The Österlyckan Story & Studio Showcase
Thirty years ago, Martin Sandvik and I played together in a band called LINK. Even back then, we were obsessed with music production—trying to resurrect an old PC with a Soundblaster card in our dusty rehearsal space.
Eventually, the band split and life took us on different paths. Martin embarked on an amazing journey with Hardcore Superstar, a band that still continues to rock stages worldwide. Meanwhile, I spent years studying, writing music, and spent the last eight years building studios.
In 2014, fate brought us back together. A fan sent Martin some old LINK demos, and stunned by how good they sounded, Martin called me up: HCSS wanted to re-record a couple of the tracks! Soon after, I joined them as a guest performer live and recorded guitars in the studio.
Shortly after, I moved my studio setup to Café Overlock in the peaceful suburb of Utby—right above the basement studio Martin was using. When an adjacent space (which used to be an old butcher shop) suddenly became available, it was the missing puzzle piece. We connected the rooms, and Österlyckan Studios—a lifelong dream—was officially born.
We spent two intense months constructing the facility alongside acoustic expert and close friend Björn Asplind, leading up to our grand opening on June 3, 2016. Following an expansion in 2018, the studio now boasts two top-tier control rooms, two live rooms, and a comfortable lounge and kitchen area. Outside, we also have a private courtyard—the ultimate spot for grilling, relaxing, and taking a breather in the sun during the summer months.
Both control rooms are packed to the brim with high-end hybrid gear and vintage instruments. Some of the crown jewels include a Trident 65 console, API and NEVE preamps, SSL bus compression and summing, BURL summing, Altec, Distressor, 1176s, Neumann U87, GAP U47, and many other timeless classics. For instruments and backline, you’ll find Martin and Fender guitars, Nord, Fender Rhodes, a acoustic upright piano, Tama drums, and much more.
Both studio rooms run Logic Pro stacked with virtually every plugin you could ever need, alongside world-class virtual instruments and synths from Spectrasonics, Softube, and leading developers.
Above all, everyone who steps inside falls instantly in love with the vibe—it’s relaxed, welcoming, and feels just like a cozy living room designed for pure creativity.
Link at “Drömmarnas kaj” 94, Martin to the left and Fidde second from left
