Interview: God Ton

God Ton, the ambient project of Stockholm-based musician Mattias Dahl, is built around the freedom to let sound take the time it needs. Moving from traditional rock structures into dark ambient, field recordings, immersive soundscapes, and emotionally charged audio journeys, Dahl treats storytelling as the core challenge: translating a feeling into sound.

General info

Artist Name: God Ton

Real name: Mattias Dahl

Age: 51

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

How long have you been making music? 41 years

 

Social Media / Music Links

godton.bandcamp.com
Apple Music
Deezer
Spotify

 

Do you release music under a label or independently?

Independent

 

Creative process and inspiration

What drew you to ambient music in the first place?

I was bored of attempting to create musical soundscapes and make them fit the normal song structure, and I was really really bored of not having the time to actually make the soundscapes and the journey something that was interesting. The idea that a sound or a feeling can be allowed the time it needs was incredibly liberating.

Can you describe your creative process when starting a new track?

It's very different from song to song.. sometimes I do field recordings and try to find the music that's hidden in them, and other times I have an idea of creating the audio experience of diving for pearls or something like that. Sometimes I get an overwhelming feeling that I want to capture a certain feeling, like my track “Hämta På Föris” (godton.bandcamp.com/track/h-mta-p-f-ris) where I wanted to capture the emotions I felt from leaving my house all the way to picking up my son from day care, and it's a complete recording that progresses in real time.

What kinds of experiences or environments tend to inspire your work most?

I love it when I find a sound that is somewhat haunting, but at the same time has a beauty to it. I always try to keep my studio relaxed and comfy with as few distractions as possible.

What atmosphere or emotional space are you trying to create with your music?

When I started digging into the ambient genre I wanted to create the most beautiful pieces I'd never heard, and the I gradually moved over to dark ambient where I find a great pleasure in trying to contain the violent sounds, the uncontrollable. You know the feeling where you think “if this was not controlled it would blow my head off”.

What moment made you feel like you had truly found your sound?

I think when I let go of the need to keep my songs in a strict format, if a song wants to be twenty minutes it's going to be twenty minutes. It's incredibly freeing coming from a traditional rock scene.

How important is storytelling in your work?

Storytelling is the basis of all my work. It's the core challenge - translating a feeling or an emotion into audio.

What makes a track feel “finished” to you?

That's a great question! My process usually moves through phases: 1) I spill out all my ideas and impulses into the project, 2) I review all movements and piece them together or see how to transition and build it into a flowing piece.

Which artists (or even non-musical influences) have shaped your artistic vision?

I can see a line going from Pink Floyd Dark Side Of The Moon -> David Bowie V2 Schneider -> various Radiohead -> Rafael Anton Irisarri Solastalgia.

 

Gear and setup

Are you using hardware instruments, software, or a hybrid setup?

I'm using a hybrid setup. Being a multi instrumentalist I love to combine vocals, guitars and piano as well as a lot (a lot!) of processing and software instruments.

What's your favorite piece of gear or plugin, and why?

I would say when it comes to VST instruments I absolutely love Surge XT, a software that would cost hundreds of dollars if there was greed in the mix from the developers. When it comes to effects I'm always returning to Freakshow Industries (freakshowindustries.com), it's a wonderfully insane world of sound processing.

What piece of gear completely changed your workflow?

I can't say there's a certain piece of gear (apart from my first drum kit when I was 10), but if I was pressed for an answer I would say that over a longer period of time the digital DAW turned my whole creativity loose way back in 1989. An old Atari with Cubase that I got completely lost in.

 

Challenges

What's been the biggest challenge so far in creating ambient music?

I would say there are two major challenges: how to keep things interesting in a track while not overloading the composition, and also how to not create the same weave over and over.

How do you stay motivated or inspired when you're in a creative rut?

I usually make a point of opening up a new project and force myself to create SOMETHING every day. It doesn't have to become a track, but it often knocks things loose. Inspiration isn't something that strikes like lightning, it's what comes from repeated efforts.

How do streaming platforms affect the way you release music, or what is your relationship with those platforms?

I used to think that it was important for me to get streams and fans, but I have no illusion of ever making money from making music - it's all for me. I still distribute to streaming platforms (keeping my future releases from Spotify after their war mongering and funding of Trumps inaugeration).

What are your thoughts on AI's impact on music and art? Have you, in any form, used it in your approach to creating and shaping ideas?

I have tried using AI in a dedicated project (under the moniker “Veloma!” ampwall.com/a/veloma) but it's not something I ever use in God Ton. I want to be in charge of every sound in my works.

How do you see AI evolving in music and art? Are you cautious about it, or do you think it will increasingly function as a tool within creative workflows?

I was interested at first, but after trying a few popular services I must say I'm quite underwhelmed and a bit sad. I mean, it's good enough for people to prompt a good tune and maybe even get a hit song out of it, but it's something missing. And the times I've listened to something someone made and I learn it's AI, I lose contact with it. It suddenly means nothing to me. I would rather listen to Daniel Johnston type home recordings with a ton of soul than a perfect generated AI song. I always feel cheated. Like “why would I spend precious minutes of my life listening to something that the artist themselves could not bother to pull out of their own being.” I feel like a grumpy old man, but the joy and uniqueness goes missing.

What are you currently working on?

I'm currently working on a new dark ambient album about the rise of fascism in Sweden (and the world really), one rhythm ambient album and also a more traditional song based (with lyrics) project that moves along the lines of glitchy electronica and immersive soundscapes.

What advice would you give to new ambient artists?

Find your own way into the sounds, try and explore why you like a particular sound. Make it hard for yourself (fixed length, use only one instrument etc) - set up some rules. And also, what makes the most difference for me personally is that I try not to start new songs while I have one in the works. I've realised I can't focus on more than one piece at a time so I start a song and force myself to finish it before I start another one. Often I go back after a while and rework some things, but that way most of the pieces are almost done.

 

The sound of God Ton