Welcome back to Reviews from the Aural Realms, a series from Other Worlds Than These where I share music and artists that resonate deeply with me—sonically, spiritually, and creatively.
In my last review, I explored Pacific Coast Highway by Christopher Franke, which may very well be my favorite album of all time.
Today, instead of focusing on a single album, I’m diving into the work of one of my absolute favorite artists: Carbon Based Lifeforms—or CBL for short.
CBL’s most recent album, Seeker, was released in 2023. One half of the duo, Daniel Vadestrid, also produces solo material under the name Sync24, and his latest release Hope just dropped on July 7, 2025. (Expect a review of that soon.)
Choosing favorite tracks from CBL is nearly impossible, so I’m taking the artist-focused approach and highlighting a selection of works that mean the most to me. Let’s begin.
Discovery & First Impressions
I first discovered Carbon Based Lifeforms through a Facebook post from fellow artist and friend Martin Lindhe, who creates music under the name Bassic (spoiler: he’ll be featured in a future Aural Realms review—subscribe here to be notified!).
Martin shared a post about the album Interloper around 2010, and I was immediately intrigued. After hearing just one track, I was hooked—wow. I went straight to Amazon MP3 and bought everything CBL had released at the time. These days, I collect their releases on Bandcamp in high-quality FLAC, and I proudly own all their albums on vinyl. My turntable needle visits their grooves often.
A memorable moment for me was getting to speak with Daniel Vadestrid live via a video call, thanks to my friend Sean McDonough, who had backed Daniel’s book The Path to Derelicts. I happened to be in town for the call and was grateful to be a part of it.
CBL’s sound is often classified as psybient, a beautiful fusion of ambient, downtempo, and psychedelic textures. Suffice it to say, I’m a huge fan—not only of CBL, but of Sync24 as well.
Track-by-Track Reflections
🌀 All of the songs featured below are part of the official Reviews from the Aural Realms Playlist on Spotify. Dive in and listen along.
1. RCA (+)
The opening track from the Refuge soundtrack starts with silence and slowly introduces shimmering, bell-like tones that resemble the resonance of water glasses. The buildup is subtle, then morphs into a chill rhythm layered with a counter-melody that dances with the original theme.
As the song evolves, an almost feline, “meow”-like tone enters, hard to describe yet oddly beautiful. It eventually dissolves into a calm, drifting outro. Listening to it alongside the album cover evokes a haunting, emotional atmosphere.
(Side note: I found and watched Refuge—the film they scored—and it’s not bad!)
2. Interloper
The title track from Interloper was likely the first song I ever heard from CBL. It opens with a hypnotic ambient arpeggio before layered guitars, bass, and percussion pull you into a perfectly balanced chillout groove.
This track showcases CBL’s signature ability to ebb between rhythmic and ambient passages, each flowing naturally into the next. It’s an outstanding album opener and a gateway into their sound.
3. Frog
Also from Interloper, this track begins with delicate ambient textures and a rain-like motif, before settling into a dreamy rhythm made of bell-like tones and plucked melodies.
“Frog” has personal meaning for me—it always reminds me of my youngest daughter when she was about seven. Even the introduction of a distorted lead later in the track doesn’t disrupt its serenity. It’s blissful and beautifully balanced.
4. Somewhere in Russia
From Twentythree, this may be my favorite CBL track. It starts gently with ambient voices and pads, then introduces a spoken Russian passage describing a magical, eternal celebration deep in the forest.
The first time I heard it, I stopped everything. Like “Crystal Tree” from Pacific Coast Highway, this song soothes anxiety and invites you into a world apart. Its closing—marked by a trance-like knocking rhythm—leaves you in a meditative state.
5. Accede
The opener to Derelicts features lush arpeggios and ambient textures that lean into a chillout groove. It’s a “love sequence” kind of track—calming, euphoric, and just energetic enough to keep you moving.
It’s my go-to track when starting long drives—though when I really need energy, I’ll switch to Mad Max: Fury Road by Junkie XL. (More on that in a future review.)
