Feature: Mattias Lies Decodes “Höst & Landet som icke är”
Were there any challenges or obstacles you faced while creating "Höst & Landet som icke är?"
"As I reconnected with my biological family and Finnish heritage after two decades apart, 'Voices from the Karelian Isthmus' began to take shape. Yet, amidst the album's creation, grief struck with the sudden passing of my mother. While her loss was profound, the shared gratitude for our reunion resonated beyond words, becoming a powerful source of solace during the grieving process. This album, then, is a declaration of love - to Edith Södergran, to my mother, and to the roots that continue to nourish me. It's my ongoing journey of personal peace, woven into the very fabric of these songs."
Other wise this is an answer as well, a more technical one about this song in particular if that was what you had in mind asking the question:
I've put a lot of effort into balancing the dynamics of the song between its two parts. At the same time, there is a sensitivity in interpreting poems by someone like Edith Södergran. I wanted to create a song worthy of her poems.
Can you talk about any collaborations you had while making "Höst & Landet som icke är?"
Two talented friends assisted me on this one. Soprano Saxophone player Tommy Wahlström did a great job playing the bridge between the two parts of the song while Jens Larsson played the piano.
What impact do you hope this song will have on your audience or the music industry?
To be honest, I'm not sure what anyone really thinks, and I don't want to think too much about it. I've never done anything like this before, writing melodies to someone else's poems. I hope, however, that my audience will like it.
If we talk about the music industry, I want to say that a beautiful tree has many branches and I think the usual genres need counterweights. You might consider this song as such.
What is your songwriting process like? How do you usually start crafting a new song?
Melodies often weave their way into my life, inspiring me to weave words to match. This time, however, a magical transformation occurred. Though a century may separate us, the distance between Edith and myself vanished the moment I discovered that the melodies of her poems were already within me. These same melodies had already graced me in recent years, whispering through the air as I sat at the grand piano in Bingsjö rectory. It felt as though her spirit danced beside me, guiding the music towards me. Unwittingly, I had become the voice for her poems, and now, just one final step remained: to share these songs with the world, alongside the talents of my colleagues.
Is there a specific song that holds a particularly special meaning to you? Can you share the story behind it?
Choosing a single song is tough because so many favorites bring back those special memories. Tom Petty, though, is probably the artist most connected to them. If I had to pick just one song, it would be "Free Fallin'." It wasn't just the soundtrack of my youth; it also sparked my desire to become an artist myself.