on his first synthesizer, a Roland SH-101. This passion for music led him to establish the independent record label, I/O Music, in 2011, a venture he passionately leads, focusing on the broad and ever-evolving genre of electronic music.

Beyond his atmospheric creations as Àrstraumur, David operates under several other pseudonyms, with “Moist” standing out as his outlet for pop electronica. His versatility shines through his remixes for illustrious artists such as the Pet Shop Boys (UK) and Red Snapper (UK), with his work also catching the attention and been remixed by the legendary Tangerine Dream (DE), Kebu (FI) and The Beloved (UK).