BJ Nilsen returns with his latest sonic exploration, True than Nature, set for release on August 29, 2025, via Stephen O’Malley’s Ideologic Organ label, in association with Shelter Press. This new full-length from the Amsterdam-based Swedish sound artist promises a deep dive into the ambiguous and evocative power of sound.
Following his 2021 release Irreal, Nilsen continues his engagement with the philosophical ideas of Jean-Paul Sartre. The album’s title is drawn from Sartre’s L’Imaginaire, where he describes a powerfully suggestive portrait as being “truer than nature,” a concept that lies at the heart of the album, questioning the reality of what we hear and the worlds we construct in our minds.
Recorded between 2024 and 2025, True than Nature is a masterclass in active listening. Nilsen, a veteran of influential labels such as Touch and Cold Meat Industry, constructs intricate soundscapes from his extensive field recordings. The album is a suite of evolving drones and the sounds of the natural world, punctuated by sudden, startling intrusions. The familiar rustle of wind or the distant clang of metal is rendered uncanny, teetering on the edge of recognition.
As described in an accompanying text by Arie Altena, the listening experience is one of “instability.” The listener is constantly shifted between different sonic environments, creating a disorienting yet fascinating journey. Nilsen challenges our perception, prompting us to question the origins and meanings of the sounds we encounter.
With mastering by Stephan Mathieu and photography by Nilsen and Annette Wolfsberger, True than Nature is a meticulously crafted artistic statement. As Stephen O’Malley notes, Nilsen’s “attention always brings a fascination to the ears.” This album is an invitation to listen differently, to explore the space between the real and the imagined, and to discover a world that is, perhaps, truer than nature itself. Listen to the preview track, ‘Permanent Shadows,’ below.
Pre-Order: https://bennynilsen.bandcamp.com/album/true-than-nature