6. Gryning
From World of Sleepers, this ambient gem nearly lost its place in this list to “Euphoric” or “Betula Pendula,” but ultimately won out. It’s filled with soft pads, ethereal voices, tribal undertones, and subtle percussion—perfect for meditation or background listening.
7. Birdie
We return to Refuge, this track opens with ghostly whistles, deserted-city vibes, and soft piano elements. There’s a background arpeggio and a melodic thread reminiscent of Tangerine Dream’s Heartbreakers soundtrack.
A tender, ambient closer to this selection of highlights.
Final Thoughts
I can’t overstate how much I love the music of Carbon Based Lifeforms. Whether you’re meditating, relaxing by the pool on a warm summer day, diving into a good book, or just trying to unwind—CBL is the perfect soundtrack. Their entire discography is worth exploring, and honestly, there’s no single starting point I’d recommend above another. Just hit play, and let their sonic universe envelop you.
The tracks I’ve highlighted here are just a glimpse—choosing favorites was nearly impossible. Every album, every piece has its own emotional weight and intention. I find myself returning to their music again and again, often discovering something new with each listen.
There is one album, though, that I have on permanent rotation during moments when I need to stay calm and grounded—like waiting at the dentist or sitting in a long waiting room: Stochastic.
What started as a creative experiment for them evolved into an entire album concept. Using randomized functionalities on lesser-used synthesizers, CBL discovered sequences that were perfect for passive listening—non-intrusive but still rich with subtle stimulation. They defined harmonies and frequencies, then let the machines perform the tracks, sometimes using randomly generated sequences, other times looped modulations.
The result is fascinating: music that occupies the space between conscious thought and subconscious drift.
If you haven’t yet explored Carbon Based Lifeforms—don’t wait. Start anywhere, listen deeply, and you’ll likely find yourself returning over and over again, just like I have.
Listen / Purchase
About the Artists
Formed in 1996 in Gothenburg, Sweden, Carbon Based Lifeforms is an ambient electronic duo composed of Johannes Hedberg and Daniel Vadestrid (née Ringström). Their music blends downtempo, psybient, and space ambient with organic textures and cinematic moods, creating immersive sonic environments that have made them iconic within the ambient music world.
Across over two decades and numerous critically acclaimed releases—including Hydroponic Garden, World of Sleepers, Interloper, and Derelicts—CBL has become known for their ability to create emotionally rich, otherworldly listening experiences. Their live shows, often accompanied by hypnotic visuals, have captivated audiences worldwide.
Their music is not just heard—it’s inhabited. Whether through pulsing low-end frequencies, crystalline melodies, or field recordings that make you feel like you’re exploring an alien forest or drifting in deep space, CBL has carved out a unique and enduring space in electronic music.
Johannes Hedberg
Johannes Hedberg is one half of the visionary force behind Carbon Based Lifeforms, and a vital contributor to their compositional voice. Known for his mastery of ambient textures and melodic structure, Johannes brings a grounding serenity to the duo’s sound.
Born in 1976, Johannes first met Daniel at the age of 15, and their friendship grew into one of the most successful creative partnerships in Scandinavian electronic music. His approach to sound design is deeply emotive and technically nuanced—balancing clarity, warmth, and depth in equal measure. Hedberg’s influence on CBL’s signature tone can be felt in their most iconic tracks, where complex synth work meets simplicity in atmosphere.
Daniel Vadestrid
Daniel Vadestrid, formerly known as Daniel Ringström, is the other half of Carbon Based Lifeforms—and an accomplished solo artist under the moniker Sync24. His solo work explores deeper grooves and experimental rhythms, fusing elements of acid, techno, and ambient into something uniquely personal and cerebral.
Beyond music production, Daniel has founded Leftfield Records, a platform for cutting-edge electronic music, and has released standout solo albums like Source, Comfortable Void, Acidious, and most recently Hope (2025).
Daniel’s use of analog gear, generative sequencing, and experimental methods—especially on albums like Stochastic—showcase his ongoing commitment to innovation. He’s not just producing music—he’s constantly evolving the process behind it.
Together with Johannes, Daniel continues to push boundaries in ambient music, with a catalog that inspires both introspection and exploration.