Sometimes all it takes is one perfect song. A song that crashes in with a dense rush of sound, then keeps unfolding, its synths cascading in warm sheets of atmosphere, its vocals glowing with a quiet ache that feels both intimate and impossibly grand. You hear the chorus and the whole landscape opens up. It’s the kind of track that makes you stop whatever you’re doing just to let it wash over you. That song, for me, is “The River” by The Sound Veil Society.
That single, perfect song led me to choose The Sound Veil Society as my pick for best new synthpop act of 2025. The project is comprised of two longtime collaborators—Norwegian musician Erlend Eilertsen and Swedish musician Hasse Mattsson—whose chemistry is instantly apparent. They’ve only released two tracks so far, “The River” and its follow-up “OK,” but those two songs are more than enough to mark them as the year’s most exciting new act.
Erlend and Hasse were kind enough to answer my questions about their background, their influences, and what lies ahead for The Sound Veil Society.
Let’s start with introductions. Can you tell us your names, where you’re from, and what readers should know about your musical backgrounds?
Erlend: My name is Erlend Eilertsen, from a small town called Tønsberg around 100 km south of Oslo, Norway. Been doing music in various forms for years, with Essence Of Mind, Lights A.M, and I also joined Xenturion Prime in 2024.
Hasse: I am Hasse Mattsson, and I’m also from a small town called Lysekil on the west coast of Sweden. I started my musical career in Code 64 when i was part of founding the band in 2003 and then started Xenturion Prime after around 10 years. I was also a part of Essence of Mind in the later years.
How did this project get started?
Erlend: We started talking about doing some music together again during the planning of a Lights A.M gig, which Hasse was going to join me onstage. We have been friends and bandmates for years, but we hadn’t done any music together since around 2016-17 or so, and never with just the two of us, so we thought we should give it a try. The first song we made was actually the demo of “OK,” and we continued to make demos in various styles until we found the sound and feeling we wanted to make with this new band.
Hasse: What he said.
Are your other projects on hold while you focus on this one? How do you approach The Sound Veil Society differently from those others?
Erlend: Xenturion Prime are going strong, and we are working on new material with Bjørn in parallel with The Sound Veil Society. Lights A.M are currently on hold but will probably continue sometime, though in a more experimental and instrumental only shape. Essence Of Mind is a closed chapter and has been since around 2017.
Hasse: We approach the projects differently. As you may hear, the two projects mentioned have quite the different soundscape from each other and also style of songwriting. Where Xenturion Prime is on the more expansive and progressive side, The Sound Veil Society is more straight to the point, written more as “pop songs.”
The Sound Veil Society is a striking name. What does it mean? How did it come about?
Erlend: Good question 😉
Hasse: The name is very open for interpretation, it is almost like our music, like a veil of sound. Of course, we both have our own interpretation of the name, but we feel that we should let the listeners decide what the name means for them.
Who or what are the project’s biggest influences?
Erlend: A mix a lot of different music, but we both love ’70s and ’80s music, especially instrumental electronic soundtracks, so we try to blend that feeling with more straightforward pop songs in a new way.
Hasse: Exactly, not going to namedrop bands but it is everything from Berlin school/Kraut to cinematic scores from that era. Nature is also a big influence for us since we both live close to nature, Erlend close to the woods and I to the ocean. It really affects us a lot.
You’ve only released two songs so far, but the response I’m seeing is incredibly enthusiastic. How are you feeling about the reception? Has anything surprised you?
Erlend: We are very grateful for the amazing response so far, it’s been more than what we expected for sure!
Hasse: Yeah, we were surprised by the great reception, we didn’t anticipate it at all. And it means the world and makes us even more inspired to make more Sound Veil Society songs.
I’m curious about how you achieve that warm, lush sound. What can you tell us about the gear you’re using? Is there a particular piece of equipment that defines The Sound Veil Society?
Erlend: I think both Hasse and I have our own core sound in what we do, and they blend together very well! We also have a clear idea of how a Sound Veil Society track should sound. Other aspects that define our sound are movement, layers, imperfection, and quite a bit of subtle distortion, noise, and grit, as well as how we use delays and reverb.
As for instruments, my most-used synth so far is the Hydrasynth, but the Moog Grandmother and Sequential Take 5, among others, are all over the place. 🙂
Hasse: Absolutely, it is the combination of what we both do that makes a Sound Veil Society song. Layers, layers, layers. What I use varies a lot. For example: DW-000, SH-101, to orchestral libraries in Kontakt. I have a very hybrid way of working.
I have also just started to dabble in the Eurorack world, so we will see how that will affect the sound (or if I’m just going to end up a weird hermit, which I have been warned about).
I know you’ve performed live a few times, including the coveted midnight slot at NCN Festival. What was that like? What else are you playing in your set? Any covers?
That was a great experience for sure! It was packed in front of the stage, and as it was our first show with a big audience with only two tracks released was quite a challenge. But I think it went quite well, as the response after the show was great! We played only original songs, think the set was around seven songs or so.
What can we expect from The Sound Veil Society in 2026? Are you working on an album?
Yes, we are working on an album! The other day we actually talked about that it is time to start choosing which songs to have on it, but we don’t know how long it will take to finish it all. We are aiming for a 2026 release though.
Apart from finishing the album, we will work on new material as well as playing more shows.
So much music I love comes from Scandinavian countries. What is it about that part of the world that produces such good synthpop?
Good question! Maybe the long winters with short daylight? It for sure makes an impact on how we feel. But you’re right, there is a special Scandinavian sound. And you can hear it across many different genres.
Last question, which country—Sweden or Norway—makes the best synthpop?
Erlend: I have to say Sweden, but maybe a mix of both is the ultimate combo? 😉
Hasse: I agree, combined it’s unstoppable.
