Photo by Anna Sundström
The mysterious Mirny Mine, in the realm of everyday life recognized as Anna Sundström, is a deft hand at both musical instruments and the photographic lens. Her compositions, paralleling her visual pieces, have a filmic resonance that deeply embeds emotions into its texture. Originating from the island of Gotland in Sweden, the stark allure of her birthplace naturally infuses her captivating melodies, channeling the likes of Zola Jesus, Sigur Rós, and Chelsea Wolfe.
Now, Mirny Mine (named for a Siberian diamond mine) presents a double EP divided into Swedish and English segments, christened Från död till liv and Palmy Days. This ambitious effort delves deep into the auditory realm, examining profound emotional depths.
Anna’s profound vocal timbre navigates us through passages reminiscent of both sixties pop and darkwave, yet entirely distinct in its essence. The filmic notes in Mirny Mine’s compositions make sense given that Anna Sundström, the talent behind the pseudonym, is a renowned photographic artist. The stark and untouched elements in her melodies undeniably draw inspiration from her native Gotland.
“The lyrics touch on themes that can be interpreted as our inner voice and longing for peace with ourselves,” muses Sundström. “But with the climate crisis and the war in Ukraine, I also see that it is about a longing for peace and peace in general. The artistic purpose of the album is to develop together with others, to let the creation take a new form where different musicians can interpret and add their voices to strengthen and deepen the music. To depart from the concept “alone is strong” which also takes on a wider meaning due to the world we live in, we need to stick together, we are a herd, alone you don’t survive for long.”
Her inaugural album, The Other Part, highlighted Anna’s virtuosity, with her playing the lion’s share of the instruments. Yet, in this follow-up, Anna steps into a more collective terrain, drawing from the skills of fellow Gotland musicians. This time she wanted to explore the interaction with other musicians to create new voices and influences for the music. The songs are produced by Anna together with Fredrik Larsson who was also involved in the songwriting on some songs.
What emerges is an anthology that celebrates the enchantment of converging artistic souls. Esteemed contributors such as Merit Hemmingson, Polina Pohozha, St Clemens Chamber Choir, and Oskar Lindström amplify the project with their distinct offerings. Anna shares production responsibilities with Fredrik Larsson, who also brings his songwriting prowess to the table.
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