LETUM Interview
Letum is a Swedish dark ambient project that has deliberately remained outside trends and rigid classifications, shaping a sonic identity rooted in the exploration of dense mental states, ritual atmospheres, and an understanding of sound as a tool for inner confrontation rather than a purely aesthetic exercise, where each composition operates as a space of immersion that demands attention and presence, moving away from fast consumption and favoring an auditory experience that unfolds slowly and leaves a lasting imprint. In this interview, Mathias Henriksson reflects on the origins of the project, his view of dark ambient as a field of personal inquiry, the creative processes behind Letum, and the ways in which sound can function as a medium for examining what usually stays beyond everyday discourse.
Hello and welcome to the Spiral Transmissions…What deep meaning does the word "Letum" have for you? Why did you decide to adopt it as the name of the project?
It was at an early age I found the word in a Latin dictionary, I’ve used it since, it’s me, my life.
What was the moment or situation in your life that marked the inevitable birth of Letum? Was it a creative, existential, or spiritual need? How would you describe Letum's original purpose, and how has that purpose evolved over time?
I’ve always liked music and it’s something that I’ve always needed in my life. I started with poke commands at the beginning of the 80:s and went on from there. When I grew up I also was a fan of how Argento and Fulci used music in their horror movies, I think it influenced me a lot.
Do you think that Letum is more of a process of internal transformation or a tool for external communication with the world? Do you consider your music as a form of meditation due to the sublimity and dense passages in the albums?
Letum is and has been meditation for me and I think it is for most listeners as well. My intent with Letum is to give an experience and to keep you in balance, those long dark nights in life. I think dark ambient in general is very mediative and transcendental and I hope Letum is that too.
What tools and methods do you use when composing. Are you more intuitive or structured in your creative process? How do you build a Letum track from scratch? Do you start with an emotion, a sound, or a vision?
Regarding tools, I used to have some external gear, but technology has made it better to keep it inside the computer where there are more possibilities, and I can reach what I need more easily. It’s different but often one thing leads to another and starts with an idea. While exploring sounds (I love sounds) they give me further ideas and eventually I can’t let go until I am satisfied. I usually listen in bed or while taking a walk to come up with further improvements. Not that structured I guess but I have my routines.
Your sounds have a spiritual, sometimes sacred, architecture. Do you use scales, drones, or samples that have specific occult or emotional symbolism?
I like to use choirs, though lately I’ve only used them softly in the background, they were more prominent before. "The Entrance to Salvation" marked a powerful entrance into dark ambient.
What were you looking to express in that album that you couldn't say with words?
Music was everything to me then, confused and hiding I tried to express how I felt. I tried to find some salvation at the time.
"Broken" was considered a more aggressive and emotionally raw work. What personal or existential break did that album reflect?
Life and shit that can happen, chaos in mind and that’s how I dealt with it I guess. Have I had the technology as of today I think it would have been even more aggressive and chaotic.
Death is always present in my music, at least in my subconscious, but I like to include some light at the end of the tunnel as well. I guess “Broken” is the most personal and painful, it was my therapy at the time.
How did it feel to return with Dreams and Illusions after years of silence? Was it a closing, an opening or a mirage?
The first three albums were about five years between them but after these I got more creative, though I never stopped thinking of making music. “Dreams and Illusions” is more evolving ominous tracks, more psychological and eerie. I have always been fascinated by the lurid and the occult and I hope the album also gives the listener this feeling.
Do you feel that your music serves as a rite of passage to face the pain, loss or fragility of the human condition? Is there a spirituality without religion for you? Do you think art can be an invisible temple?
I think your questions have the answers, I say yes, I love spirituality, the mysteriousness that lies in the term without being religious, and I see the invisible temple as sacred ground and personal, where I can find strength and meditation.
Have you had any spiritual, dreamlike or liminal experience that has directly influenced your creative process? How do you perceive creative solitude? Is it a choice or a natural state?
Experiences can be from daily life, from a movie, from music or even something spiritual like visiting a church. My state of mind is important, some days are not very creative, but even those something can be achieved, if focused. Focus and discipline are keys.
How do you balance your professional life outside of art with your identity as a creator of dark sound worlds? What place does nature or the Swedish landscape have in your inspiration? Is there a direct connection between physical spaces and your atmospheres?
I live in a small town where nature is just around the corner. I don’t need human interaction every day, I often like and need to be alone, and I am sure it reflects in my music.
I appreciate that you’ve listened closely and made your conclusions, which are spot on this time as well. On “Distand Dead Stars” I wanted to do something just like you describe, with a touch of atmospheric serenity. It’s like going to bed and looking up at all the stars, what mysteries do they hold?
This album conveys a sense of empty immensity, as if we were listening to the echoes of something that no longer exists. What was your sonic intention in building that atmosphere, and what techniques did you use to achieve that feeling of cosmic loss?
I find space interesting and fascinating, so endless, hard to understand but I took my experience so far in life and tried to create a journey in space or maybe just into the inner temple to see what could be found. Loss is a familiar feeling, it’s there, doesn’t have to dig deep to find it.
Do you consider this album to represent a form of mourning for the universe, an elegy for what cannot return? Is there a hidden message about the fate of consciousness in the context of an indifferent cosmos?
Not really but it’s a nice thought though! While making the album I had visions of walking on dark deserted planets, but maybe I’ve just seen to many Star Wars…
How has your perception of time changed since you started the Letum project? Is time linear, cyclical, or emotional for you? What inspires you more: dreams, literature, philosophy or emotions?
Letum is important to me, I’ve put much of my life into the project and the things I do, hear and see in life inspires me. Time is stressful, it is best to ignore it now and then if possible.
What unspoken message is still waiting to be conveyed through Letum? If Letum were your spiritual testament, what would you want the listener to feel or understand after hearing it in depth?
Dark ambient music is much up to the listener to interpret, which I like, but I think you’ve captured the essential. I want the listener to get experience of some sort and maybe the music will calm the soul and mind to be able to cope with another day, like music does for me. Letum is not done yet, more music will come, it’s written in the stars…
LETUM
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