Max Lilja is a Finnish cello player and composer, most known as one of the original members of the cello metal band Apocalyptica. He has also been a member of the thrash metal band Hevein and is a part of Tarja Turunen’s (Nightwish) solo band since 2007. His first solo album, “Plays Electronica By One Cello”, was released in 2013, and next month, on the 10th of April, the second one, “Morphosis”, will be launched.

All music on “Morphosis” is written on cello and you realize when you listen how much he’s stretching the limits of how a cello can sound knowing that all the voices in the arrangements come from his cello. I am already a fan at the first track when I listen to the powerful “Revelations”, where we’re reminded by his metal background by a distorted, pumping, dark metal riff which forms a base under a filmic soundscape of screaming, ominous sound winds as well as beautiful classic cello tones. The following song “Silent Highway” heads off in another direction as a beautiful, light cello melody is a accompanied by electronica-sounding, clock-ticking rhythms. And the album continues with another seven tracks that take us on fascinating excursions in the borderline regions where different genres meet and is morphed together, commanded by fair melodies. Listen to the first two tracks here below. There’s also a video to  “Revelations”, created by Janne Laiho:

Max Liljas site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp

Finally it’s Spring again and the band Boeoes Kaelstigen are dancing of joy as they jump into their spacecraft heading for the awakening greenery in the forest before voyaging out to the satellites to get a closer look at the Spring sun. New instrumental single from the band, “Damm”, to be officially released tomorrow.

Boeoes Kaelstigen on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp – on Soundcloud

Here’s an interesting debut single from a new duo who call themselves The Lola O. “Jolly” is the name of the song, a pop song with folk hymn vibes and which grows to epic proportions in the chorus.

The Lola O on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp

Dream pop can’t become much more dreamy than on Dream Lake’s new single “World of Dreams”, which the song’s name also implies. Well, good, beautiful dreams then, dreams where we are flying among fluffy cotton clouds accompanied by choirs of angels while fragrant flower petals are dancing in the wind.

Dream Lake’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp

In the Autumn Sibirien, or David Björk, released the excellent EP “När jorden blev rund“. This week he presented the follow-up in the shape of the new single “Warszawa/Amsterdam”. The song is about a friend of David’s, who passed away last year. I can hear and feel that it gets more personal in an ambience that shifts between the tensed, frustrated and the melancholic, retrospective in the absence of someone who was once close. The video was directed by Dennis Tkacuk.

Sibirien on Facebook – on Spotify – on Soundcloud